Skin is in

Botox: Botox is the brand name of a botulinum toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. A small, diluted amount of this toxin is directly injected into specific muscles causing controlled weakening. Since these muscles contract no more, the wrinkles that are produced due to contraction vanish. Botox works best on active wrinkles on the face. Static wrinkles do not respond to Botox. It is most often used on forehead lines, crow’s feet (lines around the eye), frown lines (glabellar folds) and neck lines. What’s new is its increasing use on the lower face and to treat prominent jaw muscles. What’s also new is the availability of Dysport and Xeomin, which are neurotoxins like Botox.

Mesoglow: Mesotherapy is a technique in which substances that rejuvenate and hydrate the skin — vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants — are injected directly into the skin by making multiple tiny punctures on the skin surface.The capillary dilations caused by puncture technique or the substances injected, usually combinations of both, are responsible for giving an instant glow to the skin. The procedure can be repeated once every two weeks for four to six sessions for best results. Its popularity has stabilised after initial excitement, but it is still a useful treatment for instant glow. Some doctors also inject hyaluronic acid or Botox (calling it as Mesobotox) by similar techniques, giving an added anti-ageing effect.

Fractional lasers for scars and wrinkles: CO2 Fractional Laser and Erbium Glass Lasers — the new lasers — cause tiny punctures on the skin helping remodel and formation of collagen in these holes thus causing skin firming, reduction of scars and wrinkles. Used extensively to cure acne, burn and post-operative scars, these are now also being used to reduce wrinkles on the face. CO2 laser may have three to four days of downtime, while Erbium Glass Laser takes a day or two.

Chemical peels: This is the simplest and the most popular treatment for making skin glow. In chemical peeling, a solution is applied on the skin to help peel the damaged layers. This helps rebuild new collagen and gives that instant glow that people desire.

Fine contour thread lifts for facelift: These are threads which are inserted into the skin (dermis) to give an instant lift. Done as an out-patient procedure in a few minutes without any downtime, it is an amazing procedure for reducing fine lines, double chin and sometimes facial shaping like an arched eyebrow or well-defined jaw line. This procedure was always popular in Southeast Asia but it is now becoming popular in our country too.

Fillers: Fillers are collagen injections placed beneath the skin. As one ages, the collagen under the skin reduces, leading to formation of static lines and wrinkles. Fillers replace this lost volume and thus smoothen these static wrinkles and fine lines. Fillers are mostly used to fill static lines of nasolabial folds, forehead and around the eyes.

What’s new on the block is volumising fillers for the central part of the face. This gives the effect of a facelift and is gaining popularity. Fillers are now being increasingly used for facial restructuring and remodelling, like filling shallow contours, old scars and lips.

Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers

These lasers help reduce pigmentation on the face and lighten scars that have appeared due to age. It can reduce freckles too. It also helps you get rid of unwanted tattoo. Long pulse Nd:YAG technology or sclerotherapy is now available to remove those tiny dilated capillaries that you have developed on your face from ageing, exposure to sun or cosmetic abuse. It’s a small procedure with little or no downtime and gives you a cleaner look.

Vampire facelift: It’s an anti-ageing procedure to help reduce the signs of ageing. This treatment involves drawing one’s own blood, which is then spun into a centrifuge to extract platelet-rich plasma. This plasma is then injected into the wrinkled area of the face. This non-surgical procedure promotes new tissue growth, improves facial tone and improves wrinkles with little or no downtime.

Shave off the inches

Fat reduction and body reshaping devices

Fat-reducing lasers like I-Lipo uses low-level lasers for smoothing cellulite, fat reduction and body shaping treatments. There are others like CoolSculpting that apply cold to targeted areas of unwanted fat of the abdomen, hips or back. Unlike surgical fat reduction like liposuction, the cold damages the fat cells externally and the body slowly expels them through the lymphatic system. Other technology like Exilis uses radio frequency devices to reduce fat cells. One must understand that these are not fat removal devices and cannot reduce obesity like liposuction does. These can only cause slight reduction in your measurements.

Tress talk

Here are some of the treatments to address hair loss...

Mesotherapy, a technique in which vitamins, amino acids and nutrients are injected around the hair follicle to promote hair growth and reduce hair fall. Mesotherapy has suddenly gained popularity in recent years. PRP-based Mesotherapy is also becoming famous. Results vary but growing popularity means it’s here to stay.

Hair transplant is becoming more popular than before, with more people ready to go under the knife. Its definite results make it the gold standard.

Red LED laser light: To promote hair growth but the results are disappointing in many.

The list is endless to keep you glowing and to make you look better than you do. These are exciting times for people who want to look good through technology

But please remember that one must know where to stop and what’s good for your age!

Dr Sachin Varma is a consultant dermatologist with

Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals