ASIANS AGE BETTER THAN CAUCASIANS
Asian races tend to age better than Caucasian races for a few reasons.
Firstly their skin is darker and therefore is better protected from sun damage. Secondly they have thicker skin, and lastly they have a wider face shape.
This increases their facial volume and means that they suffer less from the facial shape changes that volume depletion causes with age.
TRUE
YOU CANT LIE DOWN AFTER ANTI-WRINKLE INJECTIONS
This is one of a number of recommendations given to patients after anti-wrinkle injections in the early days, along with “Don’t sleep on your side tonight”.
There is no evidence for these recommendations at all. Having said that, you should not do anything that will put excessive pressure on the area or cause swelling for a couple of days.
This would include wearing tight goggles or masks, or having a facial, IPL or laser treatment. Day to day activities (washing, make up, general skin care regimens) are fine
FALSE
YOUR FACE DROOPS AS YOU GET OLDER
Some very good research has answered this question for us. Scientists studied photographs of people from youth to old age.
What they noted was that moles and birthmarks on the face never changed position, even though the faces looked like they were descending over time.
The major change with age is actually volume loss from the fat and also the bone. This explains why volume replacement in the right areas, with dermal fillers, can be so effective.
This is not to say that face lift surgery, in the right patient, can’t be good option.
FALSE
DRINKING ALCOHOL CAUSES A DRINKER”S NOSE
The classic “drinker’s nose” is actually a condition called rhinophyma, a variation of rosacea.
Rosacea causes redness, flushing, visible blood vessels, acne like spots, and sometimes a thickening and enlargement of the skin especially of the nose.
Rosacea sufferers often find that alcohol causes flushing and may make their noses go red. So drinking alcohol may temporarily exacerbate rosacea, but does not cause it.
FALSE
YOU CAN’T SPOT REDUCE FAT
Good research has shown that exercising a muscle over an area of fat does not make that fat go away.
So doing sit ups will not reduce belly fat any quicker than it reduces fat elsewhere on the body.
Of course exercise will burn energy and reduce overall body fat including in the problem area (although the fat never seems to leave the problem area as fast as other areas, and a good diet is more important anyway).
Having said that, today’s spot fat reduction methods do work on problem areas.
Coolsculpt is highly effective at reducing areas of body fat without surgery or liposuction, and can be used on areas like the tummy, inner and outer thighs, man boobs, love handles and arms.
It is permanent and works best on patients who are normal weight or a little overweight, and is not a weight reduction treatment.
Likewise the jawline, neck and double chin area can be very effectively treated with a simple injection treatment (see “double Chin” on our website)
FALSE
EVERYONE NEEDS THEIR BROWS LIFTED AS THEY AGE
Most people find that their brows get lower as they age. This is possibly a consequence of volume loss over the forehead.
One of the most popular treatments that we do is to use anti-wrinkle injections to give a little brow lift.
But some ladies find that their brows actually get a little higher as they age.
Lifting them further can give a permanently surprised appearance, and sometimes they would benefit more from having their brows dropped a little lower with anti-wrinkle injections.
Everyone is different, don’t just assume you need a brow lift.
FALSE
FAT PEOPLE LOOK YOUNGER
As I keep explaining to my patients, volume loss is the most important aspect of the ageing face.
People who are larger have naturally more fat in the face, and this does tend to maintain volume.
So yes, overweight people often do tend to look young for their age. Essentially as you get older you can be overweight and maintain facial volume, or you can be slim and lose facial volume more.
Of course a third option is to be slim and replenish facial volume with dermal fillers!
Of course overweight people do still age in the face, and are more prone to loss of jawline and jowls.
TRUE
MEN DON’T NEED COSMETIC MEDICINE
It’s true that some men just seem to look better as they get older – they get “ruggedly handsome” (think Sean Connery!).
I often say that men can look ruggedly handsome, but women don’t usually want to be ruggedly beautiful! Men’s faces are certainly different to women’s, and they need to be treated differently.
Women’s faces have more gentle curves, men’s have more angles, their brows are straighter, and their jawlines and chins stronger.
Men also can’t afford to look the slightest bit “done”. Having said that, many men have cosmetic treatments and benefit from them. IPL can clean off years of sun damage from outdoor work or activities, and does not change the shape of the face.
Anti-wrinkle injections to soften the frown, treatments for old acne or traumatic scars, and hair transplants are also very popular with men.
Collagen stimulants to improve the skin and cheek lines and dermal fillers performed to replenish volume in masculine areas (often the jawline and subtly in the cheeks) are also popular and can give not only a rejuvenated, younger appearance but also a more masculine one.
| Dr Christopher Leat – Medical Director Envisage Skin Clinic Founder and Director.Dr Christopher Leat has 33 years’ experience in Medicine and is a member of The Royal College of Physicians of London. Dr Leat has devoted the last 18 years to Cosmetic Medicine and is recognised throughout Australia as one of the most experienced doctors in the field of Cosmetic Medicine. |
