Conditions
Wrinkles / Sun Damage Treatments in Philadelphia – Ardmore, PA
Results of Treatment
Following treatment, most people discontinue AHAs, like glycolic acid, and retinoids, like Retin-A. Mild cleansers and moisturizers can be used after most laser treatments.
About Wrinkles / Sun Damage
The five key signs of skin aging are: fine lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, sagging skin, pigmentation and unwanted redness. The sun causes EXTRA red veins to form including diffuse redness, increased pigmentation like freckles, wrinkles and sagging skin, as well as pore enlargement which can create little bumps called sebaceous hyperplasia. It’s important to see a dermatologist regularly to check for skin cancers that are also caused by the sun.
We use a combination approach to treat skin aging. The first step is to ensure adequate sun protection, which means sunscreen water on a daily basis as well as CLEAR UV-blocking window film for one’s car.
A rejuvenating topical skin care regimen is absolutely key to prevent and reverse the signs of skin aging. The reason that this is so important is that we can do it every day. Then we add injectables such as toxins like Botox®, Dysport®, or Xeomin® for those forehead lines or lines between the eyes (the 11s), as well as smile lines around the eyes.  Injectable fillers like Juvederm®, Restylane® and Belotero® are mostly used for the lower face to treat lines on the side of the nose and mouth, the nasolabial folds, and marionette lines on the chin. Fillers are also used to plump up lips giving them a fuller look.
Finally, lasers can improve fine lines and wrinkles, redness, pigment, and enlarged pores and include a number of the lasers we have here and the Main Line Center for Laser Surgery. These would include lasers such as the: V-Beam Prima® and V-Beam Perfecta®, the Excel-V®, PicoWay® and PicoSure®, Fraxel Dual®, CO2RE®, UltraPulse®, Clear and Brilliant® and others, as well as microneedling radiofrequency devices such as the IntrCell®. This combination approach to skin aging yields the most complete and quickest pathway to rejuvenated skin. How do you know you’re getting the treatments that are right for you and not the one that happens to be in a given office? At Main Line Center for Laser Surgery, we offer the full range of treatments so you can be sure you’re getting the right treatment for you. We have over a quarter century of experience ensuring you get the experience to go with the right choice of treatments.
To answer your specific questions or schedule a consultation, call Dr. Bernstein today at 610-645-5551.
Did you know?
Dr. Bernstein was the first physician in the world to use the PicoWay® Resolve 532 nm and 1,064 nm, V-Beam Perfecta® and V-Beam Prima® lasers and one of the first in the U.S. to acquire the Excel-V® laser and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on their use. Dr. Bernstein was also first in the U.S. to get the Clear+Brilliant Perméa laser.
Wrinkles / Sun Damage FAQs
WHAT CAUSES FINE LINES, WRINKLES, REDNESS AND PIGMENT?
The main cause of aging skin is the sun. We can see this right away by comparing our neck skin to our bottom skin. The sun causes 90% of skin aging including fine lines and wrinkles, sagging, enlarged pores, pigment and redness. With chronological aging our face loses volume in bone, fat and muscle and can lead to sagging.
HOW CAN WE PREVENT THE SIGNS OF SKIN AGING?
Sun protection is the key to preventing the signs of skin aging. This means an SPF 30 or above every day, waterproof sunscreens while swimming and UV-blocking clear (Llumar® or 3M®) window film on our car to prevent UVA damage. Window glass blocks all UVB but allows 70% of UVA in.
HOW DO I KNOW WHAT TREATMENTS ARE RIGHT FOR ME?
Figuring out what treatments are best for someone’s particular type of photodamage is done together with us at Main Line Center for Laser Surgery where we together determine the combination of treatments that meet your needs.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO START IMPROVING MY SKIN?
Sunscreen, window film and topical lotions to rejuvenate your skin are the most important first step toward getting better skin. Without protecting your skin first, treatment to improve it make no sense. Topical treatments you use every single day are the most important because they establish a continuous regimen to repair and protect your skin.
WHAT DOES BOTOX® DO?
Botox® is a brand name of a type of botulinum toxin for relaxing our muscles of facial expression to remove forehead lines, the 11s between our eyes, smile lines and other unwanted signs of skin aging. Other brands include Dysport®, Xeomin®, and Juveau®. These products are mostly used on the upper face.
DO TOPICAL PRODUCTS REALLY WORK?
The alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) and retinoids (Retin-A® and its cousins) can produce major improvement in fine lines and wrinkles and pigmentation, key signs of skin aging. Regular use will surprise you, but always include an SPF 30 every day.
WHAT ARE FILLERS AND WHAT DO THEY DO?
The most common dermal filler agents are hyaluronic acid (HA) gels, such as Restylane®, Juvederm®, and Belotero® that are complexes of sugar molecules and are normally present in our skin. They provide volume to skin where it has been lost due to sun-damage and aging, while also stimulating new collagen production. They are used mainly in the lower face in the nasolabial folds on our lower cheeks and marionet lines around our chins. Other fillers include calcium hydroxyapatite (a material found in bone) and poly-l-lactic acid (the material dissolvable sutures are made from).
WHAT DO LASERS DO TO REJUVENATE SKIN?
Lasers improve the 5 key signs of skin aging: fine lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, sagging skin, redness and pigmentation. Different lasers are better at removing certain aspects of photoaging, which is why one laser isn’t the answer for everyone. Lasers stimulate new collagen production, as the sun causes destruction of collagen, and deposition of remodeled skin to replace sun-damaged skin.
HOW WILL I LOOK AFTER LASER TREATMENT?
Most people just look a pink and puffy following laser treatment, and sometimes people with a lot of facial redness can get some bruising. This normally lasts for a few days but can sometimes last longer, especially the bruising if it occurs.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO FOR AFTER CARE?
Following treatment, most people discontinue AHAs, like glycolic acid, and retinoids, like Retin-A, for a few days. Mild cleansers and moisturizers can be used after most laser treatments. Cool compresses a few times a day can reduce swelling. People who get a lot of cold sores sometimes take medicine to prevent them for a week following certain laser treatments.
