Is “Prejuvenation” The Answer to Aging Gracefully?

Plastic surgery is the way to rejuvenate your looks, especially when it comes to the face. The question that patients and surgeons alike have been asking is, what can be done prior to the need for rejuvenation? Some people are hearing the word pre-rejuvenation fall into today’s lexicon. What does that mean – prejuvenation?

In the battle against the signs of aging, some folks are saying we should be learning an approach some Millennials are taking: start early and take care of your skin. In other words, for the best results in the fight against aging, it’s best to start before any defects begin to mar our canvases. Board certified plastic surgeons discuss prejuvenation and how it helps patients to age gracefully, or more evenly.

THE FOLDING PAPER TEST
Dr. Mark Epstein agrees with the approach the aforementioned Millennials are taking. “I think prejuvenation is a great idea,” explains Dr. Epstein, a board certified plastic surgeon in New York. “Just a couple of years ago, no one was even talking about it. I first heard about it as preventive Botox and I thought is this just an excuse to sell more Botox! But when you think about it, it totally makes sense. Why wait until the damage is more severe? Treat your skin before the problems appear, or much earlier than the problems occur.”

This turnaround in aesthetic plastic surgery has been dramatically helped by other medical fields researching the various aspects of aging and what causes them. Understanding how we age has allowed for plastic surgeons to more readily address how to prevent, or, more realistically, delay aging.

“If you think of the old folding paper analogy,” Dr. Epstein continues, “the more you fold that paper, the deeper that crease is going to be and the harder it’s going to be to smooth it out. So wait until the paper folds once.”

In this example, Dr. Epstein describes the cause of wrinkles and fine lines. Children frown, smile, and wince, too, yet these movements don’t leave permanent wrinkles and lines. The older the skin gets, the more these lines become permanently etched in. When those in their late 20’s and early 30’s begin to notice permanent lines and wrinkles, addressing them with Botox and fillers may actually help softening them so that they will be less etched over time.