THE ANTI-AGING PROCESS

A Natural Glow At Any Age!

By Shana Ackerman

Many women say that signs of aging seem to appear overnight. As we age, our bodies change and so do our expectations about how we look. If you feel like you have lost your natural glow or your body does not look as young as you feel, you are not alone, and you can do something about it! In fact, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, noninvasive or minimally invasive procedures have seen an 180 percent increase from 2000 to 2016.

We spoke with nationally recognized, New York-based Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. B. Aviva Preminger about the procedures and products she has incorporated into her practice to help combat the signs of aging to look and feel their best at any age. “There is a desire for all women, regardless of age, to minimize the signs of aging,” says Dr. B. Aviva Preminger, “and today, it is not just fine lines and wrinkles I am treating. Women are asking me to improve their skin/complexion, remove fat deposits, and tighten their skin with the least invasive process possible. With the advances in technology and products, there are many things I can offer women to combat the aging process and help them look and feel great at any age.”

Here, Dr. Preminger discusses some of her favorite noninvasive/minimally invasive procedures she administers for anti-aging.

What can be done to reduce the lines and wrinkles under my eyes?
Wrinkles around the eyes can make you look tired, sad and years older. Smoking, sun exposure and excess alcohol intake can rapidly speed up the appearance and severity of wrinkles. But hope is not lost. My top two most requested under eye treatments are chemical peels and Botox to remove superficial wrinkles and fillers to plump up hollow tear troughs.

*Chemical Peels and Lasers I recommend a series of chemical peels for my patients who want to gently and gradually eliminate superficial wrinkles under their eyes. Chemical peels are noninvasive, require no anesthesia and have minimal, if any, downtime. Most of my patients have made chemical peels a routine. I recommend four peels per year, in addition to a proper skin care routine. Another great option for resurfacing the lower eyelid skin is erbium laser resurfacing. This can provide a more dramatic and faster result. The more aggressive the laser resurfacing, however, the greater the result, but the greater the downtime.

*Botox and Fillers Botox and Dysport are the best non-surgical options for crow’s feet lines around the corner of your eyes. However, dermal fillers, such as Restylane, are the better option for the hollow circles underneath the eyes. Dermal fillers will fill out hollowed tear troughs, dark circles and under-eye wrinkles. My patients see dramatic improvements in the appearance of their eyes and the results last six to nine months, with no down time and very little discomfort during the procedure.

How can I get the fullness back in my lips and turn the corners of my mouth back up? I look like I am always frowning!
The best way to improve thinning lips and drooping corners of the mouth is with dermal fillers like Restylane and Juvéderm. The filling of the lips can give a subtle and natural fullness and when placed in the corners of the mouth, it can effectively give a lift. For an added touch, small amounts of Botox or Dysport to the muscles that pull at the corners of the mouth are also quite helpful. The results of dermal filler are immediately seen, and can last six to nine months, with no down time and little, if any discomfort. Microneedling is also a great way to soften vertical lip lines that often result from a history of smoking. All of these can be done in combination to maximize results!

I have wrinkles, scars, uneven tone, and spots on my face, hands and décolletage. Besides surgery, Botox or a filler, what can I do to get my smooth, youthful appearance back?
The face, neck, décolletage and hands are areas where the aging process truly shows. While the face and neck get a significant amount of attention in the anti-aging process, the hands are often ignored. Hands, many times neglected for years, can age at an alarming rate. Many patients say they wake up and notice wrinkles, age spots and crepe-like skin on their hands, almost overnight.

When I successfully treat and improve these areas, my patients’ entire face, neck and hands can transform. As the wrinkles, fine lines, and imperfections gradually lighten they find themselves looking years younger—not only improving appearance, but also doing wonders for their self-esteem.

*Forma—Fractional Thermal Contraction Forma is a great option because it is suitable for most skin types and for those seeking skin tightening without surgery. I like to think of Forma as the facial workout. It helps lift, tone, and tighten. Forma is a noninvasive procedure that uses radio frequency to target several layers of skin to improve elasticity and build collagen.

*Fractora Another excellent tool to rejuvenate and repair the surface of your face, neck and décolletage. Fractora can make your skin look tighter, and as a result, it will minimize the number of visible wrinkles on your face, neck and chest. Many of my patients refer to Fractora as a non-surgical facelift. While Fractora will make skin appear tighter and reduce wrinkles, it also has the ability to resurface the skin and slow the appearance of aging, giving skin a more youthful appearance.

*IPL – Intense Pulsed Light This is a laser light treatment that targets pigment issues, like sun damage, red spots, brown spots and Rosacea. IPL is also an effective treatment for spider veins or broken veins. It’s also a great option to even out skin tone and give my patients a youthful glow to their skin. IPL is noninvasive, has no downtime, and there is little to no discomfort during the procedure.

*CO2 Laser—Carbon Dioxide Fractional Laser This laser resurfacing procedure removes age spots, fine lines, wrinkles, scarring, uneven coloration, helps reduce skin laxity, removes textural irregularities, eliminates dullness in the skin, and helps restore collagen in the face, neck and décolletage. CO2 is the best treatment to get the greatest anti-aging results in one treatment. CO2 is a minimally invasive procedure. There is some discomfort during the procedure and I usually numb my patients prior to performing CO2 laser. Additionally, some recovery time is required. Most patients report that it feels like they have a very bad sunburn for 12 hours up to three days.

I have a small pocket of fat under my chin. I eat right and exercise but it won’t go away. What can I do to get my jawline back?
In recent years, I have found that Kybella is like surgery in a bottle, with permanent removal of fat—a great alternative to liposuction! It is easy to customize the Kybella treatments to match the exact goals, needs and anatomy of my patients. Kybella can take multiple treatments, but I usually get to or close to final results after only two treatments. Kybella is minimally invasive, with little to no downtime. It is a great option for women looking to eliminate stubborn fat in small pockets without having surgery.

I have always wanted to remove the fat around my bra roll and over my stomach, but I am nervous about surgery. What other options do I have?
CoolSculpting is the ideal option for non-surgical fat reduction. It is what we call our lunchtime procedure, meaning it can be done in as little as an hour and requires no downtime. CoolSculpting is completely non-invasive, non-surgical and is very affordable. While the effects are not as drastic as traditional liposuction, CoolSculpting can be performed multiple times for optimal results. CoolSculpting will freeze fat from your bra rolls and over your stomach, resulting in a gradual reduction and elimination of fat. You can have the process repeated every six to eight weeks, until your ideal results are obtained.

Your skin will continue to age as time goes on. To maintain your results, I always recommend a healthy skincare routine including cosmeceutical products, medical grade facials, and maintenance procedures.

For more information on B. Aviva Preminger, M.D., F.A.C.S. (969 Park Avenue, Suite 1E; 212-206-1900), visit premingermd.com.