Facial Rejuvenation
This information is of a general nature only and is for public information and education. Your individual problem needs to be assessed by your family doctor who will advise you on appropriate further steps.
While it is a fact that the passage of time does cause much damage to facial skin, there are many other contributing factors including over exposure to sunlight, a poor diet, smoking or the lack of a proper plan for skin care and protection.
In a woman in her thirties, a great deal can be achieved with attention to the improvement of the quality of facial skin alone. In a woman in her forties or fifties, reversal of the "ravages of time" needs attention not only to the quality of facial skin but to the sagging of facial tissues, either by restoring the tissues to their original sites or by removal of some of this tissue.
For many years, the mainstays of Facial Rejuvenation were good skin care initially, followed by surgery of the eyelids, face and neck. These procedures have gradually become better with greater appreciation among Aesthetic Surgeons for the need to "restore" rather than to "resect (cut and remove)". However, there has always been a reluctance in many women to undergo surgery, either because of a feeling that it was an extravagance or out of fear and anxiety.
Two major developments over the last ten years have given women a greater choice in Facial Rejuvenation. The advent of pulsed Carbon Dioxide lasers has made it possible to have extreme precision and control in removing the superficial third of facial skin and permitting regeneration of new and healthier facial skin. However, as this process of "facial resurfacing" needs to be done in an Operating Theatre with the use of some form of anaesthesia, there are women who seek the lesser procedure.
"Foto Facial Rejuvenation" is an interesting new development where short wave length laser light is used to rejuvenate facial skin instead of the more common resurfacing with long wave length lasers such as the Carbon Dioxide and Erbium Yag Lasers. The major advantage of "Foto Facial" Rejuvenation is the lack of "down time" due to treatment, ie. there is no raw surface after the treatment which needs dressing or time away from work or normal activities nor is there the post laser treatment redness or risk of infection, small though the risk is. However, the treatment needs to be done every 2 weeks for four or five times. The technique is also useful for rejuvenation of skin of the dorsum of the hand and neck.
