When Jill Reed ventured into the office of a local ophthalmologist and plastic surgeon a decade ago, it wasn’t for cosmetic reasons. At the time, her anti-aging strategy amounted to facials and professional skincare products. But as the years passed, Reed, 65, of North Fulton, realized she was on a journey — one that would gradually move her from facials to Botox to fillers.
“I was a little shy in the beginning,” Reed said. “But as I experienced one procedure, it would give me the faith and encouragement to take another step should I need it.”
She hasn’t needed to take another step yet, but like many others in the baby boomer ranks, Reed will never say never. “I think in today’s times, you don’t have to be as embarrassed about a lot of things you may have been 25 years ago,” she said. “If you have the money and you are able to make those decisions, go for it, girl! Or go for it, guy!”
Increasingly, they are going for it. Nearly one-third of Georgians had moved into the 50 and up age bracket as of 2010, bringing with them new attitudes about aging. For some, aging well is best accomplished from the inside out. But others believe there is also nothing wrong with giving the ole tarpaulin a tweak.
The South Atlantic region — made up of seven states, including Georgia — has the highest percentage of cosmetic surgery practices in the country, according to data from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Georgia ranks a distant second to Florida as the state with the largest number of board certified plastic surgeons.
In 2011, Americans spent nearly $10 billion on 9.2 million cosmetic procedures. Of those procedures, 82 percent were noninvasive, such as Botox and volumizing fillers, while 17 percent were surgical procedures, such as liposuction and face-lifts. Metro Atlanta doctors confirm the popularity of minimally invasive procedures as an alternative for patients who aren’t ready to embrace full-on surgery — whether for economic or aesthetic reasons.
“I can take five to six years off a face with fillers,” said Dr. Jay Kulkin, founder of the Women’s Institute for Health. “Some people call it a liquid face lift.”
The use of Botox (a muscle relaxer), volumizing fillers and collagen-stimulating lasers can rejuvenate aging skin of all types and temporarily mimic the effects of a face-lift, said Kulkin. Known for his extensive experience in laser technology, Kulkin believes one of the best noninvasive anti-aging therapies is CO2 fractional laser resurfacing. Tiny beams of heat penetrate the skin’s layers killing old skin cells and forcing the production of collagen, a primary component in skin elasticity.
Injectible dermal fillers, such as Sculptra, are also designed to stimulate collagen growth over a period of time, while other fillers, such as Juvederm or Restylane, give immediate results by filling out lines and wrinkles.
Dr. Tara Margarella, a cosmetic surgeon at Blue Med Spa in Midtown, uses fillers but in some cases prefers fat transfer to reduce the external signs of aging. Lines and hollowness around the eyes, nasolabial folds, thin lips, wrinkled skin and bony hands — considered some of the most obvious signs of aging — can all be reduced by taking fat from one part of the body and injecting it into the areas lacking volume. Fat, Margarella said, is easier to mold than fillers, particularly in delicate areas, such as under the eyes.
Products are always changing, she said, and more and more they are focused on helping the body regenerate itself.
On a recent day, Brandi Hillewaert, 39, nervously reclined as Margarella prepped her for Dermapen, the newest wizardry in cosmetic medicine that promises to yield younger-looking skin in just 10 minutes. Hillewaert, an employee at Blue Med Spa, was a newbie to cosmetic procedures. Margarella decided Dermapen would be a good start. “This is great for her age group,” Margarella said. “You can’t wrap your brain around having surgery right now.”
Dermapen, which debuted early this year, features a cluster of tiny needles that spring up and down. When passed over the skin, the needles make tiny holes below the skin’s surface. As the skin heals, it stimulates the production of collagen and elastin. The result is smoother, softer-looking skin.
Margarella applies hyaluronic acid — a moisturizing fluid that occurs naturally in our bodies — to Hillewaert’s face before guiding the pen gently over her forehead, nose, chin and eye area, dialing the speed and depth up or down as needed. Not only will Hillewaert’s collagen get a kick-start, but the hyaluronic acid will penetrate the skin and make it softer.
“It is prophylactic, like using sunscreen,” said Margarella, noting that patients seeking noninvasive procedures are getting younger and younger. Some begin getting procedures as early as their 20s. By their mid-30s many graduate to fillers. And between the ages of 40 and 60, some patients may begin to consider a surgical lift.
Men are also increasingly turning to cosmetic procedures, both minimally invasive and surgical. Last year, 10,400 men had surgical face-lifts.
Patients like Reed see only the possibilities in the ever-expanding world of anti-aging technology.
“Lord knows what will happen in the next 25 years,” Reed said. “There is the cutting edge out there for a lot of things and the opportunity to do it safely.”
A guide to noninvasive anti-aging procedures. (Prices are a sample from the metro area.)
- Fat transfer, starts at $4,000 — Fat removed from the body (usually the hip or thigh area) is transferred to areas that have lost fat through aging, most commonly the face and hands.
- Dermapen, $1,100 for a series of four treatments — The 11 tiny needles in this penlike instrument penetrate skin on the face or body to spur collagen formation and increase penetration of topical serums.
- Botox, $13 per unit — The clostridium botulinum bacterium is injected into the face to temporarily reduce the appearance of moderate to severe wrinkles between the brows and/or wrinkles at the outer corners of the eyes (aka, crow's-feet).
- CO2 fractional laser, starts at $1,200 depending on the area — CO2 fractional laser therapy removes damaged outer layers of the skin. It is used to treat a wide range of skin imperfections.
- Fillers, start at $550 — Fillers immediately provide temporary benefits similar to those of a face-lift without the downtime of surgery. They can plump lips, enhance shallow contours, soften facial creases, remove wrinkles and improve the appearance of recessed scars.
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