Facial Rejuvenation Options for Late 20s Woman?

Fractional laser is an amazing and highly effective treatment in our office. We use the laser treatment to help with acne scars, large pores, fine wrinkles, tissue collagen loss, scars, sebaceous hyperplasia, active acne, and for brightening dark pigmentation. Although there are very strong fractional lasers such as CO2 laser, we use lighter treatments for corrective skincare and maintenance of results. Our Thulium fractional laser, clear and brilliant laser, and Ultra Thulium laser are excellent options in our clinic. We also perform CO2 fractional and erbium depending on skin tone and tolerance for downtime. Patients do have to use a Melarase cream before and after treatment to help further reduce pigmentation after laser. Dark spots can improve with these treatments. I recommend fractional laser for incisional scars as well, especially after plastic surgery.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

"I suggest reaching out to an expert for a formal consultation. I like to recommend my patients start a combination of facial rejuvenation treatments.

1) Skincare with products and microneedling/PRP
2) PDT Light Therapy a few times per month with growth factors
3) Laser treatments like Clear + Brilliant regularly and others (Fraxel, Moxi, Viva, CO2, Erbium, Halo) a few times per year
4) Sculptra injections a few times per year for collagen production with fillers like Juvederm, Restylane, Belotero, Radiesse, and/or Bellafill
5) Thermage/Ultherapy for yearly skin tightening with or without PDO or cone-based Instalift threads for lifting
6) Botox every 2 to 3 months to stop movement lines and prevent lines at rest

Best, Dr. Emer."

20's is a perfect time to maximize preventive measures to slow down the process of aging. Strict daily sun protection, topical prescription-strength tretinoin at night and vitamin C serum in the morning can be a very helpful start to achieve facial rejuvenation. IPL or photofacial can be helpful to obtain even skin tone. Botox or Dysport is helpful to decondition facial muscles to minimize involuntary contraction leading to dynamic wrinkles on forehead and crows feet. It is not unheard of for people in 20's to start doing fillers to minimize shadows along nasolabial folds as all fillers have been shown to stimulate collagen production.

Hi Jade,
There are a couple items you mention in your question that we really like and a couple we really don't.
Fraxel, CO2 resurfacing and other Erbium and fractional technologies can definitely help with fine lines as well as sun damage.
The part we do not like is Thermage and IPL. Thermage is a marginal at best procedure with little benefit for someone as young as you and only temporary benefits even for someone much older so we are not big proponents. IPL is a second best technology and q-switched lasers are far superior for sun damage, achieving permanent resolution of brown spots vs. temporary fading with an IPL.
You also did not mention injection procedures. Botox may help for some of the lines around the eyes, but to make hard and fast recommendations, we'd have to see pictures. Good luck.

A patient is always best evaluated in person or at least with photos. That being said there is no doubt that there is a direct correlation between the power of the laser and the resultant changes in the skin.
While we might get the best results from our fractional CO2 laser there is more down time associated with it. The erbium fractional laser (fraxel) has minimal downtime but the results are not as good. What I recommend is that you determine how much downtime you are willing to accept and how much change you desire. A good cosmetic doctor will help you match your desires to the right treatment

As we approach the 30s, signs of ageing (chronological and solar) become more visible.To combat the process, start by looking at your skin care and protecting. Move away from high street products and start using clinic grade cosmeceutical with vitamin A, C and E. Be stringent with your sun protection. In fact, start thinking of it in terms of UV protecting so that SPF is not neglected through the duller winter months.Go beyond the pampering facial treatments. Look into treatments that actually do something for the skin like the Hydrafacial and Environ DF II facials.You can then add in specific treatments to stimulate collagen production further. Needling, mesotherapy and lighter chemical peels are some of the options with short down time. 

Treatments should be individualized so you should consult a cosmetic dermatologist.  Sun protection with SPF 50+, tretinoin cream and anti-oxidants should be used daily.  Botox can diminish lines around your eyes and forehead.  If you are just starting to have loose skin, Thermage is very effective if performed properly by an experienced dermatologist.  Fractional laser treatments, whether ablative or non-ablative, will help but you need to be assessed to see if you really need these laser treatments yet.  Maintenance treatments with light chemical peels or microdermabrasion should also be considered.

For someone in the mid to late twenties, this can be a great time to start a good skin care regimen if you havent already. Start with a sunscreens that will protect you against both the UVB as well as UVA. The best active ingredients include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. You can obtain cosmetically elegant zinc oxide sunscreens by looking for micronized zinc. The next thing is to be sure that you are applying an adequate moisturizer with antioxidants if possible. As for cosmetic procedures, the best option will depend on what areas you are trying to rejuvenate. Pigmentary issues are often easily resolved with broadband light procedures as well as topical prescription strength medications. Four increased vascularity issues, such as rosacea, the broadband light procedure can also be highly effective. A fine lines in wrinkles sometimes topical tretinoin in prescription strength can be adequate if tolerated and used for a period of 6 to 12 months. Lasers such as the ablative lasers including erbium YAG & carbon dioxide are often excellent choices for resurfacing the skin. Just remember, the more aggressive your treatments, the higher the risks, and the more impressive the results. Seek out a dermatologist experienced in cosmetic dermatology in your area.