Knowing the most common signs of aging can help you retain your youthful looks longer. Let’s discuss the most common signs, and the steps we can take towards delaying the aging process.
Loss of Elasticity
Loss of elasticity or ‘plumpness’ is attributed to collagen loss. Collagen is a building block of the skin. During our youth, collagen plumps the skin thereby creating volume. However, as we age we stop producing collagen at the same rate. This in turn affects the elasticity leaving us with saggy skin as we age. Plus, the loss of muscle tone is going to cause expression lines.
Loss of Hydration
Skin becomes dryer as we age because the sebaceous glands in the skin, like any other structure of the body, are not as active as we age. This loss of hydration manifests itself through a dull, sallow appearance, crepey skin, and fine lines. Overall, the texture of the skin changes as a result of water loss.
Hyperpigmentation
There are environmental factors such as sun exposure and climate as well as other pollutants and oxidants in the air that cause aging in general. These environmental factors can also contribute to hyperpigmattion which can cause an aged appearance to the skin. Hyperpigmentation can be in the form of freckles, sun spots, lentigines, etc.
Thin Skin
The thickness of the skin changes as well with aging. The skin tries to thin out as a result of the deficiencies in collagen and hydration.
Fighting the common signs of aging at home
Try to incorporate products that accelerate your skin’s cell turnover rate; They are very useful. Examples include retinol, glycolic and lactic acid. When combined, vitamins C and E make a good protectant.
When it comes to exfoliation, try using an enzymatic exfoliant. These are really good for anti-aging because they achieve deep exfoliation and hydration without causing friction at the surface.
Wearing SPF daily helps. Be mindful when you are being exposed to the sun for periods longer than 15-30 minutes consistently. Wear a hat during longer periods of sun exposure. Cooling the skin also helps, for example, cold spoons kept in the fridge will calm the skin and reduce inflammation.
Finally, avoid the use of irratating cleansers and moisturizers. Stick with products that actually bring nutrients to the skin.
Professional Treatments
When it comes to skin rejuvenation, photofacials are amazing because they do not cause superficial damage to the skin. The light energy penetrates directly to the main contributing factor of loss of elasticity which is the collagen cells.
We have a certain amount of collagen cells in our skin at any given time. When the light energy hits those cells, they are stimulated/traumatized enough so that they regenerate new collagen cells in order to replace those “traumatized” collagen cells. However, those collagen cells that are affected by the light energy for the most part are not completely destroyed, yet they are “repaired” in a sense so you end up with a multiplied amount of collagen present in your skin after a photofacial treatment.
Located in YEG, we offer sun spot removal treatments in our vast spa menu. Sun spots usually appear in areas of high sun exposure such as the forehead, nose, cheeks, and decollate. They can also appear on the body, back of the hands, upper shoulders (especially on people who drive during times of the day when the sun is at its strongest), etc.
Sun spots are cells that were damaged by UV exposure. Typically this damage has been caused before the age of 18 and surfaces later on in life and becomes darkened with repeated or excessive sun exposure.
If brown spots appear over the summer, we can surmise that they are sun damaged cells that have surfaced in the form of sun spots as a result of sun exposure over the summer.
Sun Spot Removal Treatment
We will shed some light on repair and maintenance:
REPAIR
IPL Photofacials are safe, non-invasive advanced skincare procedures that deliver immediate results. We offer different types of photofacials for different skin concerns, and when dealing with sun spots specifically, we recommend the ACLARA photofacial.
ACLARA works to removes pigment spots (brown spots/sun spots/ age spots) and damage affecting your face, neck, chest, hands, and arms.
The procedure delivers quick pulses of light to targeted areas. The light penetrates between 535-580nm into your skin. This process breaks up the spot, which then brings the pigment to the surface. Finally, the spot sheds with your skin’s natural processes.
We perform all of our laser procedures using Sharplight’s Formax-VP System. The system has a number of safety-control features. For example, it includes a contact cooling tip that cools the skin being treated, adding maximum comfort and protection.
Best of all, there is no downtime required for this procedure. A full face photofacial takes 30-45 minutes, after which you can continue your daily routine!
MAINTENANCE
As we mentioned earlier, most damage has been caused before the age of 18. The damage surfaces later on in life and becomes darkened with repeated or excessive sun exposure.
Having said this, we recommend following our Anti Aging tips, and of course, always use sun protection. Sun block is vital, even in the winter months.
As always with the skin, genetics plays a big role in aging. Other factors that contribute to an aging neck include improper care, sun exposure, and time.
At what age does the neck generally start to show signs of aging?
The neck starts to show signs of aging roughly around the same time as your face. However, since we do not express emotions with our necks (the way we do with our face), the face leads the way when it comes to aging. Although the neck doesn’t age as quickly as the face, it’s not too far behind. In other words, once you see signs of aging on your face, consider caring for your neck in the same fashion.
Aging on the neck appears in different ways. Examples include sunspots and redness caused by sensitivity.
What is a “crepey” neck?
Magnified image of crepey skin.
A crepey neck is characterized by fine lines of a dry and scaly texture. When you squeeze the skin together, the skin looks dehydrated and finely wrinkled. Crepey skin is one of the first signs of aging because they are not depressed wrinkles just yet. They are often caused by major dehydration and are common in the chest area. This may happen because we generally don’t exfoliate as much as we do on our face. We also don’t cleanse and moisturize to the same degree, nor do we protect it as we do our face.
Can a crepey neck be reversed?
Crepey skin on the neck can be reversed to a certain extent with proper treatment, aftercare, and protection. However, early intervention with advanced skin treatments is key.
What treatments are available for an aging neck?
Chemical peels help exfoliate buildup and resurface fresh skin cells.
Photofacials do the same as the peels. In addition, they help boost our collagen content and therefore yield more dramatic and longer-lasting results. Keep in mind that photofacials can tighten the skin on the neck only to a certain extent. Sometimes sagging of the neck is due to muscular issues or an excess of adipose tissue. Those cases require medical or surgical intervention such as liposuction, belkyra, or a lipo face lift.
Other questions?
Call us or submit your questions to our “Ask Dérmica” feature.
Receive a free session of IPL Hair Removal on your underarms with the purchase of any IPL Hair Removal bikini.
This special is not valid with any other offer or promotion. Offer valid from December 1-31, 2022. No pre-purchasing. Please include both areas when booking your appointment.
Chemical peels are medical-esthetic skin treatments. They are customized depending on the current condition of the skin and desired results. As a result, they treat a variety of conditions, for example, pigmentation, acne, fine lines, dry skin, and more.
The first thing to remember when booking your peel is the recommended downtime of 2-7 days depending on the depth of the peel. Please review the criteria before booking your peel.
Throughout November 2022, receive 25% off ANY deep peel. This special is not valid with any other promotion. Offer is valid from November 1-30, 2021. No pre-purchasing.
October 2022- Free hands or neck with Photofacial
As we age, we tend to prioritize our faces and forget the other giveaways that reveal our true age. That is not to say aging is a bad thing. In fact, there is a certain beauty in aging. However, if you are like us, we like to collect as much wisdom as we can, with as few wrinkles and age spots as possible.
Over time, hands accumulate damage resulting in age spots and other pigmented lesions. Our skin loses elasticity which creates fine lines everywhere, including our hands and neck. IPL treatments are ideal for treating pigmented and textural damage that come from aging.
Throughout October 2022, receive a free neck or hands IPL treatment with ANY full face photofacial. This special is not valid with any other promotion. Offer is valid from October 1-30, 2021. No pre-purchasing.
While all photofacials emit light energy into the skin, the difference between them lies in their specific targets.
ALISA blasts collagen cells to boost collagen production. It target fine lines, skin smoothing, textured scarring, and large pores. Promotes skin rejuvenation.
ACLARA dissolves blemishes by destroying excess melanin cells. Recommended for removal of dark spots, pigmented scarring, and sun damage.
ALIVIA cauterizes superficial vessels and dissolves them back into the skin while flushing out the excess. It is used to treat vascular lesions.
Vascular lesions are due to conditions such as Rosacea, couperose skin, sensitized skin, or simply genetics. Subsequently, if left untreated these conditions can worsen, or mutate the skin’s texture.
September 2022- 25% OFF Photofacial IPL treatments
Weather-wise it’s been a great summer in Edmonton, Alberta. Now that it’s coming to an end, it’s time to consider a skin recovery plan. Hiding behind a tan is the damage left behind by heat and harmful sun rays.
Whether you’d like to remove sun spots or regain some elasticity, a photofacial is great for skin recovery. Throughout September 2022, receive 25% off ANY full face photofacial. This special is not valid with any other promotion. Offer is valid from September 1-30, 2021. No pre-purchasing.
Weather-wise it’s been a great summer in Edmonton, Alberta. Now that it’s coming to an end, it’s time to consider a skin recovery plan. Hiding behind a tan is the damage left behind by heat and harmful sun rays.
Whether you’d like to remove sun spots, or regain some elasticity, a photofacial is great for skin recovery. Throughout September 2022, receive 25% off ANY full face photofacial. This special is not valid with any other promotion. Offer is valid from September 1-30, 2021. No pre-purchasing.
Like mother earth deep cleaning to make room for new life, a facial provides a deep cleanse to make room for fresh skin cells. Our facials include all the essentials such as deep cleansing, exfoliation, steam, and extractions. The products used in our facials are handpicked at each visit in order to adapt to the skin’s changes and progress. Throughout April, receive a complimentary peel (acid) boost with your RELAX or BEAUTY facial. This special is not valid with any other offer or promotion. This offer is valid from April 1-30, 2022.
What are acid boosts?
Boosts are mild skin acids. While the acids used in boosts are not as strong as in our chemical peels, they sure do pack a punch!
BOOSTS can be used to pre-treat the skin before transitioning into stronger skin peels. In addition, they are great for seasonal maintenance and anti-aging. Furthermore, they can be added to other skin care services, such as facials or dermaplaning, to amplify results.
Please review the treatment criteria before booking your treatment. There is an expected downtime of 1-3 days depending on your skin.
AHA (10-20%)
Add this boost to your facial to relieve dry skin. Similarly, this boost reduces fine lines and pigmentation. Ideal for dry or mature skin. Reg. $55
BHA (10-20%)
Add this boost to your facial to treat active acne. The boost is applied after extractions. Ideal for oily skin. Reg. $55
Vitamin C
Add this boost to your facial to give your skin extra protection from reactive oxidizing agents and other free radicals. Reg. $65
Our bogo special is one of the best photofacial deals ever! Try ALISA for skin tightening/pore size reduction, ACLARA for hyperpigmentation, or ALIVIA for removal of redness. Click here for details.
Skin and Pore Tightening
ALISA uses yellow light (580-950nm) to blast collagen cells to boost production. It is ideal for treating dull skin appearance, textural damage such as scarring, fine lines, wrinkles, and mature skin.
Removal of Redness and Brown Spots
On the other hand, ACLARA and ALIVIA use green light (535-950nm). ACLARA destroys excess melanin cells which are expelled from the body 2-3 weeks post treatment. This photofacial is best to lighten and clear light to dark pigmented lesions.
ALIVIA cauterizes superficial vessels. Once cauterized, the vessels dissolve back into the skin. The ALIVIA photofacial is the best choice to diminish redness and dissolve broken capillaries.
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