quick fixes

BY HARRY JACKSON JR.
September 20, 2004
Copyright (2004) St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Republished with permission from the Post-Dispatch
http://STLtoday.com

Asking a doctor to help you look better doesn't have to mean major surgery, or even waiting days for your normal skin color to return.

Still, doctors who supervise or administer treatments say it's impossible to make someone who's SO look 20, or someone who's 80 look SO. Basically, says Dr. L. "Mike" Nayak, director of facial plastic and cosmetic surgery for St. Louis University School of Medicine, the aim is to make a SO-year-old look like a better 50-year-old.

While the following list is meant to be gender-neutral, women seem to worry more about how they look than men do; as many as 90 percent of those seeking cosmetic surgery are women. However, more men are getting cosmetic procedures these days, for reasons ranging from self-esteem to career advantage.

Nayak noted that quick treatments or procedures increasingly are part of a cosmetic surgeon's practice, because a prime consideration for many people is the amount of down time.

Most of these treatments can be done in the physician's suite, by a plastic surgeon or dermatologist. If the procedure doesn't require breaking the skin with an injection or incision, it may be done by a cosmetologist or esthetist, who is trained to perform some cosmetic procedures. The results can last from a few hours to a couple of years, or as long as you're willing to continue getting touch-ups. At the very least, they'll get you through that upcoming high school reunion or wedding.

Here are the most common medically approved remedies for generating a better look quickly:

MOISTURIZERS OR MAKEUP: They're the quickest fix that you can do at home and be ready for an evening out.
What: Moisturizers help puff up the skin to get rid of fine wrinkles. Makeup covers skin flaws. Also, lots of specialty skin products work for individual problems. For example, some lipsticks will induce swelling in the lips for an hour or two; they give you the sexy, pouty look that's so popular, and the inflammation isn't considered harmful. Check cosmetic stores or the Web for these items.
More Information: Stores are full of moisturizers that range from a few dollars to extremely expensive. On the deluxe side there's StriVectin, priced from $70 to $300 a tube. It bills itself as an over-the-counter alterative to Botox.

TOPICAL FILLERS: Fillers have polymers that fill in wrinkles (much like fixing potholes); in other words, ifs a more aggressive form of makeup. After application, cover the filler with makeup and you can't see it.
What: This is note moisturizer; in fact, it stiffens the skin in minutes. It doesn't feel natural, and you may not want to smile broadly.
More Information: Doctors suggest practicing with it before taking it on the road. The best-known brand is Sudden Change, available on the Web for $5 to about $20. Ifs made to match skin colors. For more information, log onto www.sudden-change.com.

MICRODERMABRASION: This can be done in a doctor's office or by an esthetist. (An esthetist is not a physician, but can work on non-medical treatments for the face and head.) "You'll look good today and for a week or two afterward," Nayak said of the procedure.
What: In effect, its the same process as sandblasting the skin with a fine powder to remove the wrinkled skin surface. It causes no crusting or inflammation. "You can have the procedure and put make up on right afterward," Nayak said.
More information: The cost ranges from $50 to $200, depending on where you have it done. It's worth it to take the-time to find a qualified person to perform the procedure. Doctors or estheticians suggest having it done every week or so bra month, with boosters every couple of months thereafter. The 'note you use the procedure, they my, the less you need it.

DIET: Cut back on your salt intake.
What: Salt can cause the body to retain water, which can lead to bags under the eyes and puffiness. A week of low sodium intake can reduce water retention.
More Information: This works better if you exercise regularly.

CHEMICAL PEELS AND LIGHT TREATMENTS: These procedures can cause redness that may take days to go away, but they produce smoother skin with a more even tone.
What: A physician applies a chemical or other type of solution to remove dead skin and improve the skin's texture. The doctor also can use a laser or other form of intense light on problem areas to reduce wrinkling.
More information: There is a wide range of these treatments available; be sure to discuss all of the options with your doctor to determine which one is best suited to your needs.

BOTOX: This is the treatment that gets a lot of press. The effects last for months.
What: Botulinum Toxin Type A is injected to relax muscles that cause lines between the eyebrows, on the forehead and in other places on the face, such as crow'ks feet around the eyes. Botox does nothing to the surface of the skin itself, so wrinkles that don't clear with Bolos will need separate attention. This is a medical procedure and Missouri and Illinois law states that it must be done by a doctor or under a doctor's supervision.
More Information: It can take three to five days to see improvements, and up to two weeks to see maximum results. A treatment costs about $300 to $1,200, depending on how many injections you get. The medical community is still studying the longterm effects of having paralyzing toxins injected into muscles.

SUBDERMAL FILLERS: These fillers can produce good results immediately if there's no bruising. Bruises can take up to a week to go away, but makeup can cover most bruises.
What: A doctor injects one of a number of materials-collagen, your own body fat or a chemical - beneath the skin. The filler puffs up the skin and pushes out wrinkles. The procedure is especially useful beneath the eyes, in facial folds or in the lips.
More information: The treatments start at $1,500 and go up from there, depending on the extent of the procedures. The results can last up to two years.

SOURCES: Dr. L "Mike" Nayak, director of facial plastic end cosmetic surgery at St. Louis University School of Medicine; Dr. Timothy R. Jones, medical director of Genesis Cosmetic Surgery Center & Medical Spa.