Fountain of Youth
As much as we would all love to drink from the Fountain of Youth, each of us will continue to age. However, how we age is not always at the same apparent rate. We all have known individuals who seem to have slowed their aging their biological clock, and appear years younger than their counterparts. How does this happen and what is responsible for these differences?
First, luck is a part of it (some people jokingly say that it’s choosing your grandparents carefully). Genetics do play a significant role in everything that has to do with aging. But there are things that we, as individuals, can do.
The first important aspect to aging has to do with staying physically active. It doesn’t matter what type of activity, whether it is walking, running, hiking, swimming, biking. The activity should be done for thirty to forty-five minutes at least four to five times a week. In this way the muscles will be preserved and toned, weight gain will be minimized, and hormones called endorphins will allow us to feel happier and healthier.
The next crucial factor is remaining mentally active. It may be work which requires mental stimulation, hobbies or activities that involve evaluating and thinking (such as bridge or challenging puzzles), reading, or any other activity that involves mental stimulation. These are extremely important in staying mentally sharp. Maintaining mental acuity is absolutely necessary in order to act and feel as young as possible.
Finally there is Plastic Surgery. In spite of being physically fit, having a healthy lifestyle, and staying mentally active, the way we feel may not be the way we look. With the precision and skill that modern Plastic Surgery can offer, years can be removed from the aging face, without the surgery appearing pulled, tight, or drawn. Bags under the eyes can be removed, wrinkles can be decreased and lax skin and jowls can be lifted. The redundant skin and fat underneath the jaw and the banding that can be present in the front of the neck can all be corrected. Patients who undergo a well done face lift usually appear many years younger following the surgery.
The key to all of these facial changes is a facelift. In my extensive experience, there is an optimal and correct way to perform this surgery. The face is lifted with a deeper layer called the SMAS layer, which is a very strong fibrous layer deep to the skin but on top of the muscles. In this way, the skin will not look tight because the lifting is all done with the SMAS flap and not the skin. The skin is re-draped in a very smooth fashion, so there is no pulled or “wind tunnel” look.
Another key to turning back the years in the face is fat. A young face is full, smooth, and rounded with facial fat giving these youthful contours. As we age the facial fat disappears and we are left with thinner, gaunter faces that may have hollows underneath the cheek bone, and hollows along the mandible and else where. Only recently have Plastic Surgeons realized how important replacing this loss of fat is, in order to obtain the very best possible results. Also special techniques have been developed which allows the fat grafts to be placed in a smooth and even way. Using these techniques, there is a high likelihood that most of the fat will survive and the improvements will be permanent.
Facial fillers can also be used to fill in creases and lines and create a softer younger look. There are a number of fillers presently being used and more fillers coming in the future. Each of these fillers hold the promise of more precise correction with a longer period of improvement. Also, Botox is well known and highly utilized. It weakens muscles that may cause frowning or wrinkling and creates a much softer and more refreshed look. The problem with Botox is that it’s rather expensive and only lasts three to four months.
Combining these tools of Plastic Surgery, in combination with a healthy lifestyle, active mental and physical activity, will allow the individual to age in the best possible way. This will have to do, until we find the Fountain of Youth.
David L. Wolf, M.D., F.A.C.S. offers breast augmentation surgery in:
