We all want to look as
youthful as possible for as long as possible. We spend money on creams,
facials, fillers, and even sometimes plastic surgery. To get some tips for how we can maintain a young-looking
face, we went to several great
beauty professionals including Dr. Kirk Brandow, founder and director of the Brandow Clinic for Cosmetic
Surgery in Philadelphia, who has appeared on national programs such as Good
Morning America and 20/20. Here’s what they all have to say.
1. Get rest.
There absolutely is such
a thing as beauty sleep. “Women come to my practice thinking they need an
eye-job or a facelift when all they need is sleep. Sleep is a time when we
rejuvenate ourselves and cellular turnover is at its height. Getting 7-8 hours
of sleep nightly will make a huge difference in how youthful a woman appears
especially as she approaches age 30 and collagen production decreases,” says
Dr. Brandow. “A woman can speed up aging if they are constantly sleep
deprived.”
2. Use an overnight
treatment.
If you suffer from
breakouts or skin dryness leading to wrinkles or blotches, treating your skin
concerns at night, is a way to maintain a youthful glow. “Work closely with
your dermatologist or aesthetician who can recommend non-irritating skin
treatments specifically addressing your concern,” advises Dr. Brandow. You want
to take advantage of overnight options available to boost collagen and heal
skin while sleeping.
3. Hydrate
When it comes to
anti-aging and putting your most youthful face forward, water is key. Water
flushes your system of toxins which helps skin to glow. “Women spend a lot of
money on topical creams formulated to boost moisture and hydrate the skin yet,
if they integrated more water, even 4, 8 ounce glasses per day, they would see
fewer wrinkles and an overall smoother younger skin texture within a month,”
says Dr. Adriane Pompa, Miami based board
certified dermatologist who specializes in aging skin.
4. Be smart about
fillers.
Fillers are used to
add volume that diminishes as we age but people have taken it to extremes.
There have been many advancements with fillers over the past 5 years offering
more options and more sophisticated ways to administer them to achieve a
youthful look.
According to Dr.
Brandow, many patients believe that filling their cheeks will soften their
laugh lines, so they push doctors to administer two to four syringes in their
cheek bones and cheek area at once. This can result in swelling and doesn’t
necessarily lift their face. Fillers are often done as an alternative to a face
lift but, if not spread out over several weeks, it just gives the patient an
unnatural look that distorts their face and makes them look odd.
“My personal
preference is to perform the fillers sequentially. For example, I will use one
syringe of filler in multiple locations. Then I’ll have patients return in 4-6
weeks and perhaps do another syringe to the same places, or different places,
giving them an overall natural look. This leads to a softer, more natural
result. The key to doing fillers well are going with small amounts every 4-6
weeks,” explains Dr. Brandow.
5. Get facials.
According to Dr. Adriane Pompa, one facial per month does
wonders for skin’s clarity, texture, and ability to produce collagen. “There
are many at-home facials available one can do weekly. The key is knowing your
skin type and ingredients that address your specific skin concern. Also, you
can treat different parts of the face differently depending on skin issue.
Let’s say you are prone to breakouts on your jawline, have wrinkles on your forehead
and dryness on the cheeks, your dermatologist or aesthetician can recommend a
facial plan customized for you.”
6. Consider lasers and
light!
Lasers are another
tool that blasts away acne scars, evidence of past sun damage and evens out
skin giving that flawless, youthful glow. There have been so many advancements
with lasers resulting in more immediate results without downtime. Lasers
typically cost between $600 - $1200 per treatment depending on the city and
type of laser. The advantage with lasers is accuracy. You can treat a specific
area without affecting the rest of the surrounding skin.
7. Tone down your
make-up.
One way to immediately
take 10 years off your look is to revamp your make-up. Consider hiring a
professional make-up artist who can teach you how to enhance and even modernize
your look. New York make-up artist, Carlo Geraci, who was protégé to Trish
McEvoy and Kevin Aucion, explains that a lot of women are doing their make-up
the same way they did 20 years ago. That bronzer that you loved in the 90’s
when you were 24 may appear
harsh and outdated at 44. “Heavy eye liner and strong lip colors may only
accentuate wrinkles and fine lines. As women age, less is more when it comes to
make-up. Opt for a great hydrating foundation or a touch of concealer, a pinch
of blush, a swipe of mascara or a gray or brown eyeliner and a natural looking
lip liner topped with a tinted hydrating balm,” he suggests.
About the Experts:
Dr. Kirk Brandow, founder and director
of Brandow Clinic for Cosmetic Surgery is a plastic surgeon with 2 locations in
the Philadelphia metro area and a 3rd one at the jersey shore. Named a “Top
Doc” in Plastic Surgery by Philadelphia Magazine as well as nationally
recognized for one of America’s “Best Plastic Surgeons” of this decade, Dr.
Brandow is a trusted expert who has developed many innovative, minimally
invasive procedures for the face, body and skin. He has been featured on local,
national and international television programs including 20/20, CNN’s Headline
News, Good Morning America.
Dr. Adriane Pompa is a
board-certified dermatologist and Associate Professor of Dermatology at
University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital who is highly trained in medical
dermatology, dermatologic surgery and cosmetic dermatology. In addition to her
general practice, she specializes in anti-aging skin care, skin cancer
prevention and treatment, and laser use in dermatology.
Carlo Geraci, New York make-up
artist has worked alongside Kevin Aucoin, helped launch the Trish McEvoy brand,
and was invited by Barneys New York to became the first Beauty Guru, a position
created specifically for him. His work has appeared in print and commercial
campaigns, New York Fashion Week runways, red carpets, Broadway stages,
television, film, and fashion editorials. He has also appeared on the Style
Network, CBS News, and Today on NBC.
