Still young at heart… and looking the part

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/01/2010 (5775 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Linda is turning back the clock. After a lifetime of looking after others, the Winnipeg-based 58-year-old retired marketing manager (whose last name is being withheld at her request) is spending time, energy and money on herself to zap away years of stress and aging that were leaving her looking tired and older.

"I never really looked after myself," she says. "I had a hectic job that was always about other people. Since I retired, I really have started looking at doing things for myself. I was still feeling fairly young but my skin was not looking it."

Linda says she was bothered by the wrinkles on her forehead, her jowls were dropping and she had discolouration around her eyes.

When she first walked into Dr. Earl Minuk’s Cosmetic Skin Clinic & Laser Centre, she wasn’t planning on getting anything done. She was just there to ask questions and do some research.

"It was something that I actually thought I would never do," says Linda. "I told him I didn’t want to come out of there looking like Goldie Hawn (from the First Wives Club)."

Today, although Linda might not have Goldie’s fortune, she certainly feels like a million dollars after treating herself to Botox, Juvederm and laser therapy. "I look younger and my skin looks fresher," says Linda. "People comment on how good I look. It’s definitely given me more confidence."

Anti-aging procedures make up a big chunk of the cosmetic world as millions like Linda try to turn back the hands of time.

Wrinkle-preventing Botox and facial fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm are still top contenders in the fight against age but there are new kids on the block joining the battle against Father Time.

"The latest trend in cosmetic anti-aging procedures is laser resurfacing," says Dr. Gidon Frame, medical director at the Anti-Aging Medical and Laser Clinic in Vancouver.

"It used to be a really invasive, painful procedure that removed the top layer of skin but now the lasers are fractionated. They are like little pixels of laser energy. So there’s less downtime but it still achieves a smoother effect."

The fractional laser therapy can be used to smooth out and tighten the skin. It can also be used to smooth out crepe-like skin on the hands and neck — otherwise known as age giveaways.

"The procedure takes about 45 minutes and patients require four treatments over four months," says Dr. Frame. "The downtime is manageable. People can expect two to four days of pink or redness, opposed to two to four weeks of oozing bloody redness that was often the result of the old laser treatment."

The results are permanent, although Dr. Frame recommends a once-a-year touch-up because "the aging process still continues."

Another new anti-aging treatment is called Sculptra. Referred to by some physicians as a "facelift in a bottle," Sculptra represents a new and unique non-invasive option that helps facial skin naturally regain a more youthful and natural-looking appearance.

"It’s like a non-surgical facelift," says Dr. Earl Minuk. "It takes the jowls and lifts them right up and replaces sagginess. The result lasts much longer than other fillers like Juvederm and Restylane. For some of my patients, it has lasted two-and-a-half years."

 

— For Canwest News Service