Anti-Ageing Treatments
The philosopher’s stone, the elixir of immortality, the universal panaceas, the fountain of youth—these are all legends about the secret to extreme longevity. People have been thinking about eternal youth as long as there have been people. Slowing the signs of ageing with anti-ageing treatments is one way to postpone the inevitable changes. However, such procedures can only influence visible processes and have minimal to no impact on our overall longevity. Yet many people spend a great deal of money to look young for as long as possible. In this article, we will discuss anti-ageing treatments and how to care for ageing skin.
Ageing is a natural part of our lives. It’s unavoidable if we are lucky enough to reach our golden years. However, it can be difficult to accept your changing body and appearance, and millions of people spend time and money in efforts to stop these natural processes. Anti-ageing treatments are emerging all over the world.
What is an anti-ageing treatment?
Anti-ageing treatment is a procedure designed to delay or stop the ageing of the skin. These treatments usually aim to improve the health and appearance of the skin. Like any other organ system, the skin loses its natural plumpness and elasticity over time. The epidermis or outer layer thins, the blood vessels become more fragile, the sebaceous glands produce less oil, and the production of collagen and other proteins responsible for cell regeneration decrease.
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It’s not uncommon to want to erase the signs of ageing and enjoy smooth and clear skin. Anti-ageing treatments can be either surgical or non-surgical and produce various levels of longevity and effectiveness. In addition to such treatments, you can support the health of your skin with a healthy lifestyle.
Surgical anti-ageing treatments
Surgical procedures require the patient to undergo an operation. Most people choose surgical procedures later in life—in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. This is the most effective way to make your face look younger and your skin more elastic. But like any other operation, aesthetic surgery poses potential health risks. Before undergoing a life-changing procedure, you must be sure you are 100% ready for the consequences and choose only professional and licensed surgeons.
Most common surgical anti-ageing procedures:
The facelift (also called rhytidectomy) is a surgical procedure designed to tighten saggy skin to make a face look younger and eliminate wrinkles and droopy skin. It is one of the most effective ways to prevent the appearance of ageing, and the effect can last for 10–15 years.
The neck lift (or platysmaplasty) has the same principle as rhytidectomy but is performed on the skin of the neck or to remove a double chin. As we age, the skin of the neck sags and wrinkles appear more prominent. A neck lift can reduce wrinkles and tighten the skin for 10 to 15 years.
Fat transfer is another surgical anti-ageing treatment. During this procedure, a plastic surgeon removes fatty tissue from one part of the patient’s body and transfers it to the face, usually to the cheeks, as this area tends to sag first.
Non-surgical anti-ageing treatments
Non-surgical procedures are becoming more and more popular because they are less invasive and more affordable.
Popular non-surgical anti-ageing treatments:
Injections—the most popular injections are Botox, hyaluronic acid, and collagen. Hyaluronic acid and collagen reduce fine lines and wrinkles by regenerating or increasing skin tissue. Botox eliminates wrinkles by blocking the nerves that move facial muscles in the area of injection. Injectables are also used to make lips look fuller, lift eyebrows, and define cheekbones and other parts of the face to look more youthful and elastic.
Micro-needling uses tiny needles to penetrate the skin to increase collagen and elastin production and for better product absorption. This procedure is effective in reducing fine lines, acne scars, enlarged pores, and sun damage.
Chemical peels are used to exfoliate the outer layer of the skin by removing dead skin cells. They come in three categories: superficial, deep, and medium. Based on the depth of the chemical procedure, it might help remove acne scars, visible wrinkles, and dark spots.
An ultrasound facelift helps tighten the skin without surgery. This technology releases heat to stimulate deeper levels of the skin to promote collagen production. Natural collagen is responsible for skin cell regeneration, therefore retarding the ageing process.
Anti-ageing skincare is the simplest method to slow signs of ageing and can be very effective. Most skincare brands have created product lines for ageing skin that are enriched with collagen, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins to protect the tissue from damage. Sunscreen should also be included in this category; it can make a significant difference in protecting your skin from harmful UV rays.
Read next: Design Your Skincare Routine
Do you need an anti-ageing treatment?
Ageing is a subtle topic that is often distorted by media, societal pressure, and unrealistic beauty standards. You don’t need to undergo painful infections and surgeries to feel good in your body. It’s important to understand that ageing is inevitable, and once you accept this, you can let go of the need to go to extremes to avoid wrinkles.
However, if you can afford these treatments and wish to try them, why not? Whatever makes you happy. But without a healthy diet, sufficient sleep, and adequate hydration, even the most expensive treatments won’t ensure healthy skin.
Read next: How to Achieve Body Positivity.
What can you do to postpone ageing naturally?
Eat well
The skin needs minerals and vitamins to thrive and sufficient proteins to bind skin cells together. Food rich in collagen and amino acids helps your skin cells regenerate faster, slowing signs of ageing. Antioxidants in fruits and berries can protect your skin from damage and oxidative stress. Remember to drink plenty of fluids and mineral-rich beverages that hydrate your skin from the inside.
Stop harmful habits
Smoking, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, excessive sunbathing, or even spending too much time in a polluted environment will harm your skin. Toxins from smoking and drinking not only age your skin more quickly but can cause other adverse effects. Excessive exposure to the sun gives UV light more opportunity to cause photoageing of the skin, which results in fine and coarse wrinkles, irregular pigmentation, skin spots, and other types of damage. Even if you can’t change where you live, you can quit smoking, reduce alcohol consumption, and spend less time in the sun without sunscreen during the peak hours of the day.
Prioritise sleep
If there’s one secret to long life and healthy skin, then it’s regularly getting a good night’s sleep. When we sleep, our bodies regenerate on the cellular level, expelling toxins and repairing the damage done throughout the day. Your skin will thank you if you go to sleep around the same time every night and strive for at least 8 to 9 hours of quality rest.
Your skin is responsible for regulating temperature and protecting and cleaning your body. Like any other part of the organism, your skin will reflect and changes and imbalances in your body and shows signs of ageing. This is normal so long as you are healthy. Unfortunately, we often put too much pressure on ourselves to look a certain way. Ageing is inevitable if we are lucky enough to live so long, and having healthy habits will improve our chances. But there is nothing wrong with using anti-ageing treatments to improve the health of your skin and help you look younger longer.
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