3 New Anti-Aging Treatments You Should Know About
Want plusher lips, defined cheekbones, or a stronger jawline? One of these fresh options could be right for you. (Photo: Shutterstock)
This month’s beauty innovator, dermatologist Whitney Bowe, M.D., spoke to Women’s Health about her favorite new anti-aging tweaks:
In 2015, women want to look like the best versions of themselves—not overly plumped or pinched. The good news is that among the cutting-edge tools and technologies we have to help take control of the aging process, there are now great options that give subtle, natural-looking results without a lot of downtime. In other words, small, minimally invasive treatments that can help stave off major wrinkles and sagging. Here are a few ways to look your most youthful and refreshed.
Plusher Lips
No more duck face! Restylane Silk is the first filler designed and specifically FDA-approved for not only the lips themselves but also the lines around the upper lip that can look like a bar code. Until now, they’ve been notoriously difficult to treat without making the mouth look swollen. With Restylane Silk, the plumping molecules are so much smaller than those in regular Restylane: Think sand grains versus pebbles. Lips don’t look bigger, just healthier and smoother. It costs approximately $750 and lasts about six months. Plus, since Restylane Silk has an anesthetic built right in, it’s more bearable than the lip injections of old.
RELATED: Get Big, Full Lips in Just 5 Steps
Defined Cheeks
Smile lines form when the bone, muscle, and fat of the cheeks thin out—something that can happen as early as your late twenties. A new approach, Sculptra (a poly-L-lactic acid filler), is put into the upper cheekbone area to pull and lift the skin back into place. The catch: Since the filler triggers the body to replace lost collagen, results may not be obvious for about three months. With yearly maintenance, its effects last two to three years. Each vial costs around $900.
RELATED: The Anti-Aging Products You Should Be Using in Your Twenties, Thirties, and Forties
A Stronger Jawline
I rely on two devices to help shore up sagging skin under the jawline and at the bottom of the neck. The first, Ultherapy, uses ultrasound waves to tighten tissue that’s very deep down, above the muscle. It can be uncomfortable, like little zingers. Thermage CPT uses radio-frequency energy—a different type of wavelength that doesn’t penetrate as deeply and is less painful. I find that Ultherapy works better for those with thicker, oily skin, and Thermage CPT for people with thin, delicate skin. The cost is around $2,000 to $3,000 for the lower face, jawline, and neck.
RELATED: 3 Sensitive Skin Myths—Busted!
–
Whitney Bowe, M.D. is a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and Briarcliff Manor, New York. She is the clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and a clinical researcher for universities and cosmetic brands.
For more anti-aging tweaks, pick up the April 2015 issue of Women’s Health, on newsstands now.
More from Women’s Health:
The Silly Skin-Care Mistake You’re Making Each Morning
7 At-Home Fixes For Everyday Skin Problems
