Botox for Teen before TV Debut
July 21st, 2010
The new star of Glee has had Botox right before she makes her debut appearance – at just 18-years-old. Teenage singer Charice Pempengco says she wanted to have the procedure “to look fresh on camera” before joining the show as a foreign exchange student. I hope this not another new pop culture trend.
It is hard to imagine any cosmetic facial problem that an 18 year old would have, which warrants the use of Botox. Facial animation wrinkles just have not had time to develop. The fact that she had Thermage is quite disturbing. Thermage is a non-surgical procedure that tightens skin and smoothes wrinkles. Superficial skin conditions like irregular pigmentation might also be improved by Thermage, but she was reported to be treated for wrinkles. Skin tightening effects are not necessary, nor are they indicated for teens. This is particularly true for Asian women. In my experience, their skin remains tighter than patients with lighter skin tones. Thermage cannot narrow the face. This requires facial sculpting. Liposuction or buccal fat pad excision remove facial fat to narrow the cheeks and certainly not recommended for teenagers.
The entire situation is absurd! It sounds like another Hollywood publicity stunt or medical grandstanding to me.
Sun Damage Remedies
July 7th, 2010
There was a time when nothing could be done about unsightly brown patches, once referred to as “liver spots or age spots.†We now know that the uneven pigmentation is most often caused by sun damage. In a study conducted by Procter & Gamble, these telltale spots can contribute to raising a person’s perceived age by 15-20 years. Baby boomers were avid sun-worshipers and under educated in the perils of too much sun exposure as we grew up. Now many are suffering the consequences in the form of age spots or hyperpigmentaion, premature wrinkles and even skin cancers.
Today we have various ways to undo some of the skin damage caused by over-exposure to sun. Of course there are many over the counter lotions and potions, but surgical intervention may represent the option that offers the most significant improvement in short order. Anti-aging procedures are often combined to give a more comprehensive rejuvenation. On Peggy’s patient blog last week, she mentioned having Restylane ® and Botox ® injections along with her facelift. By her own admission, she tanned frequently and also smoked, 2 major factors in causing skin aging. I think her “Before and After†(link) photos show a dramatic improvement.
Other surgical remedies for improving sun-damaged skin include chemical peels, laser resurfacing and dermabrasion. These procedures remove varying layers of the skin, minimizing brown spots and fine wrinkles. You end up with younger, smoother-looking skin. Although complete facial rejuvenation is usually only achieved by having a facelift, especially when significant sagging and deep wrinkles are present.
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