We’ve all done it! Searching for the fountain of youth in a jar. I know we all have drawers full of lotions and potions claiming to solve all of our beauty woe’s and lead us to believe we will have skin like JLO or Jennifer Aniston. I’m guilty of it myself and I work for a plastic surgeon!! If we could have all been blessed with good genes and have an endless bank account to have our skin expert on our assistants speed dial and on the next flight out for a special plumping visit wherever we are filming our next movie. Unfortunately, that is not most of us! There are a plethora of cosmetic treatments available to us all, both surgical and non-surgical. However, due to lack of time in our busy schedules and limited funds leftover after we pay daycare our options may be limited. In a perfect world I would recommend for everyone to have Botox, Lasers, and an elaborate skincare regimen of only the finest ingredients. So how do we pick and choose the best procedure(s) for me and my budget? This is most commonly asked question I get when I am meeting a new client for the first time is, “what treatment is going to give me the most bang for my buck with limited funds”?
I wish that this was an easy question to answer, but it really depends on what your concerns are, age, and what that budget is. Have no worries…there are options for all of us! First off, it all starts at home with really good skincare basics. I tell all of my clients that the results we can achieve in clinic will last longer with the right arsenal at home. We don’t stop aging, right? We are always a work in progress. So with that being said a good daily SPF, Antioxidant (Vitamin C serum), eye cream and a retinol/Retin A can go a long way for anyone at any age. Look to spend about $150-$200 every 4-6 months on these good medical grade products. This comes to $1.50 a day for a $200 regimen…that’s less than what most of us spend at Starbucks on a daily basis. Skincare alone can go a long way and improve your complexion if you are using the right things. Keep in mind, as we age our skincare will and should change just as we no longer dress as we did when we were 18. Right?
Next if we are going to add in a procedure that address a little bit of everything I would recommend a chemical peel, BBL (Broad Band Light treatment) or Halo Laser. Chemical peels are a great way to exfoliate and exercise younger skin. Usually clients in their 20-30’s need prevention more than correction so lighter peels such as PCA Skin Peels are a great option. They use a blend of acids in their customized peels to rejuvenate dull or acne prone skin and are relatively inexpensive starting at $100. They truly can be a great pick me up for any age and give a boost to your daily skincare routine. BBL to me is the golden standard for skin rejuvenating the skin, especially clients in their 40’s. It’s a non-invasive, no downtime treatment that evens out the skin tone. It’s designed specifically to target brown spots (sun damage) and broken capillaries (facial redness). Results are visible even with just one treatment! Studies have shown that it can even stimulate collagen and delay aging if you maintain two treatments a year…a win win! Costs per treatment can run around $300 and depending on the amount of correction you desire, you may need a series of 3 initially. The Halo laser is the next step in skin rejuvenating and works on those who show visible signs of ageing or if your skin needs a bit more TLC (listen up my sun bunnies). The Halo really does an amazing job of repairing sun damage, pores, rough texture, skin tone and fine lines while providing mild tightening to the skin. Think of the Halo like your 30,000 mile tune up on your car! The results from one Halo can be seen for over a year! A Halo will run you about $1000, but the results are worth it. The treatment can be as light or as aggressive as you and your provider decide. A great way to maintain your Halo results would be to follow up with a BBL or chemical peel treatment as needed. (Think of these like an oil change for your car). The amazing thing about lasers is that the results are cumulative…the more you do the better the skin looks. Within reason of course!
Don’t’ worry…I’m not leaving out our favorite, Botox! Injectable treatments can go a long way. I really just wanted to focus on the skin itself because I truly believe healthy skin is beautiful skin. My personal belief is that even skin tone and smooth skin that reflects light looks younger and more youthful than skin that is rough, blotchy and dull. With that being said, I still recommend treating the skin as a whole for the total rejuvenation package Think of our face like a balloon deflating as we age…we lose volume. Fillers like Juvederm and Voluma can restore a more youthful look by lifting the cheeks or softening those laugh lines. On top of that, it can last for 1-2 years depending on the filler used. Also the “look” you gave to your kids (you know what I’m talking about) may have worked for you over the years, but now the lines between our brows have become stronger. Have no fear…Botox is here! It’s the #1 cosmetic procedure done worldwide and we here at RPS do the most in the Midwest. Both of these options are as close to instant gratification as we can get! Fillers start at $500 per syringe but the number of syringes needed for each patient depends on the amount of volume needed. Botox can range $200-$300 per area.
As you can see there are a variety of options out there other than just surgery. Don’t get me wrong, there are some things that cannot be fixed without surgery, but it’s nice to know that most things can be improved non-surgically. You just have to do what’s right for you and what fits in your budget. If you are feeling overwhelmed or confused on where to start, just pick one thing and focus on that concern and go from there…we all have to start somewhere. So until you are the next Billion dollar Powerball winner, stay calm and beautify on!
