Certain things, like wine and cheese, get better with age. However, one thing for sure is that the concept doesn’t apply when it comes to the face skin. Look, we’d all love to age gracefully like George Clooney or Brad Pitt. Unfortunately, life really isn’t always, dare we say, fair. You’re ageing – and so is everyone around you.
Besides actual ageing, we’re also increasingly exposed to environmental aggressors like pollution, harsh UV rays and extreme climates and even blue light that’s emitted from your computer screen and digital devices. Since we can’t stop time and protect ourselves completely from those external factors, modern technology has made it a whole lot easier for us to prevent or even reverse the damage. We ask The Retreat Clinic for anti-ageing solutions that give actual results, and here are their recommendations.
The Lines
Wrinkles are a by-product of the ageing process. They’re usually caused by the declining ability of our skin to retain moisture and maintain elasticity because of the loss of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. While skincare product could help, there are also minimally-invasive facial procedures that work to rejuvenate your skin from the inside.
Dermal fillers are made of hyaluronic acid – the same substance that is naturally produced by our skin cells to retain skin moisture. Since our skin moisture and elasticity decline as we age, it helps to restore what is lost to smooth out wrinkles and lines, making your skin and features appear plump and more youthful. That being said, most facial lines are caused by repetitive muscle movements from facial expressions. Depending on your concerns, Botox is another option for getting rid of those wrinkles effectively.
The Tones
Dealing with dark marks and stubborn sunspots? But did you know that they could possibly be age spots? The latter is caused by an excessive amount of melanin produced by your body in order to protect the skin from UV exposure (note: applying sunblock every day is your best preventive measure).
While retinol and vitamin C are two of the best ingredients for fading dark spots, minimally-invasive procedures like laser treatments could help reduce or even permanently erase pigmentation. They involve “zapping” the affected areas with high-energy light. The mildest treatments work just on the epidermis, while more intense treatments can penetrate into the deepest layers of the skin. With different laser techniques out there, a proper consultation with a certified expert would yield you the results you want.
The Folds
Have you been neglecting your neck? While it may seem like a funny question, ageing saves its swiftest and cruellest wrath for your neck. Unlike your face, the skin on the neck and chest doesn’t have the bone structure to hold it up, so it sags more easily as you get older when the neck muscles and skin elasticity weaken. And though there is neck lift – a surgical procedure to remove excess skin – that you can opt for, swelling, pain and scars could be a downside that most people think twice. Lucky us, technology advancement of this era offers many other alternative procedures that are much more convenient – and painless. If surgery is not your thing, there are non-invasive aesthetic treatments with minimal to zero downtime that you can go for. The famous Coolsculpting is effective in freezing off and getting rid of any excess fats under your chin. There is also the skin tightening treatment like Exilis that is incredibly useful at fixing saggy skin. In combination with Dermal Fillers, they could help bring definition back to your face for a more youthful appearance in an instant.
Every individual and body is different, and we strongly recommend you to consult a certified aesthetic physician to evaluate your body and skin in order to identify the best treatment solution. For consultations with Dr Ong Jin Khang of The Retreat Clinic, please call +6011-3302 8232 to make your appointment.
