Hold Back the Hands of Time
You've heard it before; you’re as young as you feel.
But let's face it; you're also as young as you look. If you’re a boomer, you can't do anything to
change the fact that you are nearing or are over 50. But you can change how you deal with it. You can
make significant-but-oh-so-subtle changes to face the years ahead with confidence and resolve.
Why do you look older?
Vancouver physician Dr. Shehla Ebrahim humorously coined the stages of an aging face as "the 3 D's":
deterioration, deflation and decent. Deterioration includes pigment changes (age spots, sun damage spots),
wrinkles, enlarged pores, and sallow, lifeless complexion. The second tell-tale stage, deflation,
is caused by loss of hyaluron, a naturally occurring substance in the body. Its function is to add
volume (such as full, rounded cheeks and mouth). As you age, the body loses its ability to produce
hyaluron. The third stage, decent, is caused by loss of collagen, and the falling "pad" of fat under
the cheek. Collagen supports the cell structure in your skin and connective tissues. Collagen can be
destroyed by a type of enzymes in your body which break down the fibrous tissue. Aging, exposure to
sunlight, stress and your lifestyle choices are all associated with these destructive enzymes, which
make your skin lose elasticity, and increase wrinkling and sagging. (These structure-destroying
enzymes also work overtime in some inflammatory and degenerative diseases.)
Reconsider going under the knife. You don't have to have an extreme makeover with injections or surgery.
There are ways to achieve a youthful, vibrant appearance that are not invasive, dangerous or detrimental
to your health. You may have heard of non-surgical facelifts and other skin-ovations - scientific
advancements and the latest technology which offer tools to "grow young."
Non-surgical facelifts are just that, natural alternatives to surgery that tone skin and muscles on
the face and neck, and soften fine lines and wrinkles. Utilizing facial muscles and natural meridian
points found on the face, these facelifts can produce significant changes in face shape - lifting cheeks,
decreasing jowls and eliminating sagging around the eyes - to provide a smoother, revitalized appearance.
Also called facial toning, the therapy uses tiny amounts of electromagnetic energy delivered through a wand,
adhesive patches or a small hand-held machine (depending on the type of equipment) that exercise and tone
each of over 70 muscles on the face and neck.
This therapy also provides additional benefits: improving acne and other skin conditions, decreasing pore
size, and relieving puffy eyes (due to fluid retention). The system’s electromagnetic current generates a
pulsating stream of electric sparks where it touches the skin. The spark is static electricity and does not
hurt or harm. The sparks stimulate circulation and creates a "super oxygen" gas which sterilizes the skin,
and neutralizing harmful contaminants that accumulate on the surface of the skin.
It may sound very new, but the technology has been used safely in therapeutic devices for several
decades. For example, TENS machines are widely used by physiotherapists to help heal musculo-skeletal
pains. Electromagnetic resonance machines also utilize the same principle.
The procedure also has similarities to an ancient Chinese treatment which uses acupuncture meridian points.
Though it is not commonly performed in Canada, selected doctors of traditional Chinese medicine offer this
treatment as part of their health practice. It involves placing sterile needles into selected points on
various parts of the body to tighten and tone facial skin and muscles, and create a radiant complexion. The
Chinese "acupuncture facelift" also improves metabolism, slows down the aging process, and helps to release
harmful toxins.
All of these therapies' results are cumulative, so they work over time. And though no dramatic next-day
changes will be noticed immediately, others will definitely begin to comment on "how great you look" within
a few months. Since there are many different types of non-surgical facials now offered by day spas and
anti-aging equipment suppliers, do a little research to understand the differences, benefits and what's
right for your needs, so you’re not disappointed with the results.
Choose a better way to be beautiful. In addition to trying more natural and non-surgical routes to youth,
remember to avoid the four factors that can make you seemingly age overnight: 1. stress, which makes your
body release hormones that can end up causing free radical damage 2. UV damage from overexposure to the sun
(yet under-exposure caused from applying sunblock every minute that you’re outside can also speed aging and
disease) 3. lack of sleep — it's called "beauty sleep" for a reason. 4. dehydration from drinking too little
water and not taking omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids
Age is an attitude, not a number. By not dismissing aging as a natural process (since most of us are
aging at a much faster rate than what is "natural"), and taking steps to stall it, you'll enjoy life to
its fullest. It gives you the motivation to "feel as young as you look."
Shelly Lynn Miss British Columbia 2001 Lightweight, and a member of the CHFA Sports Nutrition Advisory Council.
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