Every month, we consult with many adults who want to correct or postpone the signs of aging. Common concerns include hooded eyelids, sagging jowls, and deepening lines and creases. To properly address the cosmetic changes that occur with age, it is important to understand what causes them. To achieve the best results, doctors and nurses who perform cosmetic treatments aim to affect the root cause of aging. Here, we discuss why this often involves multiple treatment sessions.
The Traditional Approach to Beauty
Throughout the ages, humans have sought to prevent and correct various cosmetic concerns from the outside in. We apply sunscreen to prevent sun damage (as we should; it’s our best strategy yet!). We apply serums and creams to smooth wrinkles. Even the best medical grade products, though, have limitations. While they are part of a good anti-aging regimen, they are not the end-all-be-all. Long-term beauty requires various degrees of maintenance. The reason why is that aging doesn’t occur on the epidermis, but much deeper.
Cosmetic aging such as crow’s feet and jowls begin in the dermis. This deeper layer of skin tissue is where fibroblasts live. These are the cells that are responsible for producing the proteins and chemicals that keep the skin’s foundation strong. Collagen produced in the dermis helps maintain skin firmness. Hyaluronic acid supports moisture and plumpness in areas like the lips and cheeks. Elastin keeps the skin stretchy so lines disappear when the face is at rest. The fibroblasts are busy little cells up until adulthood. In our twenties, they stop working so hard. By our thirties, they’re pretty much dormant. That’s why adults around this age start to notice subtle changes in their skin.
Today, one of the critical aspects of anti-aging is to stimulate fibroblast cells, seeing as their activity is crucial to firm, stretchy, plump skin. At Cleveland Plastic Surgery Institute, we achieve this goal using various technologies. Microneedling is an excellent example of a skin-boosting treatment that can be repeated as often as every few months. This minimally-invasive technique creates tiny channels in the upper layers of the skin. The channels are perceived by the body’s immune system as small injuries. To repair them, the fibroblast cells produce more collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. Additionally, microneedling maintains the skin in the perfectly-primed state to absorb beneficial skincare products. Call 440-461-6100 to schedule your visit with us.