Combination Treatments for Aging Skin

By Mary Lupo, MD

Published on August 01, 2006

The "no downtime" procedure refers to any facial enhancement treatment that does not require time off from work or social engagements. The trend started a decade ago with so-called "lunchtime" peels. These exfoliating treatments used mild acids, or "acid washes," to brighten the skin with no oozing or crusting, so you could continue your normal activities immediately after the procedure. Microdermabrasion, or particle resurfacing, was the next innovation. In microdermabrasion, a machine removes the top skin cell layers to reveal brighter skin without even the slight dryness that sometimes occurs after chemical exfoliation. A bonus of microdermabrasion is that it enhances the benefits of doctor-prescribed anti-aging skin care programs.

Now we have a new concept in "no downtime." Combination treatments that fight the signs of aging on multiple fronts allow you to see more dramatic improvement than do single treatments because more than one problem is addressed simultaneously. For example, BOTOX Cosmetic injections can relax key muscles that are causing wrinkles such as frown lines and crow's feet, while collagen stimulating treatments, such as the CoolTouch II non-ablative laser, can correct wrinkles from age and sun. BOTOX Cosmetic can also be used with microdermabrasion, chemical peels or photorejuvenation so that surface aging in the form of age spots and large pores can be corrected. (Photorejuvenation uses a non-laser light to eliminate brown spots and stubborn broken capillaries as well as the facial redness caused by rosacea.)

Collagen, fat and other fillers can be used to correct deeper lines that non-ablative laser treatments cannot completely eliminate. Collagen remains a very popular way to enhance and define lips that shrink with aging. In fact, collagen around the lips along with BOTOX Cosmetic around the eyes and forehead are the best one-two punch in combination treatments today.

Of course there will always be a need for downtime procedures such as deep peels, dermabrasion, laser resurfacing and facelifts, but "no downtime" combination treatments help you look better today and in the future. And you won't miss a beat at work or at play.