BEATING THE CLOCK

They say growing old is better than the alternative, but aging certainly is not for the faint of heart. By the late 30s to early 40s, fine lines and wrinkles begin to appear. Changes in skin texture, volume and appearance, pigmentation problems, broken capillaries and dullness become more pronounced with every birthday. We cannot stop the hands of time, but knowing the factors involved with aging can lead to an understanding of what we can and cannot influence when striving to look our best.

First, the basics – the skin has three layers: the epidermis, the dermis and a deeper subcutaneous tier. The epidermis is the outer layer and its role is protection. This layer loses lips (fat-like substances), making the skin dry. In your 30s it will shed itself every two months. The dermis is the skins inside layer, responsible for texture and elasticity. This is the home of collagen and elastic fibers that break down over time. The subcutaneous inner layer is composed of fat and connective tissue and allows us to maintain constant body temperature.

Intrinsic Aging: Changes that happen within the body.

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Thin and transparent skin
• Loss of subcutaneous layer attachment to bone, resulting in sagging and folds
• Thinning of underlying fat, leading to hollowed cheeks and eye sockets and loss of firmness on the hands and neck
• Drying of the skin
• Gray hair and hair loss 

Extrinsic Aging: Skin changes due to external factors:

• Sun exposure, resulting in age spots, loss of elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles
• Facial expressions: Repetitive facial movements actually lead to wrinkles, often referred to as “character lines”
• Gravity: Our skin gradually ceases to “snap back” due to gravity
• Sleeping positions: Resting your face on the pillow in the same way every night can contribute to the development of facial folds
• Smoking: People who smoke regularly are more likely to develop wrinkled, leathery skin, especially wrinkles around the mouth.

Prevention + Treatments: We cannot stop the aging process, but we don’t have to surrender quietly. Signs of aging can be corrected with fillers, lasers or ultrasound. Pharmaceutical-grade skincare products can further repair damaged skin. 

• Avoid deliberate tanning, including use of indoor tanning devices. 
• Apply sunscreen year-round. Sunscreen should be broad spectrum (offers UVA and UVB protection) and have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Using an effective sunscreen, such as Enza Essentials Advanced Protection SPF 30, on a daily basis will make a big impact on the skin and help prevent future damage. 
• Consult with Dr. Rucker and his staff. We have developed a skin treatment program that has been used by over 1,000 patients. Let us discuss personal options that will fit your lifestyle and priorities.
• Tri-Peptide Cell Activator: Dr. Rucker’s exclusive wrinkle-reduction serum formulated with Resveratrol, Tripeptide-3, and Swiss apple stem cells, clinically proven to reduce signs of aging. 

For more information, please contact our staff at 800-456-8222 or email us at info@ruckermd.com. Check out our website at www.ruckermd.com.

5 FACELIFT FACTORS TO CONSIDER.

1. Sunken Eyes. Gravity begins to pull the fat under the eyes down, which results in a sunken appearance. Typically a blepharoplasty is addressed at the time of the facelift.

2. Loss of Volume. A loss of fat in the face results in droopiness. Volume can be restored through injectibles, fillers, fat, or a combination during or after your facelift.

3. Wrinkly Skin. Various factors over time can cause the skin to age and wrinkle. Think sun exposure, pollution and free-radical damage.

4. Deep Folds in Skin. This is due to the bone density changing over time. Excess skin is removed and remaining skin is pulled back.

5. A Saggy Jawline. As time goes on, bones become less dense and gravity begins to wear on the skin. Eventually, only surgery can correct and tighten the jawline.

For the full article, check out our latest issue of Profiles magazine. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Rucker, call the office at 715.833.2116. Our staff is always happy to assist!

TYPES OF FACELIFTS

Lower (Standard)
Tightens the lower face’s underlying structures that slacken with age. Also trims excess skin, smoothing it to eliminate facial creases, and giving a visual lift to the bottom third of the face.

Mid-Facelift
As people age, the cheeks and eyelids tend to sag. This procedure restores a youthful, rested look to the lower eyelids and cheeks.

The Mini “Weekend” 
Performed quickly with a shorter recovery period, the procedure enhances key facial areas. However, the “weekend facelift” is a minor surgical procedure. Results are much less impressive than a standard facelift.

Thread Facelift
A less invasive approach that has come under criticism for not producing the results as promoted. I do not offer this technique because of the questionable level of improvement.

For the full article, check out the latest issue of Profiles. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Rucker, call the office at 715.833.2116. Our staff is always happy to assist!

What to Know About Facelifts

Patients can be confused by the different procedures offered. Just the word "facelift" can be intimidating, because it implies that the whole face is lifted. In the majority of limited-facial procedures that I have performed the main objective has been to produce a more natural result. My goal is to make the patient look like a younger version of themselves. It is imperative that the patient not look done after the procedure.

It is important to consider:

• The specific areas that you want to improve

• How much time you have for recovery

• Your expectations for post-facelift appearance

Types of Facelift Surgery

Lower (Standard) Facelift: Rejuvenates the lower third of the face; tightening the face’s underlying structures that slacken with age, forming jowls and a fleshy neck. The procedure trims excess skin, smoothing it to eliminate facial creases, giving a visual lift to the bottom third of the face.

Mid Facelift: As people age, the cheeks and eyelids tend to sag. This procedure restores a youthful, rested look to the lower eyelids and cheeks.

Mini ’Weekend’ Facelift: Performed quickly with a shorter recovery period, the procedure enhances key facial areas. However, the ’weekend facelift’ is a minor surgical procedure. Results are much less impressive than a standard facelift.

Thread Facelift: This approach is much less invasive. and has come under criticism for not producing the results as promoted. I do not offer this technique because of the questionable level of improvement.

Non-surgical alternatives to surgical facelift: These include laser facelift, dermal fillers, liposculpture of the face and neck and the products in our Enza Essentials skin care line that firm and tone the skin.

For more information, please visit our website at www.ruckermd.com. Feel free to leave a comment and visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ruckermd.