We know it is coming, we just don’t know when. With everyone eligible to get the vaccine in Texas, we are all longing and hopeful that a time will come when we can be around others without our masks.
With the mask off, we start to think about our lower face appearance.
Whether you are preparing for a time in the future, liberated from your mask or simply trying to determine how to put your best face forward, unmasked while on virtual conference calls or visits there are some simple things you can do to enhance the appearance of your lower face.
Here are 5 things you can consider:
1) When hiding behind a mask, your skin cannot “breathe” the way it normally does. In those winter months, the dry air and lack of humidity helps control oil production and even “masknee”. As we prepare for the summer, your oil production will likely increase and when covered may turn even normal to dry skin oilier. It may be necessary to change the type of daily cleanser and/or toner you use to accommodate these changes. Fortunately, we work with four incredible aestheticians in our Dallas and Frisco offices that can help you address some of these and other skin care needs.
2) As part of the aging process, many of us start to see general deflation in the area around the mouth including the lips. Adding a filler to these areas can better balance your lower face with your middle and upper face. Now, I appreciate the fact that there is tremendous trepidation by some when I recommend using a filler in and around the lips. We have all seen those individuals with disproportionate lips. It is very important to understand that lip augmentation tries to create balance with that individual’s face and between the upper and lower lips. For example, it would be inappropriate to give a middle aged, thin individual very, full lips. Instead adding a conservative amount of volume and restoring the relationship between the upper and lower lip, with the upper lip having shape but less volume than the lower lip.
3) The nasolabial folds or parentheses lines that circumscribe our lips can also be softened with a filler as we get older, we lose volume in our face. In the case of the “folds” they are impacted by both the volume over our cheek bones as well as the fat that lies just beneath the creases. In an effort to reduce the presence of the folds, we may elect to add filler product to one or both of these areas. We completely tailor our recommendations to each patient, which not only includes where to inject but with which product. We are fortunate to have a number of different products available to us and choose a product that is specific to that patient’s needs.
4) In some patients, the hallmark of aging is the presence of lines around the mouth. These are frequently attributed to smokers or past smokers, but that is not always the case. Some people are predisposed to developing these lines. Depending on the severity of the lines and goals of the patient, we have a number of different treatment options available:
- Botulinum Toxin – this is best used for early or fine lines and small lines resulting in lipstick “bleed”. It works in about 3 days and lasts around 3 months. Remember it will weaken your upper lip slightly so straw drinking and whistling can be challenging initially.
Dr. Kenkel’s Quick Facts
- Filler – In mild or fine lines, we can inject a specific type of filler product to help plump them out a bit. This is separate and distinct from filler injected into the lips. Products injected in this area last about 5-6 months and may result in about 24 hours of mild swelling immediately after the injections.
Dr. Kenkel’s Injectable Filler Quick Facts
- Peeling Agents – Mild to moderate lines can be treated with peeling agents, exfoliating the outer layer of skin and stimulating new collagen. Recovery can take 2- 5 days and may leave you with some mild redness for a week or two.
Dr. Kenkel’s Aesthetician, Wendy administers a chemical peel.
- Microneedling – Mild to moderate lines can also be treated with microneedling techniques. These use a series of fine needles to injury and stimulate the skin to produce collagen and elastin. Recovery can take 2-5 days and includes some peeling. Most of our patients undergo a series of 3-4 treatments, each spaced 4-6 weeks apart.
- Erbium Laser Resurfacing – This is the most aggressive technique that we use, but it works! There is considerable down time, but the results are long lasting.
Real Patient Laser Treatments Case #313
Laser Treatments Case #313
Real Patient Laser Treatments Case #313
Dr. Kenkel’s Aesthetician, Jennifer performs a laser procedure.
5) For those of us who are unhappy with the lack of definition of our jawline, there are somethings that we can do to help camouflage this without going to the operating room. While the “jowl” (hanging part of lower face along the jawline) can be attributable to the effects of gravity on our lower face it also is impacted by loss of volume along our jawline both in front and behind the jowl. The area in front, which we call the “prejowl” and that behind the jowl, termed the “postjowl” can both be treated with a filler product that gives us a straighter, and stronger jawline.
In this blog post, we shared with you a few things you can consider doing to prepare for unmasking online or in public in the future. As we mentioned above, each patient will be candidates for some of these procedures and not others. There are no cookie cutter approaches in our practice. Everything we do is tailored to your needs and desires. We want you to #lookasgoodasyoufeel and believe #naturalisbetter. As always, all of our aestheticians and I are happy to see you and analyze your face and determine what may be best for you and your individual needs.
Ready to put your best face forward? Contact us here for your consultation at our Dallas or Frisco Clinics!
Put your best face forward!
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