While most of us don’t expect some miracle cure, it would be nice to at least slow the pace of aging. At Spa Vitoria, we have various procedures that can do just that. From laser skin tightening to chemical peels, from dermal fillers to Kybella, there are many options.
But when should you do something? Of course, that question is unique to every patient, but it may help to know what’s going on with your skin and why it is becoming more lax and less supple.
1. Skin laxity — Gravity is a tireless worker. It has its pluses — we don’t fly off into space. But it has many negatives when it comes to our skin and other support tissues. As you age, your skin is particularly susceptible to the force of gravity. Also, facial muscles tend to weaken with age. What results are issues such as drooping brows, jowls, sagging cheeks, descending eyelids, and much more?
2. Volume loss — This is a real mystery. Why does the body decrease its production of collagen as we age? This is the main reason the skin loses volume and sags. In fact, after we turn 20, collagen (the basic support system for your skin) production decreases one percent each year. That seems young to give up on something other than maybe Sour Patch Kids, but there you go. Elastin, the protein responsible for keeping your skin supple and malleable, the production also decreases. The result is volume loss in areas across the face. The areas under the eyes and below the cheekbones both become hollow with volume loss.
3. Changes in skin tone and texture — Where the skin was taut, plump, and smooth, as we age it becomes dull, dry, and leathery. This is usually the result of reduced collagen production combined with sun exposure, environmental damage, and lifestyle choices. The skin also becomes thinner with time, again due to decreasing collagen, making it more prone to wrinkling.
What to do
You have options for addressing these issues, both surgical and non-surgical. Volume loss and changes in skin tone and texture can all be addressed non-surgically. Injectables (Botox and dermal fillers), chemical peels, and laser resurfacing treatments all work to improve these areas. Skin laxity, especially if more extreme, can best be addressed with surgery performed by Dr. Saltz in our sister office, Saltz Plastic Surgery.
Now that you understand what’s going on with your skin, what do you want to do about it? Call the team at Spa Vitoria in our Salt Lake or Park City offices and let’s talk.
