Mirror, Mirror, Say It Ain’t So
There comes the time when it is hard to ignore the vivid signs of aging you see in the mirror: little wrinkles around your eyes or lips, forehead creases, laugh lines, maybe some sagging skin. There used to be a few options for turning back the clock without going under the knife. But, today you can soften the effects of time on your face with many non surgical cosmetic procedures. Let’s examine them.
- The Dermal fillers such as Juvederm, Radiesse, and Sculptra can smooth ”laugh lines” and other wrinkles, enhance cheeks or lips and restore a youthful appearance. BUT, They can also make you look worse. The FDA warns of risk from cosmetic facial fillers. Injection of facial fillers into blood vessels can cause blockages that restrict blood supply to tissues. Filler material injected into blood vessels can also travel to other areas and cause stroke, vision problems, blindness and damage and/or death of the skin and underlying facial structures.
- Thermage treatment. This device uses radio-frequency energy to heat your skin up. The heath prompts your body to make collagen, which tightens skin. BUT, thermage can be painful, you won’t see results for 4 to 6 months after the procedure and the cost is anywhere from $2,400.00-$2,800.00 per a single treatment.
- Nonablative lasers get under skin’s surface without damaging the outer layer.They help your skin make collagen, reduce fine lines, and improve tone and firmness. BUT, the procedure is painful, you need 4 to 6 treatments for best results. Average cost per treatment $1114,00. Let’s do the math $4,456.00-$6,684.00 out of the pocket cost.
- Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) like lasers, goes below the surface to a deeper layer of skin called dermis. Short pulses of light heath and destroy cells to start renewing your skin. IPL prompts skin to make collagen, which fights fine lines and wrinkles. BUT, the procedure is painful. On average, IPL costs $700.00-$1,200.00 per a single treatment. A few treatments are needed for best results. You might have to pay more for anesthesia, tests, follow-up visits, or medicines.
- Last but not least Cryoskin non surgical face lift. A Cryoskin facial uses cool temperatures to widen the blood vessels, increasing blood flow. This increase in oxygen supply boosts collagen production, reduces the appearance of wrinkles and pores and improves skin elasticity. A natural, non-invasive way to look younger and more radiant. The treatment is not painful, no down time. BUT, 5 treatments are needed for best results. It is advised to repeat treatments every week. The cost $350 for a single treatment or $1,500.00 for a package of 5, $2,500.00 for 10.
Non Surgical cosmetic procedures are not without risks. You might have an allergic reaction to anesthetics on your skin or injectable fillers. Chemical peels, microdermabrasion,and lasers can cost scaring or make your skin lose color. BUT, they are often less risky than cosmetic surgery.
