In the film classic Steel Magnolias, Dolly Parton’s character expresses something so many many of us know to be true: “Time marches on. And sooner or later you realize it’s marching across your face.”
For millions of people, the pursuit of youthfulness remains an eternal quest. It seems like we all want to preserve the characteristics that once defined our faces when we were young. But time continues to march, and once again finding that youthful appearance sometimes requires intervention from skilled professionals.
In this article, we will show you how facial rejuvenation is possible with the help of lasers.
The Mechanics of Facial Aging
Physically aging feels so inevitable because it literally is. The visible signs of aging that show up on your face are a completely natural process caused by changes that happen to your skin over time.
Some of the reasons for visible facial aging include:
- Skin Changes
As you age, collagen begins to break down, which leads to physical changes in your face. Collagen is the natural protein that helps your skin repair itself and gives it its firmness. As you produce less of it, your skin doesn’t “bounce back” like it used to. The result? Fine lines, wrinkles, and all the telltale signs of aging.
- Muscle Changes
As you age, your muscles change throughout your body, and the face is no exception. The loss of muscle mass in your face can cause it to lose tone and definition, leading to a more hollow appearance in your cheeks and temples. Natural muscle weakening can further lead to sagging and wrinkles.
- Fat Changes
The tone and support in your face is largely due to fat deposits. As we age, the fat pads in our faces begin to naturally diminish and result in a hollowed and older appearance. Meanwhile, parts of your face can start to accumulate unwanted fats, most commonly the chin.
- Genetics
Never underestimate the lottery that is your gene pool. You can apply all the lotions and serums you can afford, but sometimes the way your face ages comes right down to the genes passed along by your mom and dad. If your parents have aged gracefully, you can breathe a little easier.
- Sun Damage
Finally, we cannot emphasize enough the havoc the sun and its UV rays can have on how quickly your face appears to age. Sun damage from UV ray exposure can cause you to not just age but age prematurely by nurturing wrinkles and producing age spots. Too much sun over a period of time can also affect your skin’s resilience to other environmental factors it may be exposed to.
The Advantages of Laser Beauty Treatments
If you’re still chasing the appearance of your youth, you’re lucky to have laser treatments at your disposal to help make those dreams come true.
Skilled professionals can use lasers to address a variety of concerns when it comes to aging skin. Some laser treatments are designed to stimulate collagen production, which will help restore your skin’s elasticity. Some treatments tackle excess melanin in your skin, reducing the appearance of sun spots and age spots.
Using lasers to help treat the visible signs of aging has several advantages over other treatment options including:
- It’s Non-Invasive
Compared to traditional plastic surgery, laser treatments are much simpler in many ways. Since laser treatments don’t change the foundational structure or shape of your face, you can get effective results without cutting or stitches. Not having scalpels involved also means you’ll have minimal downtime, and you’ll be able to get back to your daily routine in almost no time.
- Lasers Provide Precision
Because of their pinpoint accuracy, you can rest assured that your laser treatment is treating only the areas you want it to treat. With this type of accuracy, you all but eliminate the collateral damage that can be done to surrounding skin and tissue.
- Customizable Treatment Plans
Your skin’s treatment plan should be just as unique as you are. Laser treatments are completely customizable to fit your specific skin color and skin type to achieve the results you want.
Laser Treatments and Peels
Laser treatments don’t have to do all the heavy lifting, either. PCA offers a full line of skin specific medical-grade peels to help the laser treatment fix problem areas on your skin. These peels are designed to protect your skin while reducing signs of acne, sun spots from sun damage and aging.
With both working together, you’ll be thrilled with your healthier looking complexion and new youthful look!
The Post-Treatment Routine
Because laser beauty treatments are a non-invasive way of putting some youth back into your appearance, the aftercare routine is also easy.
Immediately after treatment, you should use cold compresses to help reduce any puffiness or redness that the laser may cause. This will also help soothe your skin, which might be slightly irritated immediately after. You should also use a mild soap and a light moisturizer to keep the area clean and hydrated.
To keep your post-treatment youthful glow longer, a simple long-term routine will go a long way. Find a skincare routine that fits your schedule, needs, and budget, and make sure that routine is free of any irritants like exfoliants.
Finally, (and we can’t stress this enough), avoid direct sunlight whenever possible. And even while you avoid it, wear sunscreen on your face daily to combat the UV rays that still find you. If you wear makeup, many foundations and moisturizers now come with built-in UV protection so you don’t have to add another step to your routine.
If you’re thinking about laser treatments to help reduce the appearance of time marching across your face, our experts at Ink-B-Gone are the people you want to contact. We have an experienced and knowledgeable staff to help customize a laser treatment plan that will leave you looking and feeling younger in no time. Check out our Twitter and Instagram to see some of our happy clients today!
