Erase those fine lines and wrinkles

Looking Good (column)
By Annmarie Cronin

It’s what psychologists call "threshold" that indiscernible, imaginary line that we cross over, that line that distinguishes the "before" from the "after", that day we could look in the mirror and definitely say they were here -- the lines of age.

Call them crows feet, crinkles, laugh lines, furrows, worry lines, whatever. When we acknowledge their existence, we accept their permanence. Or do we?

I no longer listen to the lyrics of that Rolling Stones’ song, "Time Is On My Side" because I con see in the mirror that it is not. It’s time to sing a different tune -- maybe Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time."

I, myself, don't want to be compared to a prune. And when the lotions and potions are no longer erasing and the cosmetics no longer covering, its time for a visit to the experts.

There is a virtual cornucopia of treatments available: face peels, collagen injections and Botox at the milder and least invasive end, all the way to dermabrasion and C02 laser skin resurfacing. Then there are the surgical procedures: brow lifts and full face lifts, the decision is a matter of what works best, your lifestyle and your budget.

Peel and collagen injections are the least expensive and least invasive procedures, says William Stefani, MD., a plastic surgeon front St. Clair Shores. These procedures are done in-office with little inconvenience to the patient. More extensive work would involve laser skin resurfacing, which requires anesthesia and is usually done in a hospital. The downside with laser is usually the redness that ensues and can last up to several months.

Acid peels, dermabrasion and the laser destroy the skin in different ways, says Stefani. The acid burns with a chemical and the laser with heat. Dermabrasion destroys skin by sanding it down.

According to Michael Freedlond with Somerset Medical Group in Troy, "If you just have mild creases and small wrinkles, the C02 laser should take care of everything.

Cost and impositions on work schedules are often the driving factor in reaching a decision. The price of a full face lift can be as high as $8,500. Laser skin resurfacing costs around $3,500 and collagen injections cost around $500. You also have to consider how long the effects will last. Collagen injections dissipate in about six months, A full face lift lasts about 10 years.

Freedland stresses the importance of understanding how much time off from work and postoperative manifestations patients might experience. For example, redness almost always follows laser skin resurfacing. It takes six weeks to six months for it to completely dissipate. But you can apply makeup after 10 days to help camouflage the redness, says Freedland.

Botox, an injectable, mildly toxic paralytic substance originally used to treat tics and tremors, is slowly becoming the quick fix for the smart set, says Mune Gowda, M.D. He’s been using the treatment for three years to treat brow wrinkles and crows feet. This process needs to be repeated every four to five months to keep up appearances. Gowda compares it to a "mini brow lift without the invasiveness of surgery." It costs $1,200 to $1,500 for the in-office procedure.

Jeffrey Colton, M.D., a professor of otolaryngology affiliated with the University of Michigan. uses a new machine called Visage which uses radio frequencies to smooth out wrinkles, "The deeper the wrinkle, the deeper you have to go to get rid of it,’ says Colton, The C02 laser may be more efficient with deeper lines. Colton also uses Botox to smooth out wrinkles, but points out that even though Botox has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of spasms, it has not yet been cleared for the correction of wrinkles -- although it has been widely and safely used for years.

We age in different ways, taking heredity and the genes of past generations with us, so we all need tailor-made regimens to stave off the ravages of time, Take action against the skin that folds and furrows without your permission.