The knife-free face lift

By Roz Brown

I have one of those lines. One of those horizontal, middle-of-the-forehead, genetic lines that makes you look, if not exactly pissed off, mostly upset all the time. I never really knew how pronounced it was until my two girls were about six and 10. That’s when they regularly began to ask anxiously, “What’s wrong?”

Well, hell, there were all sorts of things “wrong,” but they were in no way related to them. My children had erroneously concluded that my permanent look of concern had something do with being upset—that I was “mad” about something they’d done. I found it necessary to repeatedly reassure them that my father’s side of the family had imparted many gifts, but the trough in their mother’s forehead deep enough to scare small children was not one of them.

I have yet to fix what some might consider a facial flaw. In other words, I haven’t cut up my forehead, or had any “work” done. Probably like you, however, I have gone from baby oil to number 30 sunscreen, and from One-A-Day vitamins to a cabinet-full of antioxidants. Naturally, there are still others willing to go farther in the quest to maintain a youthful appearance, but there is also an increased interest in avoiding “the knife” to achieve that goal.

The goal of a facelift is to remove wrinkles by correcting facial skin that is loose and sagging. This condition occurs through sun damage, repeated stress, loss of muscle tone, collagen and elastin loss, loss of barrier function and, most importantly, the loss of the soft fatty tissue beneath the skin.

For many years, the only “facelift” procedures we heard about were those performed on Hollywood movie stars—and they involved serious surgical procedures and lengthy recovery time, not to mention a movie-star-sized paycheck. For the rest of us, a regular facial, at home or otherwise, was about all that was available to ward off the signs of aging. A facial, after all, does cleanse, rehydrate and rejuvenate the skin, which encourages a healthful complexion and reduces stress. It can also minimize blemishes, acne, dry skin and, of course, wrinkles. The massage, an integral part of a facial, helps with blood circulation, which in turn aids lymphatic drainage or the removal of toxins. But whatever benefits a facial offers, it will not permanently erase years of living off your face. To do that, it was believed only a surgeon with a scalpel would do.

What we call plastic surgery has been around for more than 4,000 years, but it’s only recently been combined with cosmetic plastic surgery in techniques to defy aging. As early as 800 B.C., physicians in ancient India utilized skin grafts for reconstructive work. The word “plastic” in that time did not imply artificial, but rather meant, “to mold or give form,” from the ancient Greek word, “plastikos.” As plastic surgery became especially useful in repairing war injuries, to improve scars and to treat disorders resulting from birth defects or disease, it began to be more widely recognized in both the United States and Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. It moved into public consciousness in the 1950s, and became a household word in the 1960s as scientific developments flourished. One of those developments included the substance, silicone, unveiled in 1962 as a breast implant device.

There will always be those willing to go to any length to maintain a Barbie-doll appearance. But there are also signs that avoiding invasive surgery is becoming increasingly popular. Many cultural changes have occurred since the 1960s. Research and common sense now tell us that exercise, including strength training, reverses the clock naturally. We don’t smoke because we’ve learned it ruins not only our health, but also our skin. We’re conscious of how our diet affects the look of skin, and the critical importance of water. Then there’s the need for adequate sleep, the still-recent directive for daily sunscreen applications, and mind techniques for dumping stress and anger that can cause premature aging.

Beyond that, today’s natural facelift techniques often incorporate ancient Eastern practices, including acupuncture and acupressure. In the acupuncture treatment, a wide array of herbal poultices, creams and essential oils are vital. In an article written for Acupuncture Today, Sunanda Harrell-Stokes, L.Ac., describes the need to extensively cleanse and exfoliate the face before using acupuncture needles. She says a poultice should be used, based upon the ancient tradition of the Chinese “herbal soup” si wu tang, to counteract poor nutrition, pollution and stress. The needles stimulate circulation, boost collagen production and plump fine facial wrinkles, and are said to create more of a “lift” than spa facials. Finally, Harrell-Stokes says, “We call forth the yin" to the face, which involves rolling cool jade face- and eye-rollers up the neck and face. This helps moisturizers penetrate more deeply and, as the ancient Chinese believed, affords magical protection.”

The acupressure facelift relies on another distinct ancient Chinese technique to improve facial blood and oxygen flow. By pressing certain points on the face, a greater flow of blood and oxygen is produced, which promotes a release of tension, a softening of lines, and toning and tightening of sagging skin, among other health-related benefits. The www.sanandaworkbook.com website claims that “acupressure massage keeps the collagen and elastin fibers wet and warm which encourages and stimulates their growth. Karen Umstattd Sies, author of the website and acupressure practitioner, says, “With each facelift massage, the toning benefits increase because muscles have memory.” Extensive facial exercises are encouraged in conjunction with regular acupressure facials.

Any natural facial lift technique also encourages the use of proper herbs, light and nutritional therapies, hydrotherapy, and breathing techniques, and all procedures must be repeated frequently to maintain results.

Again, Umstattd Sies describes her facelift massage technique as a "combination of Chinese and Japanese techniques using cleansing, moisturizing and energizing, working specifically with the facial meridians to achieve a balance in the facial skin (and) the facial muscles, harmonizing the condition of the internal organs.”

Beneficial products and procedures used in conjunction with both acupressure and acupuncture might include antioxidant cleansers, masks and moisturizers, face scrubs, steam treatments, exfoliation creams, sea salt or aromatic sugar scrubs, or rich moisturizers such as olive oil or shea butter. Other techniques might include hot and cold steam baths or showers, the consumption of mineral water, aromatherapy baths and general detoxification treatments.

On a more internal level, vitamins A, C, E, K and B complex can all help improve skin health. The Chinese have consistently promoted tonics such as ginseng, ling zhi reishi and yang rong wan to nourish aging skin. Proper diet that includes large amounts of antioxidants are said to help the skin, and since we know that stress speeds the aging process, it should be managed with regular exercise, deep breathing techniques, biofeedback, meditation or yoga.
A technique new to the United States is the use of light therapy or photo rejuvenation. These 20-minute sessions are said to increase circulation, reduce puffiness, lessen hyperpigmentation, and improve the appearance of fine lines. Light therapy/photo rejuvenation is a non-invasive technique in which hand-held wands are passed over selected areas of the face and neck. The infra-red light pulse surrounds the tissue and stimulates new collagen production. There are multiple books about these methods, or you can ask the experts at a store like Vitamin Cottage or Pharmaca.

Right now, “minimally invasive” plastic surgery methods get the lion’s share of attention. According to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, consumer demand jumped 41 percent in 2003 for minimally invasive plastic surgery. And just what might that be? Here’s a sampling, by way of comparison with more natural methods:

• Demabrasion diminishes irregularities in the skin’s surface by “sanding” the skin with diamond rotary instruments.
  
• Chemical peels exfoliate the skin’s top layers revealing younger, softer skin below.
• Laser resurfacing, like its name implies, is performed with a “super-pulsed” carbon dioxide laser to minimize wrinkles and lines.
• Thermage is a procedure that employs a patented radiofrequency (RF) technology called ThermaCool.
• The Face Suture Lift employs stitches but not cutting. The sutures are made of a nylon material and are placed under the skin and left there permanently. The skin is held there in position by tissue that forms around the stitches.

Similarly, there’s the Featherlift and the ThreadLift, which use monofilament threads around which the skin collects.
There are also injections of fat, collagen and hyaluronic acid that can remedy sunken cheeks or aging hands and help smooth wrinkles. Most popular of all, the Botox injection procedure can ease muscles around the eyes and forehead that cause lines and wrinkles. Injections must be repeated every six months.

When it comes to your pocketbook, natural treatments are a pittance, compared to more radical or invasive techniques. Generally, a one-time acupuncture facial could cost you upwards of $75 plus the tip. By comparison, a one-time Botox treament starts at around $500. If only Botox had arrived in Hollywood 50 years ago. Zsa Zsa Gabor, the Hungarian-born actress who’s now 88 years old, was known to be fond of plastic surgery. Comedians suggested she couldn’t remember if she’d had more husbands than facelifts. But even Zsa Zsa recognized its limitations. She is credited with saying something to the effect that, “At some point, you have to choose between your fanny and your face.” By that she meant that the dwindling estrogen levels that lead to a hollow, sunken face might, at the twilight of life, only be softened by a few more helpings at the dinner table.

Now, if that could just fix the fissure in my own forehead. But seriously, if you want to retain a semblance of youth into old age without trying any of the afore mentioned techniques or products remember what every expert of any kind repeats, repeatedly: drink lots of water and wear your sunscreen.

There are multiple books about these methods, some covering more topics than others in greater detail, so before buying, make sure it addresses your particular interest. Some include:

• Ageless Beauty: A Dermatologist's Secrets for Looking Younger Without Surgery, by Steven Victor and Ina Yalof (Crown, 2003)

Resources, local and beyond

• Body of Health, Francesca McCartney, Ph.D., New World Library, 2005 • The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood, New World Library, 1991
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies, C. Norman Shealy, 2002
• Gary Null's Ultimate Anti-Aging Program, Gary Null, Ph.D., First Broadway Books, 1999
• The Wrinkle Cleanse, by Cherie Calbom, M.S., (Penguin 2005)
• The Wrinkle Cure, Nicholas Perricone, M.D., Warner Books, 2000
• Your Best Face: Looking Your Best Without Plastic Surgery, by Brandith Irwin and Mark McPherson (Hay House 2002)

The following websites offer more information:

• www.acupuncturetoday.com/columnists/facial
• www.plasticsurgery.org
• www.turnonyourinnerlight.com/DropDeadGorgeous.html

The following Nexus advertisers offer skin care services:

• Valerie Bainton, Boulder, 303-938-9120
• Integrative Medical Centre, 303-604-4696
• Magdalene, Magandang Health, 303-499-2181
• On Broadway Hair Studio and the Boulder Spa, 303-444-0330

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