I have always been a great one for setting goals and working towards them. Over the past year I made it a goal to focus on improving my skin. I undertook a number of bio-stimulatory treatments and my complexion has never looked better; it’s smooth, even in colour, and glowing.
It was a gradual process that has been difficult to see in the mirror but patients and colleagues have started stopping me in the hall and asking me what I’ve been doing.
What I am starting to notice in the mirror is that I’ve been neglecting the area around my mouth and it’s beginning to look like it don’t match the rest of my face.
The areas of our face that have more mobile skin like our eyes and mouths are more prone to showing age. What used to be dynamic wrinkles, those that occur because of movement, are now becoming static wrinkles that never go away. As if someone forgot to iron them back out.
The product that was used to get such an amazing result on my skin wasn’t suitable for use around the eyes or mouth as the constant muscle movement could have caused the product to shift.
Treating these more mobile areas can be challenging and requires both expertise in facial anatomy and a solid understanding of the properties of each of the different products on the market. Choosing the right product or combination of products is critical to the outcome.
However not all clinics have access to a wide range of products or training on the latest techniques. This could account for why we still see people with frozen expressionless faces and who dribble as they sip their coffee! when, in this day and age, there are better solutions.
Our two most popular treatments for the mouth area are:
BARCODE LIP
Developed by our own Dr Ellen Selkon and Dr Sarah Hart (Ponsonby Cosmetic Clinic). The Barcode Lip treatment combines perfectly balanced microdoses of two of the most highly effective anti-ageing products and a technique which untethers the skin from the muscle to help eliminate the lines above the top lip.
Local anaesthetic is used, similar to a dental block, which numbs the top lip completely making the procedure pain free.
Some changes are evident immediately, with complete results 2-3 weeks to be at their maximum. Initial swelling can be expected as well as some bruising.
Cost of Barcode Lip treatment $850 – $1,000
HAPPY FACE
Developed by a Mexican plastic surgeon, Frank Rosengaus, the Happy Face treatment enables us to elevate the downturned corners of the mouth, soften the marionette lines (from the corners of the mouth towards the chin) and any early signs of jowling, and then balance this by softening the frown lines.
Cost of Happy Face treatment $650 (with a nurse)
And that’s what I forgot, BALANCE, and maybe I was underestimating the amazing result the bio-stimulatory products would have as time went on.
From now on I will be practising what we preach here at Clinic 42 and making sure I take a more holistic approach, making small subtle improvements often rather than focusing too much on any one area.
