Fredric Brandt - Age-less: the definitive guide to botox, collagen, lasers, peels, and other solutions for flawless skin

age-less

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO
BOTOX, COLLAGEN, LASERS,
PEELS, AND OTHER SOLUTIONS
FOR FLAWLESS SKIN

F REDRIC B RANDT M.D.,
WITH P ATRICIA R EYNOSO

I have been a patient of Dr. Brandts ever since he appeared as a guest on The View last year. We did a segment on collagen and Botox treatments, and 1 volunteered my face as part of the procedure. I will tell you that I was amazed and thrilled with his work, and I have been a devoted patient of his ever since. I never thought I would actually enjoy having needles put into my face! But every time I see Dr. B., I leave his office laughing and looking about ten years younger. Not a bad day!

I love the fact that I dont need to go under the knife and can leave his office and go about my business the same day. Its amazing how after only about a minute, I can see my lines looking softer and my entire face looking more youthful. I have told all my friends about Dr. Brandts expert touch, and I completely trust his skill and judgment. The man is a magician. Ill be going to Dr. B. until Im 103, or until the world runs out of collagen and Botox, whichever comes first. Bravo.

JOY BEHAR

I dont think I could have picked a more exciting time to be a cosmetic dermatologist. My twenty years in practice have exposed me to a multitude of patients seeking answers to the same burning question: how can we slow down this speeding train called the aging process? Clearly, theres no bringing that train to a haltat least not in this erabut if theres one point that I try to convey to the men and women who sit in my chair its that theres never been a better time to seek a little rejuvenation.

The last two decades have been incredible in terms of learning about what damages and prematurely ages the skin, and better yet, realizing how this damage can be prevented and even repaired. Before then, little was said about how aging is affected by sun exposure, smoking, pollution, deficient nutrition, and even stress. We thought lines and wrinkles were an unavoidable rite of passage and that a mediocre complexion could never be more than that. Persistent acne was tolerated, while sun spots were often blamed on eating too much liver. (I kid you not!) At best, a visit to the dermatologist was reserved for an itchy rash or a pesky wart. Finally, when it came to at-home skin care, most people reached for a bar of soap and perhaps slathered on cold cream if they were feeling adventurous.

Oh, how times have changed! Today we know that a suntan should come from a bottle of self-tanner and that your dermatologists number is worthy of a spot on your speed-dial. Similarly, celebrating your God-given looks is admirable, but that doesnt make it wrong to want to improve on them. On a related note, our narrow definition of beauty has expanded enough so that finally, a Barbie dolls long, blond hair and blue eyes arent the only standard to strive for. Weve seen this in Hollywood, too. At this years Academy Awards, Halle Berry, one of the winners, was just as breathtaking on the podium as Julia Roberts had been the year before.

One cannot discuss the effects of aging without bringing up the baby boomers. An estimated 76 million babies were born between 1946 and 1964 in the United States, forming a massive group of people who were prepared to fight their way into prolonged youthfulness. Today, the oldest baby boomers are entering their mid-fifties and the younger set are already in their late thirties. This means that we will probably see no end to this obsession with the aging process. Many of my patients are in this very age group, and if theres one sentiment that I hear over and over again, its that while they understand they have to age, they plan to do it their way. Staying youthful and beautiful just for the sake of staying youthful and beautiful is no longer enough. Beauty equates with power and control, and for the baby boomers, that in itself is more valuable than anything else. To quote one of my good patients, I thought I could age gracefully, but nah, thats out the window now!

The influx of information and innovation that has hit the skin care market, both in products and in cosmetic procedures performed at a dermatologists office, has had an immense impact on how we treat the aging process. The advent of cos-meceuticals, an entirely new genre of skin care products that are known to deliver a biological action on the skin yet are sold over the counter, are a prime example of this. A host of ingredients are in this category; they include retinol, alpha and beta hydroxy acids, and antioxidants, with many others continually joining this prestigious group. Prescription skin medications, such as Retin-A, are also a great option for a significant number of people.

All this is reflected in the leaps and bounds happening in the dermatologists office. It seems hard to imagine a time when a face-lift was considered the best solution for turning back the clocka perception that couldnt have been farther from the truth, because when the face-lift was finally performed, the result was old skin that still looked old except it was now pulled back, not exactly the picture of youthfulness.

Plastic surgery remains a viable option for a lot of people, but its definitely not the universal solution that it was once considered to be. We now know that a face-lift addresses only a portion of the aging process that is affecting your appearance. Issues like deep lines on the forehead and on the sides of the mouth, and skin that has lost its youthful glow, persist stubbornly even after the best surgery with the best plastic surgeon in town. The radiant fullness of the face is, in my opinion, one of the most important signs of youth, and plastic surgery will definitely not bring that back. Clearly, the key to erasing a few years from the face will not be found in the plastic surgeons office.

This is the gap that superior at-home skin care and derma-tological procedures like acid peels, filler injections, nonburn-ing lasers, and Botox can fill. Together they allow you to control how you look, regardless of your chronological age. Bottom line: take care of your skin in small ways today, and you might not need to go under the knife tomorrow.

Even those who have already taken the leap into plastic surgery will benefit from taking charge of their skin. Whatever led them to the plastic surgeon in the first place will send them back there if they dont keep up the good work at home. I see many patients who have had facial plastic surgery, and I count them among my best clients. One female patient even told me that her hairstylist was accusing her of having had a second face-lifthe simply couldnt believe how rested and rejuvenated she seemed. When he demanded to know her secret, she told him that shed been tinkering with Botox.

We cannot deny that attractiveness is still a very powerful tool. Like it or not, others judge us by our appearance. Ill even venture to say that there might never be a time when looks dont matter. But if theres one message I want to convey its that beauty lies in the eye of the beholderyours. Take advantage of the vast information and technology that youre lucky to have at your disposal and bring your very best face forward.

R iddle me this: What is the largest organ in the body? It regulates body temperature, protects us from dehydration and injury, and can have many sensations, including pain, heat, and cold? Need another clue? Its flawless, radiant appearance can make the difference between a good day and a fantastic day. Funny, isnt it, how the answer suddenly seems so clear.