Wowza!! It’s all the buzz! Everyone is talking about the swimsuit photoshoot of 63-year-old Christie Brinkley and her 2 daughters. All three could have easily passed for sisters in that picture, right?
So how in the world does she look that stunning- body size, skin, face, arms, hands- well, really everything about her! She has revealed some of her secrets in her book, but some of her beauty success is common sense to cosmetic medical practitioners. Read carefully…
First, you can’t wait until you’re 62, like me, to start a skin/ beauty regimen to look like Christie on your 63rd birthday party. In fact, a recent article in New You magazine listed 5 things (below in bold print) that must be on your to-do list before you reach the BIG 4-0.
- Follow a good skincare regimen… We admit this is an investment of time and money. However, we also know that by age 30 (yes, 30) you begin to break down some little-girl, youthful collagen and the aging process is in full motion. Some of the must-haves for your skin to slow down the aging process include antioxidants, peptides, retinol, and sunblock. Andrew Ordon, a plastic surgeon from Beverly Hills, CA and a regular on The Doctors, says, “Your skincare routine should consist of cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing, and protecting your skin from the elements.” He continues, “Using good products will help prevent further aging in terms of lines and brown and red spots. You also need to protect your skin from the sun and follow a healthy lifestyle in order to maintain a youthful look.” I would love to elaborate on the significant difference in OTC (over the counter) and cosmeceutical skincare products sold in a medical facility, but that is for another blog, another day. Stay tuned.
- Don’t be afraid of Botox®… There are actually three FDA-approved neuromodulators, Botox®, Dysport®, and Xeomine®. They all work similarly to relax muscles that create lines in the skin. The secret to long-term benefit is to start relaxing muscles early. I have a patient who sent me a picture that her 6-year-old who had drawn a picture of her including squiggly lines across her forehead! Yikes! If you start Botox® in your late 30s or early 40s, you can prevent the lines from becoming permanently etched in the skin. There’s no need to worry about the “frozen” look anymore with a good, experienced injector who ‘gets it’. Evaluate your injector’s face to learn their ‘philosophy’ of facial expression and movement, as well as their facial artistic ability. That is always a tell-tale sign if they get it!
- …or dermal fillers For most women, by the age of 40, the inevitable volume loss becomes apparent. They don’t suddenly look old and ugly, just different. The shape of the face slowly changes as the air leaks out of the balloon, so to speak. If you can maintain volume in the correct proportions in the correct places, voila! a youthful appearance can be maintained. There are a variety of fillers to meet specific areas of need. Again, look at your injector’s face to learn her philosophy of filling, relaxing, and plumping. Too much volume in certain areas, like lips and cheeks, can be a BIG mistake and everyone knows it! Trust me!
- Treat your skin to lasers and/or other skin rejuvenators… Laser treatments are perfect to enhance or correct tone and texture of the skin. A rose is a rose by any other name but that is NOT true about lasers. There are a boatload of different lasers all designed to accomplish different things from hair removal to resurfacing, to collagen stimulators, on and on. These procedures will help get rid of areas of redness, brown spots, and facial veins as well as improve the appearance of pores. Micro-needling, chemical peels, and PRP can all be beneficial for texture, as well. These issues start to rear their ugly heads, no pun intended, in the mid-late 30s or certainly by the early 40s. A quarterly 30-minute procedure can save the day, or face, and make aging dig its heels in the ground!
- Don’t neglect your smile… Your smile reflects your personality, your stress level, and your confidence. Well-known Macon, GA dentist, James Cassidy, Jr, DMD says, “For those people who have pretty skin, pretty eyes, and pretty hair, they should have pretty teeth as well. I agree that the sooner the better to start whitening your teeth. There is no better time to get started bleaching because there is no better time to have a beautiful smile!” He goes on to explain, “Bleaching has no downside. In fact, the bleach kills anaerobes which can cause periodontal disease.” No one wants to cover their smile with their hand or attempt to suppress a big full smile in response to a heartwarming or funny conversation. But, dark discolored teeth are an instant ager. Check with your dentist or try some OTC whitening products and smile!
Finally, I tell my patients every day, “Genetics is the trump card.” You can play all the cards listed above- skincare, Botox®, fillers, lasers, sunscreen, and teeth whitening- but your rate and style of aging is determined by your genetics. That doesn’t mean that you can’t do something about it, rather you can know what you’re dealing with and where to invest your time and money. You can change your aging fate by starting early, educating yourself on what YOU need, and then, actually doing it!
Takeaways:
- Start young with proven anti-aging treatments.
- Cosmeceutical skincare can slow down your skin’s natural aging process.
- Botox and fillers are your anti-aging best buddies!
- Laser treatments can even your skin tone and restore a youthful complexion.
- A beautiful smile is your signature and can definitely add a youthful appearance!
- Do all of the above and take your picture in your swimsuit at age 63!
Want to schedule your free consultation? Give us a call at 478.743.2299 to get started!
