I was recently introduced to Dr. Vu Ho - a double-board certified facial plastic surgeon and the owner of Beautiful Faces MedSpa. Last month, he introduced me to the ZO Skin Health line created by world-renowned skin care innovator, Dr. Zein Obagi of Beverly Hills. ZO products have been meticulously developed and tested by Dr. Obagi, a pioneer and innovator in the field of skin health. Dr. Obagi has over 35 years of clinical experience treating all skin types. I’ve been using the ZO Skin Health line since our visit and am pleased with the products I am using. It’s too early to say that I’ve seen dramatic results, but I do feel good about the fact that I am addressing my skin’s issues with a quality line of products. Beautiful Faces MedSpa offers a complete array of skin products and services. There are millions of skin care and anti-aging products on the market. So, how do you know which ones are best suited for you? When in doubt, seek professional help!
I had a great visit recently with Dr. Ho and his assistant, Casey Scott at the Beautiful Faces office. One of the things we talked about was their "wrap-around" approach. Meaning, if I started going to a trainer to get in shape, that trainer would more than likely talk to me about my diet and supplements in addition to my physical workouts. Same with Dr. Ho. When you go to him to "look your best" he talks to you about medical and/or med-spa procedures he can do to correct or alter the effects of aging and then about incorporating the ZO Skin Health line to maintain the work and keep your skin in optimal health moving forward. I asked Dr. Ho what the biggest change was today vs. 20 years ago in his field and he said it was consumer education and medical advances. Women today are so much more educated about their skin and diet and are being proactive to slow down the aging process by regularly working out, using sunscreen and other skin products. And at the same time, medicine has discovered and created new technologies to address these issues through products or services.
Cynthia Smoot with Dr. Vu HO
One of the first things you notice as you age are changes in your skin. As I approach the BIG FIVE-O I can’t help but think about the changes that are happening to my skin and body. The effects of aging are RIGHT THERE every time I look in the mirror! And while we can’t stop the process of aging, thanks to modern medicine, we can slow it down.So, what happens to our skin as we age?
In your 30s you may start to notice your skin is drier and duller in color. You may also notice more fine lines around key areas such as your eyes and mouth. When you smile these lines may not disappear. Collagen (which gives skin its strength) and elastin (the stretchy part of your skin) carry on getting weaker. This is when wrinkles start to form as 'expression' lines.
In your 40s, hormones such as estrogen are switching off. Estrogen is a useful molecule for keeping your skin pert and bouncy. Less estrogen can make your skin start to sag and wrinkle around the neck and chest.
As you enter your 50s, you will start to notice an increase in the size of your pores. This is when your skin loosens and the opening of your pores become more pronounced. Skin becomes flaky and more wrinkles are apparent by now. A key sign of aging starts to appear around your eyes - when our eyelids can become hooded and wrinkled. You may start to notice facial hair - this is due to an imbalance of male and female hormones through menopause.
The question then becomes, what can we do about it?
For instance, to fix that "turkey gobbler" problem, Dr. Ho recommended I consider a process called Pelleve™ Wrinkle Reduction System. The procedure is used to treat facial lines without down time. The radio frequency heats up the collagen to cause skin to become firmer and tighter. In addition, Pelleve System stimulates the skin’s natural production of collagen to continuously make the skin improve over time.
While I ponder my choices, I hope you’ll take a good look in the mirror and think about how to look your best. If you’d like a consultation with Dr. Ho, give him a call and tell him I sent you! The great news is that there are affordable and approachable ways to look and feel your best at any age. You can find more information about Dr. Vu Ho and Beautiful Faces MedSpa at www.BeautifulFacesDallas.com
