Plastic surgery. We generally like the final product, we're just not thrilled about the whole surgery part. But what if we told you that you could have a non-surgical face lift? That's just what microcurrent therapy promises. It's the latest trend. And 51-year-old Karen Deer now shares her story of undergoing the procedure.
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I thought I would never say these words: cosmetic surgery.
I'm 51, and the lines are creeping up, around my eyes and lips. I've even spotted extra skin under my chin (OK, call it what it is, a saggy jowl).
And I can't help thinking about how to slow down this inevitable aging process.
I'm not willing to go under the knife or even look at a needle. In fact, when I was 5 years old, my mother says four nurses held me down for one little shot before my tonsils were removed. There must be another option to cosmetic surgery.
I found it: a microcurrent face-lift that works like surgery but isn't.
Microcurrent face-lift was recently introduced. It's a nonsurgical, noninvasive cosmetic technique.
"This new alternative is the buzz in the holistic medical field," says Zach LaBoube, board certified chiropractor at the InsideOut Wellness and Acupuncture Center in Clayton, Mo.
The face-lift procedure is safe and effective, delivering results at a fraction of the cost of traditional cosmetic procedures, he says. The procedure was approved for medical professionals by the FDA in 1999 for pain and healing, but it has not been approved as a cosmetic procedure.
"A microcurrent face-lift can be performed to improve muscle tone in the face and neck, lift jowls and eyebrows, reduce and eliminate fine lines and wrinkles," says LaBoube. "Microcurrent improves facial circulation and skin exfoliation."
Actresses, such as Vanessa Williams (in the April 2010 Prevention magazine), swear by the procedure to reduce lines and tighten the skin.
Here's how it works:
A microcurrent face-lift uses gentle electrical stimulation to trigger the body's natural skin enhancement. The face-lift procedure itself takes about an hour and is virtually painless (actually, I slept through some of my sessions and gabbed through the rest). A microcurrent technician will use two wands (see photo) that disseminate the current with a conducting lotion. The procedure requires no anesthesia and no recovery time. To achieve the ultimate benefits, you'll need 10 to 12 treatments within four to six weeks. I did 10 sessions. Follow-up treatments, every four to six weeks, are also recommended to maintain your results. LaBoube says, "The best candidates for a microcurrent facelift are patients from 30 to 65." Younger patients select this treatment as a proactive measure, while older patients (like me) see improvements in their muscle tone and elimination of fine lines and wrinkles. Dr. Gregory Branham, division chief of facial plastic surgery in the Department of Otolaryngology at Washington University School of Medicine, specializes in cosmetic procedures such as mini face-lifts, traditional face-lifts, brow lifts and eyelid surgery. Branham says, "Mircocurrent appears to be safe, so it's not going to harm anyone. The procedure is designed to stimulate the underlying muscle, so in theory, when you work out a muscle, it will build up and develop tone." He adds, "If you're looking for something long-lasting, this may not be the type of procedure you would choose. However, the microcurrent face-lift would be a reasonable choice for a shorter-term goal." As for my procedure, I see an improvement around my lips (fine line reduction), and the skin around my cheeks looks and feels softer. Looking at my before and after photos, LaBoube says this: "The sagginess under Karen's chin is significantly improved, and the lines of the neck are much thinner. Her cheeks are also a lot smoother and the lines around her mouth are reduced. You can also see improvement in her brow. Karen could use a couple more treatments to further lift the jowls." // var ranNum = Math.round(Math.random()*1000000); document.write('http://content.yellowbrix.com/images/content/cimage.nsp?ctype=full_story&story_id=148087965&id=thirdage&ip_id=McClatchy-Tribune+Business+News&source_id=St.+Louis+Post-Dispatch&category=General+Interest&random=' + (ranNum));// ]]>//
