Volume Loss

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and thought something about your face looks older or more tired but you're not sure exactly what it is, you might be experiencing  volume loss related to fat pad aging. Fat pads are located below the skin's surface and help provide volume, facial contour and fullness. As we age, fat pads deflate and fall due to gravity.

Facial volume loss may appear as

• Forehead lines
• Hollow temples
• Sunken under eyes
• Flattened cheeks
• Loose sagging skin around the jawline also known as jowls.

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Facial volume in the entire face decreases with age, leading to an overall deflated, tired look. That's when more wrinkles, folds, and sagging of skin appear. The goal for facial rejuvenation is to restore facial volume.

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How can volume loss be treated?

Filler is a non-surgical option to treat volume loss. Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are composed of synthetic hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring plumping substance in skin, that provide instant results with minimal to no downtime. At Meraki Medical Aesthetics, we use Juvederm and Restylane hyaluronic acid fillers.

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Age spots (also called solar lentigines)

are small, flat dark areas on the skin. They vary in size and usually appear on areas exposed to the sun. Age spots are caused by overactive pigment cells in our skin that has been exposed to the sun for years.

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Prevention

• Avoid prolonged sun exposure.
• Avoid using tanning beds.
• Wear sunscreen with SPF 35+

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Treatment

• Skincare products that contain retinol, hydroquinone, niacinamide, vitamin C, azelaic acid, Kojic acid.
• Intense pulsed light (IPL) "photofacial"
• Laser skin resurfacing

Fine Lines and Wrinkles

are the most common and most visible signs of aging. Collagen and elastin are the main support structures of our skin.  Collagen provides structural support to the skin while elastin provides stretch, recoil and elasticity. Together collagen and elastin help keep our skin appearing tight and youthful. work. They are susceptible to environmental damage from sun exposure, smoke, pollution and other chemicals, as well as repeated facial expressions.

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Prevention

• Use sunscreen to help block UV light. SPF 35+ is recommended.
• Antioxidant skincare product, such a vitamin C, can limit damage caused by UV light.
• Get plenty of restful sleep as this is when your skin restores and repairs itself.

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Treatment of Fine Lines and Wrinkles

• Laser skin resurfacing
• Microneedling with radiofrequency
• Dermal fillers
• Muscle relaxers such as Botox and Dysport

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Acne Scars

What Causes Acne Scars?

When acne breakouts penetrate the skin deeply, they damage the skin and the tissue beneath it. As the acne clears, the body tries to repair this damage.

During the healing process, the body produces collagen—a substance that gives the skin support. If the body produces too little or too much collagen, you will see a scar.

The type of scar depends on how much collagen your body makes. If the body produces too little collagen, depressions or pits form as the skin heals. Sometimes the body produces too much collagen as it tries to heal the skin and underlying tissue. When this happens, a person develops a raised acne scar. This type of acne scar is more common in darker skin types.

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What Treatments Are Available for Acne Scars?

Resurfacing Procedures
Resurfacing removes layers of skin, which allows the body to produce new skin cells.

Dermatologists use the following resurfacing procedures to treat depressed acne scars:

• Laser skin resurfacing
• Chemical peeling
• Dermabrasion
• Microdermabrasion (differs from kits bought for at-home use)

Resurfacing works well for treating acne scars that are nearly flat (not too deep). Even dermabrasion, which removes the top layers of skin and some of the middle layers, cannot effectively treat deep acne scars.

Best for: Depressed acne scars that are not deep. Useful for contouring scar edges to make scars less noticeable. Deep scars often require skin surgery and resurfacing.

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Laser therapy
Lasers and other light treatments can treat raised scars safely and effectively. Treatment with a pulsed dye laser (PDL) can help reduce the itch and pain, diminish color, and flatten a raised scar. For people with lighter skin, intense pulsed light (IPL) also may be a treatment option.

Best for: All types of acne scars

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Microneedling with Radiofrequency
This treatment increases collagen production and tightens the skin, making depressed acne scars less noticeable. Individuals often require a series of 3-4 treatments spaced four weeks apart. This treatment is safe for all skin colors.

Best for: Widespread depressed acne scars. Sometimes, skin tightening effectively treats deep icepick and boxcar scars. Not a treatment for raised acne scars, which form when the body produces too much collagen.

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Fillers
Fillers can be used to safety and effectively plump depressed acne scars. Many fillers give us temporary results, which last between 6 and 18 months. Some fillers are permanent.

Best for: Treating a few depressed scars, but not icepick scars.

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