Text Copyright © by May Georgina DeLory. All Rights Reserved.
The latest Botox treatment is to plump up tired and spindly-looking feet. Get ready for a new slant on cruise-wear fashion.
Dubliner, Oscar Wilde, author of Dorian Gray
Classic movie lovers will instantly recognize the story of Dorian Gray. For the rest of you…rent the movie. You’ll get a unique view to just how far some of us will go to retain the illusion of eternal youthfulness.
Anyone who has seen music video superstar Kylie Minogue singing and gyrating to her hit “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” in her white sheath-of-a-dress slit down to what might be considered her bikini line will understand what the average woman is up against in the quest for cheating the hands of time.
And speaking of hands…let us not forget feet…these two areas are the current “it” parts of a woman’s body. Injections and laser resurfacing of hands can hide the true age of anyone today. Feet hurt to walk on? Or you want your feet to look younger than they really are…nice and plump in your Ferragamo or Giorgio Armani sandals? There are injectables and fillers for these areas, too—usually something called Sculptra injections. Add a first- rate manicure/pedicure and you have a recipe for love.
Hit a century half mark? You’ve more than likely splayed your fingers gingerly over your jowls or eye area to pull up sagging skin to imagine what you might look like if you had a little work done. These sought after sculptors of the human ego get most of us eventually. Jane Fonda, well-known stage and film actress, singer, author, and now popular blogger, repeatedly said she would not have cosmetic surgery again. Fonda went back on her word when she let it be known on Larry King Live http://larrykinglive.blogs.cnn.com/ that she’d recently had a little bit done around the neck and beneath the chin areas. After all, Fonda is about to release a book on how to age gracefully. “I didn’t want to look tired.” In my opinion, Jane’s surgery is one of the best jobs I have ever seen on a celebrity.
For most of us, ageing is revealed first in the eye area — wrinkles and folds of excess skin on the upper eyelid and fine lines and bags of fat that just won’t budge beneath the lower eyelid, and crow’s-feet (lateral lines at the outer side of the eye) that scream a life of excess… and then time works its way down.
If you are going to go in for the kindest cut, you’ll want to have two or three consultations to assess the perfect cosmetic surgeon for your needs. Going under the surgeon’s scalpel isn’t always necessary, at least not at first. Non-surgical techniques by small needle injection at the site of the wrinkle or line to plump up the skin are utilized in “filler” products such as Hylaform, Softform, and Restylane. These procedures have short-term effects and need subsequent injections ranging from every three to six months to retain the effect. Anaesthetic is used in most instances just prior to injection to dull any discomfort felt from the use of the needle.
Artecoll “filler” is an inert material of microscopic polymethacrylic beads blended with a small amount of collagen and a trace dose of an anaesthetic to minimize local pain. The result is said to last for several years. The injected collagen gradually leaves the system and is replaced with new collagen manufactured by your own body, which secures the PMMA microspheres in place. It can take up to three months for Artecoll to work.
Another non-surgical technique being touted by well-respected Toronto plastic surgeon Dr. Stephen Mulholland of SpaMedica is something called Pan G. Mulholland has demonstrated his exclusive facial revitalizing program at Toronto’s Anti-ageing show to huge crowds of curious on-lookers. The Pan G package involves muscle stimulation, the use of ultrasonic techniques, and skin peels. Recently Mulholland has introduced a special sun hat that assists with facial rejuvenation techniques. Play in the sun while you turn back the clock!
Seminar presented by Dr. Voice
Given by injection, Botox, a highly diluted strain of the toxin that causes botulism, paralyzes the area, thus relaxing muscles causing facial lines. The effects take full effect in a week’s time and need to be done regularly every three to six months. If Botox is used correctly a client will not in most cases be left looking weird and unable to make normal facial gestures.
“I’m a big fan of Botox,” says Sandra Voice, plastic surgeon at Cosmetic Surgery Hospital www.cosmeticsurgeryhospital.com , a private facility on eight stately acres in Woodbridge, Ontario just north of Toronto, Ontario city limits. The hospital has recaptured the appearance of youth for many a well-heeled client and regular Joe type for over thirty years. Dr. Voice performs breast augmentation and reduction as well as liposuction and laser procedures. “Older skin does much better than younger skin in regards to laser resurfacing.”
Cosmetic Surgery Hospital / waiting room
Dr. Lloyd N. Carlsen, world-renowned for his surgical artistry and Director of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital and who lectures extensively, suggests if you’re over fifty to go the traditional route for deep frown lines between eyebrows. “For a permanent solution…open up the forehead and go in and cut that muscle.” Deep crow’s-feet and other heavy lines need precision laser skin resurfacing. With this procedure, Dr. Carlsen says, some tightening of the skin around the eyes is achieved. In unqualified hands, a “raccoon” effect with colour demarcation is seen. Down time: several weeks tending to crusting-over of resurfaced skin. Red skin colour lasts up to several months. Post operatively, careful attention to skin care is crucial. Results are remarkable in most cases.
Voice and Carlsen also use the TCA peel and the Obagi technique as well as dermabrasion. “I believe there is a lot of marketing out there,” Voice says with concern. “Any laser if not used properly has the potential to be dangerous. There is no completely safe laser. What you’re doing is a controlled damage to the skin.”
Sandra Voice doesn’t pooh pooh all those creams being sold as anti-ageing remedies, especially the use of Retin-A. She should know. The hospital has an esthetician whose job it is to deal specifically with the science of skin care and makeup, all in complete privacy. “It’s not a lot of hocus-pocus,” she says. “There is some real benefit in these creams. Some people get a dramatic result. You’d swear they had laser resurfacing.”
When it comes to upper and lower eyelid surgery, Dr. Voice says Sylvester Stallone is a good example of senile ptosis. “The sleepy-eyed look,” says Voice. “With ageing, although it can be congenital, the muscle that lifts the eyelid can get stretched out from its attachment and so the eyelid gets lower and lower sitting.” There’s also a trend towards not taking out as much fat when doing lower eyelid surgery. “If you’re too aggressive surgically at any age, you’ll create a problem.”
Voice refers most patients to an ophthalmologist before performing any eye surgery to evaluate a dry eye problem or propensity towards such. A test to make sure the lower lid will tolerate surgery is necessary. Hyperthyroidism must be ruled out.
I think I’ll hide out beneath a big hat and dark sun glasses on Seven Mile Beach, surgery or no!
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Associations:
Canadian Society for Aesthetic Plastic surgery. Telephone: 905-831-7750. www.csaps.ca.
The Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities. Telephone: 905-831-5804
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Telephone: 1-800-268-7096 or 416-967-2603.
www.cosmeticsurgeryhospital.com Marcelle Caruana, R.N. Medical Esthetician 905-851-1500. Restylane & Perlane; Glo Minerals; Glo Therapeutics; Peels; OBAGI System.
Lloyd N. Carlsen, M.D., C.M., F.R.C.S. (C), F.A.C.S. Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery
Sandra Voice, M.D., F.R.C.S. (C) Cosmetic, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Dana Khuthaila, MD. Minimally Invasive Approaches to Today’s Aesthetic Patient
www.zoomermag.com If you came of age in the 1960s you may be interested in these classic hot ladies of stage and screen that stack up against today’s girls gone wild as in the lovely Lindsay Lohan. For my money Raquel Welch stacks up looking the best today; but Sophia Loren was the hottest of the lot in her youth and a top notch actress. The most beautiful Hollywood actress of the 40s…Rita Hayworth! Zoomer magazine June 2010 issue full page spread of The Pin-Up.
www.dublincityofliterature.ie Dublin recently designated a city of literature by the cultural arm of the United Nations UNESCO. Fourth city in the world to hold this award.
Dorian Gray fans…here is a gift in which you may be interested. http://theritzlondon.skchase.com/theritzlondon/item/ritzmerchandise/merchandise/teabook.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6wJl37N9C0&feature=player_embedded#! Katie Makkai live! Am I Pretty Enough?
www.loccitane.com March 2011 launch: L’Occitane en Provence Amande cream to help reduce the appearance of cellulite while smoothing and firming the skin (France). The formula uses an almond tree bud extract and is rich in flavonoids. Amande is packaged in a box with braille type…obviously the company is ahead of its time; and, the company has committed to purchase supplies from producers in the South of France in order that the long forgotten almond tree again becomes a familiar part of the Provencal landscape. Brightening Moisture Mask is made from immortelle that grows on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and said to give a boost to collagen synthesis. The hand balm has shea butter, natural essential oils of lavender, tea tree and geranium.
Highgrove beauty products exclusively for The Ritz London can now be purchased to take home. http://www.highgroveshop.com/bath-body/english-herb-garden/hand-and-body-lotion/c-toi00069/ Profits from the sale of Highgrove products are directed to The Prince’s Charities Foundation of which the HRH The Prince of Wales is President.
Labour Day Long Weekend Package at Echo Valley Ranch & Spa August 31st – September 2nd 2013. Beautiful British Columbia and the Canadian Rocky Mountains. http://ow.ly/kx8zS
Canadian Spas to Indulge Your Senses http://bit.ly/aoxfY
Text & Photos Copyright © May DeLory; May Georgina DeLory. All rights reserved.
