The second session of ASAPS Symposium - Botox and fillers session saw chairperson Mark Magnusson host discussions on the science of facial ageing, and current treatment technologies.
Dr Claude Le Louarn, a French plastic surgeon, opened the session to discuss facial recurve, a new concept on facial ageing, namely the use of Botox and hyaluronic acid based on the facial recurve process.
Le Louarn began by discussing the effect of gravity on facial ageing by comparing MRI scans of 19-21 year olds with those of their parents. He identified Age Marker Fascicles on the face, namely the key areas that show ageing. Le Louarn explained that the hollowing of the bitterness fold (that space next to the mouth) seems to be due to gravity, while the ageing of muscle is responsible for fat transfer. Until now, fat bags were held responsible as the main sign of ageing.
Le Louarn went on to actually give a definition of a wrinkle – a linear junction of pores”. The pore is the weakest point of the skin, he said, which is why an injection of product between the pores creates the perfect filling, without any loss of product. This maximises the efficacy of the treatment.
When skin excess is not present, Botox and hyaluronic acid are most efficient,” Le Louarn explained. When skin excess is present, surgery is reliable to remove it.”
Dr Daniel Cassuto next took to the stage to discuss the current status of laser and light in facial rejuvenation. Cassuto began by explaining how in the past, surgeons were focussed on the idea of whatever doesn’t look good must be eliminated. Now, We, the people that deal with the aesthetic field are joining traditional medicine”, in terms of actually finding the cause to the aesthetic problems, rather than just treating them on the surface. Traditional treatment wasn’t about treating the cause, but about getting rid of the signs and sometimes the symptoms.
Cassuto believes the future is about preventing ageing before it happens, diagnosing before treating, and regenerating the missing components. Instead of getting rid of sick tissues, try and heal them, then get rid of what you can’t heal,” Cassuto advised his peers.
Perhaps the most interesting speaker of the session was associate professor at Monash University Greg Goodman, who discussed the reasons behind ageing skin. Goodman began by letting everyone know that humans tend to reach the age of maturity at about 25, and it’s all downhill from there. The information was greeted by groans of disappointment to say the least. He went on to explain that different people age at different rates, some areas will be worse than others, and different face shapes require different approaches. Males and females age differently and skin types will age differently, for instance, Caucasians tend to suffer most from environmental damage.
Goodman then defined the major causes of ageing, namely sun exposure and diet. While most of us already know this, what you may not know is that UVA is especially skin ageing, and this type of UV isn’t affected by the time of day or year. The good news is that if you start using sunscreens adequately, it could actually reverse the signs of ageing, knocking off up to 30 per cent of your sun damage.
Sunscreen is your first line of defence, antioxidants are your second,” Goodman says. Retinoids are the most effective thing we have [to treat ageing].”
Also interesting is the idea that caloric restriction can help ease the ageing process, and people should include AGE inhibitors into their diet, including green tea and berries. In a blow to all those with a sweet tooth, sugar gives you wrinkles” says Goodman.
Goodman’s 10 pearls of wisdom” to reduce sign of ageing:
1. Use physical protection (clothing, shade)
2. Wear sunglasses
3. Avoid the sun during the harshest times of day
4. Cloud and wind can’t protect you
5. Don’t just look at the SPF of products (UVA isn’t considered in SPF)
6. Put on enough sunscreen (most people don’t)
7. Reapply sunscreen
8. Don’t rely on sunscreen in beauty products – it’s not enough
9. Use the right base for your skin
10. Consider supplementation [of antioxidants]
