The 5-Minute Facelift

Posted: Friday 27 August 2010 01:18pm

As a whippet slim teenager (lucky genes, no dieting), the envy of her friends, Dani Tranter’s mother warned: “You won’t be so lucky in 20 years.”

Now at 38, Dani is whippet slim as ever (after two kids and still no dieting) but not entirely to her advantage – her mother’s prophecy fulfilled.

Although stunning to this, and any other casual observer, Dani was fixated on what she saw as a gauntness of her face, deep grooves from nose to mouth and bags under her eyes.

“I was so unhappy when I looked in the mirror,” she says. “I looked tired and drawn even after a good night’s sleep and older than I should. Other people would constantly tell me I looked tired too. It made me really depressed.”

Cosmetic physician Dr Peter Bakaric explains: “When we age we tend to lose a lot of volume in the cheeks and mid facial areas,” says “This is largely due to gravitational forces and sun damage and can also lead to the appearance of saggy skin.”

Unfortunately the effects of this process can be more pronounced in slimmer people, like Dani.

She recently opted for the so-called Natural Lift, where the face is restored to more youthful contours in a matter of minutes using a range of dermal fillers that can be tailored to a patient’s needs.

At his clinic, the Collagen Face Centre in Bondi Junction, Sydney, Dr Bakaric recommended Dani’s upper face/cheeks be revolumised – which in turn minimises naso-labial (nose to mouth) grooves – and her “tear troughs” be filled to offset the appearance of bags under her eyes.

“If we replenish this cheek and midface area then we are able to provide a natural facelifting effect,” says Dr Bakaric.

“With products like Restylane Sub Q for the mid-face and cheeks and other Restylane fillers to complement this sculpting work, we’re able to provide a lifted appearance but without the need for surgery and without the downtime and complications of surgery.

“Our clients are also very excited that these results are achievable with minimal downtime (especially when compared to surgical procedures) and cost effectiveness.

“There is no need for time off work and family, friends and colleagues need not be aware that anything has been done.

“The safety of the product and procedure is most important to stress.”

New generation dermal fillers such as Sub Q are based on a naturally occurring sugar called hyaluronic acid.

“It works by absorbing water,” adds Dr Bakaric. “We also encourage our clients to drink lots of water to maintain the appearance.”

Injecting time can take as little as five minutes, although there is usually a need for numbing cream prior to the procedure to minimise discomfort.

Overall, a patient can look years younger when they leave a doctor’s surgery or medi-clinic from 30-45 minutes later.

Typically the result lasts from 12 to 18 months. Treatment by qualified practitioners starts at around $1700 but varies depending on the areas and amount of volume to be replaced.

A week later Dani says: “I am totally thrilled with the results. When I look in the mirror I like what I see and in turn I feel much happier.

“I don’t look tired anymore – and I feel less tired as a result!

“I haven’t made a point of telling anyone about this but I’ve had lots of comments about how well I look, the `what have you bee doing’ kind of remarks.

“I wouldn’t say the treatment was painful but it was uncomfortable, and it seemed to be over as fast as it began. My cheeks still feel a little bit tender and I have a slight bruise under one eye, nothing major, but that’s all.

“It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done”.

by Jenni Gilbert

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