Written By: Katharine Ehresman
I don’t know about the rest of y’all, but at 55, I’m just not interested in going into old age gracefully. Not in the slightest. I’m going in kicking and fighting all the way. Sure, when I was young and immortal my mantra was “You can never be too rich, too tan or too thin!”. OK, so the first one is still an option, the second has put me in the position I’m in now and the third…well, for a couple of years after my daughter was born and I was trying to raise a baby myself and travel every week for work I did get too thin. And, to be honest, it was pretty darn great. There’s nothing like not being able to find clothes in the store because you are a size 00. But, I digress. Once we determine that gravity, toxins and past decisions are taking their toll on our looks we have a choice. To go under the knife or find non-invasive option.
Both options have their pro’s and con’s. Surgical procedures are more permanent and, with advances in technology and techniques their popularity has not waned. In fact, according to Aboutfacecosmetic.com, “…new data indicates that the number of facelifts performed in the United States increased by 22 percent in the past year alone and by 22 percent over the past five years.” For the most part, the credit goes to advancements in less-invasive techniques that result in shorter post-operative downtime for this increase. Non-surgical procedures have seen an increase of 15 to up to 99 percent depending on the procedure, over the last 5 years.
So, most of us have a pretty good idea of what is involved when we say “surgical procedure” such as a tummy tuck, breast augmentation, breast reduction/lift, facelift, liposuction, etc. We’ve either had one or more of them ourselves or know someone who has. For the most part, these procedures cannot be replicated with non-invasive procedures. You can, however, achieve incredibly positive results for skin tightening, firming, brightening and plumping without incisions and general anesthesia.
The minimally or non-surgical procedure that saw the biggest increase was laser skin rejuvenation that increased up to 99 percent. Fat reduction non-invasive procedures increased 25 percent, chemical peels 16 percent. Injectables such as botulinum toxin (Botox) and fillers such as Juvederm saw an increase of 41 percent. Here at L Aesthetics and Longevity we have a multitude of options all that will help you achieve your goals and the look you’ve been longing for.
I will use myself as an example. Over the past 4 or 5 years I’ve seen a drastic change in my appearance. It seems like all the stress of the last 40 years suddenly decided to rear it’s ugly head and land on my face and neck. I had Deputy Dog jowls, a stringy creepy neck, no cheekbones anywhere in sight and zero definition. All in all, I was a flabby, saggy mess! Our wonderful team here took me under their protective wings and assured me all would be alright. Josh started me off with a Morpheus 8 and NeoGen laser treatment pairing. Morpheus (or Scarlet) is a new subdermal adipose remodeling device that fractionally remodels and contours the face and body. Penetrating deep into the skin and fat, this morphs the aging face and body into a more desired smooth and sleep appearance. We followed that treatment directly with NeoGen that same day.
NeoGen Plasma uses nitrogen gas to produce plasm energy (the 4th state of energy) which penetrates the superficial and deeper levels of the skin to replace damaged collagen and encourage new collagen growth for new skin. The entire skin surface is regenerated, and new collagen and elastin formation is stimulated for over a year from the time of treatment. And boy, did it work. It had been a long time since a stranger had complimented me and now, it seems like it happens more and more frequently.
We allowed time for me to completely heal from these treatments, then it was time for Natalie to bring me into her cocoon and perform her magic on me. We could already notice a difference in the appearance of my skin. Josh had concentrated on my jawline and it showed! Additionally, my skin looked much more firm, healthier and plump. Natalie, with the eye of Matisse started sculpting with Voluma to enhance my cheekbones which also pulls the skin upward from my lower face, Vollure around my jawline and marionette lines and finally Ultra XC to build and plump my non-existent upper lip. I cannot tell you how much better I feel about myself now. Talk about a confidence booster! I have to brag and say I am the luckiest woman to have a whole team who uses their expertise to help me feel better about myself! I’ve attached a couple of pictures below. I’m not going to label them so you will have to decide which is the before and after.
So, as you can see there is a great deal you can do with non-invasive procedures. The choice is yours and that is a beautiful thing! (get my pun?) My recommendation, if you are wanting to achieve younger, firmer, brighter skin, visit us at L Aesthetics and Longevity for a consultation before committing to going under the knife. I look forward to meeting you and watching your transformation. Until next time, onwards and upwards my fair maidens!