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A Decade-by-Decade Guide to Facial Rejuvenation

August 4, 2016

This post has been guest written and sponsored by Fort Worth’s own Dr. Michael Bogdan, MD, FACS. While we recognize this information may not be of interest to all of our readers, we hope to provide a safe resource to those who are interested!

This should be obvious, but let’s start by pointing out that no anti-aging treatment actually stops the aging process. As the saying goes, “You can turn back the clock, but you can’t stop it.” Nonetheless, more plastic surgeons are seeing patients in their 20s – mostly young women – who come in for BOTOX® Cosmetic injections to try and prevent, or at least delay, the onset of wrinkles.

With the benchmarks for anti-aging treatment being pushed even younger, we decided to take a decade-by-decade look at the best facial rejuvenation treatments. It’s worth noting that all of them work to reverse the primary culprits that cause the face to look older: wrinkles caused by environmental damage and the constant movement of facial muscles; volume loss in the face; and sagging caused by the gradual breakdown of collagen.

Your 20s

While BOTOX may be gaining popularity among twentysomethings, it’s not the only way to stave off inevitable facial wrinkles and lines. The biggest external factor responsible for aging is sun exposure. Applying a quality, broad spectrum sunscreen daily, which protects against both UVA and UVB rays, is the simplest and least expensive way to keep your face looking youthful for years to come.

Facials performed by a licensed aesthetician at a medical spa supervised by a board-certified plastic surgeon are also a go-to treatment in your 20s. Facials remove impurities and help prevent environmental damage to the skin.

Your 30s

Most people begin seeing wrinkles such as crow’s feet and worry lines during their 30s. BOTOX is the most popular cosmetic treatment in the world for a reason: It smooths those wrinkles. It’s also important to keep in mind that the skin often needs more than a facial for rejuvenation once you reach your 30s. Gentle laser treatments such as Clear + Brilliant® are perfect for patients who like the way their skin looks and want to help preserve a youthful, fresh appearance.

Your 40s

This is the decade most characterized by volume loss in the face. This causes deepening of nasolabial folds, flattening of cheeks, and hollowing under the eyes and in the temples. Dermal fillers are an excellent option if you’re concerned about quickly remedying these changes and restoring youthful contours and smoother skin. Products such as JUVÉDERM® and Restylane® replace the facial volume that naturally starts to dissipate as you get into your 40s.

Even though some people might benefit from some form of facial plastic surgery in their 40s, advanced nonsurgical approaches including more aggressive laser treatments and skin tightening procedures (e.g., Ultherapy®) can still produce very satisfying results. BOTOX also continues to yield benefits for the fine lines around the eyes and mouth.

Your 50s and Beyond

Unless you’re blessed with extraordinary genes and have been diligent about following a skin care regimen throughout your adult life, you’ll likely begin to see changes in your appearance that lasers and injections can’t correct. This is when many women and men begin to consider surgical options such as a facelift. On his website, Dallas-based physician Dr. Michael A. Bogdan recommends a facelift for sagging skin, especially in the lower third of the face and the neck. Many people still fear facelift surgery will leave them looking “done,” with skin pulled unnaturally tight. That is no longer the case. Experienced facial plastic surgeons now focus on lifting and repositioning the tissue and muscle, rather than simply pulling the skin tight.

In most cases, a facelift, neck lift, or brow lift are combined with fillers or fat transfer to produce natural-looking results.

The key to getting the results you want at any age is to find skilled, trained aestheticians and plastic surgeons whom you can trust with your face.

Based in Southlake, Dr. Bogdan is passionate about his craft and collaborating with patients seeking aesthetic changes. Fellowship-trained and certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Bogdan uses advanced plastic surgery techniques at his Dallas practice that he mastered during 6 years of residency at Stanford University and as one of the few plastic surgeons in the country who completed formal post-graduate training in aesthetic surgery. For more information, contact his office or visit his website for details!