The War Against Aging: Invasion Not Required

You look in the mirror and do a double-take. Whaa? Who is that, ahem, old person. OK, not old exactly, but, well, older. At some point, the fresh-faced person you remember was replaced by someone with creases and lines.

So what should you do about it? Surgery? Yikes. That seems so surgical.

In fact, advances in non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments are driving an ongoing surge in their popularity that shows no signs of slowing down. Many women and men who want to restore some youthfulness to their faces are opting for BOTOX® Cosmetic injections, dermal fillers, and laser treatments instead of facelifts or other cosmetic surgery.

"Our annual statistics serve as a snapshot regarding the plastic surgery industry," said American Society of Plastic Surgeons President Gregory Evans, M.D. "For the third consecutive year, the overall growth in cosmetic surgery continues to be driven by a significant rise in minimally invasive procedures, while surgical procedures remain relatively stable."

If the annual statistics are a snapshot, looking at trends stretching back more than a decade provides the big picture, and it dramatically underscores the rise of minimally invasive anti-aging procedures. For example, between 2000 and 2012 the number of facelifts performed dipped 6% and forehead lifts plummeted 63%. During that same period, the number of minimally invasive procedures climbed nearly 140%, including a 680% rise in BOTOX and Dysport® injections and an increase of more than 200% in the use of dermal fillers.

As those numbers rose, board-certified dermatologists gained a stronger foothold among patients looking for something more than acne treatments and traditional skin care. Many women and men interested in softening aging's effects now turn to dermatologists instead of plastic surgeons for minimally invasive, anti-aging procedures.

While dermatology has always been on the forefront of non-surgical and minimally invasive procedures, with options such as laser and injectable treatments, there has been exponential growth in the field of cosmetic dermatology.

Dr. Lorrie Klein, a dermatologist in Orange County, CA whose OC Dermatology practice is a national leader in minimally invasive procedures says 10 years ago, only about 10 percent of her patients came in for cosmetic procedures. Now things have changed, and the majority of her business is cosmetic.

Klein and other cosmetic dermatologists are using BOTOX, fillers such JUVÉDERM®, Artefill®, and RADIESSE® to combat aging.

The 3 Dimensions of Facial Aging

Signs of aging can be categorized into 3 main conditions: wrinkles, volume loss, and damaged skin. Here's the background on the breakdown of our young, fresh faces — and how minimally invasive treatments can help.

Over time, our faces develop dynamic and static wrinkles. When we're younger, lines tend to fade when we relax our facial muscles. Dynamic wrinkles are the wrinkles that appear when we move our facial muscles and disappear when we relax. Static wrinkles stick around after we've relaxed; they've become permanent. What's the cosmetic solution? BOTOX and similar products are the most popular choice to relax wrinkles around the eyes and brow line.

An unfortunate result of aging is the loss of facial volume due in part to lipoatrophy, or loss of fat. Losing fat is usually a good thing. But if you're at a healthy weight and retaining less fat in your face, you end up with a gaunt look that greatly contributes to an aged appearance. Lipoatrophy occurs most noticeably beneath the eyes, in the cheeks, and in the lips. The answer? Dermal fillers such as JUVÉDERM and RADIESSE do what their name implies: they fill. They're convenient and relatively affordable ways to replace lost volume.

When you insert support rods into a tent, they hold it up and make the fabric taut. If you take out a support, that section will become loose and create a depression (like a wrinkle) in the fabric. That's kind of how collagen works in your skin. With age, your body produces less collagen. Without that structural support, skin becomes less resilient and wrinkles more pronounced. So what do you do? Use laser treatments to tighten your skin. They promote collagen growth and also clear up blemishes and sunspots, other common signs of aging.