Categories of Facial Rejuvenation

1. Topical skin care products.

2. Soft tissue fillers and botox.

3. Chemical peels.

4. Dermabrasion and micro-dermabrasion.

5. Lasers ("IPL").

6. Surgical excision.

7. Liposuction.

8. Neck and jowl treatments.

Topical Skin Care Products

These are described in detail; the skin treatment for aging skin, skin lifting treatment, facial muscle firming treatment and Langerhans cells skin immunity treatment are of particular relevance to facial rejuvenation.

Botox and Facial Fillers

These are used in furrows and hollows of the face. The substances used include bovine collagen, polymers and autologous fat.

Facial fillers are effective at contouring local areas around the lips and mouth and are also suited to correcting depressions, such as those created by deeper scars.

Lines and wrinkles resulting from normal facial expressions may be "immobilized" with injections of botulinum toxin (commonly known as "Botox").

Botox is most often used in treating forehead lines, furrows and crow's feet (tight lines in the corners of the eyes). The quality of results vary.

The facial muscle firming treatment may be used to more naturally smooth and relax wrinkled areas around the eyes and mouth, and may also be used preventatively.

Chemical Peels

Strong chemical peels can cause severe skin reactions and undesirable permanent changes to skin color and texture.

They are rarely used these days in advanced practice, having been replaced by more predictable and safer methods, such as laser, proteolytic enzymes and skin treatments such as Immuno and Mito Special.

Chemical peels have been used to re-surface the skin and assist in removing wrinkles, discoloration marks such as age spots, scarring and improve skin texture.

Chemical peels remove the outer layers of skin. This leads to faster the creation of new skin, which more often than not is more perfect in texture.

The aggressiveness of these skin peels often produce side effects which negate the improvements gained.

Dermabrasion and Microdermabrasion

Dermabrasion is a process of mechanical exfoliation similar to sanding.

Originally, dermabrasion was quite an aggressive skin re-surfacing procedure, and utilized a wire brush which resulted in some bleeding.

Only small areas were able to be treated at a time.

Modern microdermabrasion units vary greatly in quality and effectiveness.

The vast majority of microdermabrasion procedures carried out today are performed by beauticians with basic training, are very gentle and not especially effective.

More impressive and therapeutic results are obtained through the use of proteolytic enzymes and other biologically active peeling agents, such as Immuno.

These are gentler but better suited to regular exfoliation and generally have no usage contraindications.

Modern microdermabrasion units use a stream of sandy glass crystals, passed just over the skin's surface, to remove the top layer of dead skin cells.

They have been touted as highly technical and sophisticated instruments, but their mode of action and their method of use are very basic.

Multiple treatments a few weeks apart are required to obtain good skin exfoliation.

Laser Skin Resurfacing

Laser resurfacing can be employed to help improve broken capillaries (blood vessels), pre-cancerous skin growths, some scars, skin discolorations and wrinkles.

Laser skin resurfacing is not a substitute for a face lift, but may be employed in combination with the Facial Muscle Firming Treatment and Skin Lifting Treatment.

Laser has been combined with chemical peels, eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) and face/neck liposuction.

IPL - Intense Pulsed Light (Laser)

This form of laser uses a broad spectrum light devoid of harmful wavelengths. IPL Laser is a suitable treatment for:

• vascular lesions
• large dry pore size
• pigmentation
• chronic redness

As IPL only addresses single symptoms, it cannot be regarded as a holistic treatment.

Surgical Skin Excisions

Moles, scars and various benign skin growths which often enlarge over time may be removed by excision.

Face and Neck Liposuction

Where excess face and neck fats are causing distentions resulting in sagging jowls or a double chin, the fat may be removed to improve the contours of the face and neck.

GER-Lift helps to curtail the effects of sagging skin and excess fats, may be used in the treatment of sagging jowls or a double chin.

In more severe cases, Adipo/Gasta may be used in association with Somito under supervision.

These two skin treatments are normally reserved for body use, but will be of great benefit to some patients.

Facial Jowls and Neck Jowl Treatments

These problems are typically addressed by a combination of modalities depending on how advanced the skin and tissue deterioration has become.

Treatments of facial and neck jowls may combine the treatment effects of facial liposuction, Skin Lifting Treatment, Facial Muscle Firming Treatment and the Anti-Aging Skin Treatment using Low-Glycemic Index Foods.