Act on your Age

By: Dr Tracy Mountford
Created on 25th March 2010

Top cosmetic doctor Tracy Mountford of The Cosmetic Skin Clinic gives her top tips and recommended treatments for ageing well through the decades

People are living longer than ever before as healthier diets and improved lifestyles mean we are reaching a ripe old age. As a result, preservation of our physical selves is becoming just as important as preserving our quality of life and that's why more and more women and men are turning to natural, subtle, non-surgical solutions to maintain their looks.

Twenty years of experience in the aesthetic industry has given me an unparalleled insight into how the skin ages and what treatments or combination of treatments can enhance and rejuvenate our looks - something we all desire whatever our age.

Here's how your skin ages through the years.

Your Twenties: When habits - and fine lines - start to form
Expression lines will begin to form from talking, laughing and frowning, we call them ‘dynamic lines'. A study conducted in 2002 showed that facial wrinkling, while still not yet visible, can be seen under a microscope in smokers as young as 20. The collagen and elastin that have kept the skin supple begins to break down.

This is the time to be proactive and use good sun protection and to avoid lifestyle factors that predispose to ageing.

Treatments to consider
Towards the end of your twenties consider muscle relaxant injections to prevent frown lines becoming obvious. At this stage prevention is  better than cure.

Your Thirties: Bye-bye youthful glow

Sun-induced wrinkles are starting to form. Collagen and elastin levels continue to deplete which means the skin loses more of its youthful glow and texture. A good moisturiser and microdermabrasion on a regular basis will certainly improve the skin's texture and hydration levels.

Treatments to consider

This decade is when women start to regularly use muscle relaxants and dermal fillers if necessary. Treatments such as intense pulsed light and medical microdermabrasion will improve skin texture by stimulating the collagen production in the dermis and can even up skin tone.

Your Forties: Big changes occur during this decade
This is the time where the ageing process suddenly seems to accelerate; more dead skin cells are sticking around meaning it can be the decade of dry skin, darker pigmentation patches may
appear and expression lines can become entrenched.

Treatments to consider
I would recommend regular use of muscle relaxants and fillers, plus general skin improvement treatments. Also towards the latter part of this decade, fractional laser treatments to improve texture, age spots and patchy pigmentation can really help. Use of radiofrequency treatments such as Thermage help to tighten the skin and eliminate the early appearance of jowls.

Your Fifties: Gravity is not your friend
Expect that some sun damage has already been done if you haven't been a loyal wearer of high factor protection. This is why the exposed areas on the hands, face and neck seem to age faster and look less attractive than the smooth and even skin on the abdomen. Sagging and drooping skin, wrinkles, age spots and spider veins are  developing and the skin can still be drier than ever.

Also in our fifties, when the skin's elasticity declines dramatically, the effects of gravity become all too evident. Gravity can cause the tip of the nose to droop, the ears to elongate, the eyelids to fall and form bags, jowls to appear, and the upper lip to disappear while the lower lip becomes more pronounced.

Treatments to consider
I always take the ‘Whole Facial Approach' with patients as there are usually a number of areas that need treating as we age rather than just one particular problem. Effective and safe dermal fillers such as the hyaluronic acid gels, e.g. Juvéderm and Restylane are actually whole groups of products with different consistencies to treat different parts of the face.

Your Sixties: Turn up the volume
Skin should be pretty stable these days, with women having survived the menopause-induced hormonal imbalances. Wrinkles, red veins and dark spots are common, but are probably less pronounced if you have made a habit of protecting your skin from the sun.

Treatments to consider
In your sixties I would recommend all of the treatments above and, in particular, volume replacement for cheek volume loss which is very common at this age.

In conclusion

If you are bothered by visible signs of ageing, a number of treatments are available. The ‘Whole Facial Approach' gives me the flexibility and versatility I need in planning treatment over a period of time - while advocating the ‘less is more' approach. The patient will then get the balanced and natural appearance they desire.

Katie Webster is in her late twenties: A subtle enhancement of the lips giving a more generous mouth but still in keeping with her natural shape.

Rachel Thompson had her first treatment at 39: A combination of muscle relaxing injections and dermal fillers were used to combat deep lines which has softened Rachel's features and totally removed the permanent frown.

Sara Taylor is in her mid-forties: A number of treatments were performed gradually over a period of time to provide a dramatic softening and lifting effect - muscle relaxing treatments for the frown lines and crow's feet, lip enhancement and dermal filler for the nose-to-mouth lines with a small amount of IPL skin rejuvenation to even out the skin tone and texture, Thermage (skin tightening and contouring) for the full face plus Restylane Sub-Q filler to enhance the cheekbones and give a mid-facelift.

Angela Brown is in her fifties and has had a number of Restylane treatments performed resulting in a dramatic lifting effect, replacing volume loss to the cheeks, restoring a youthful shape and contour to the face and an overall softening of wrinkles using skin rejuvenation.

Clair Chrysollor is in her late sixties: Muscle relaxing treatments were used for the forehead and neck and Restylane Vital to improve the texture of the cheeks, chin, neck and décolletage producing a firmer, more contoured face. This treatment has dramatically improved the crépéyness of the skin.