We all naturally hope to age beautifully and healthily, but how can we best achieve this? Our skin begins aging from the age of 25. Often we don’t notice this at that age, but about 10 years later, the first wrinkles, blood vessels, and pigmentation spots appear. We see changes occurring in both the deeper and superficial skin layers. Additionally, our bones, fat tissue, and muscles also change, making skin laxity more visible.
Bones
Our bones shrink as we age. We become slightly smaller, but the bone in the face also decreases, causing the skin to sag more. This is also called “hamster cheeks.”
Fat Tissue
Our facial fat tissue also decreases as we age. The skin literally has less volume, and will therefore sag more due to gravity.
Muscles
Certain facial muscles become stronger because they are used in a specific way every day. Think of forehead wrinkles from frowning.
Collagen
Collagen is an important protein in the middle skin layer that provides firmness. From age 25, collagen decreases by 1% each year, making the skin more lax. Factors that cause accelerated collagen breakdown include smoking, sunlight, poor nutrition with high sugar content, stress, and insufficient sleep. A healthy lifestyle is therefore essential for maintaining beautiful skin. However, we can also give nature a helping hand.
The Sofwave Treatment
Stimulating the production of new collagen can be beautifully achieved with a Sofwave treatment. The Sofwave works with ultrasonic sound waves that generate heat in the dermis, the middle skin layer. The dermis can be seen as the mattress of our skin that provides volume and firmness. By heating the dermis, new collagen production is stimulated, making the skin tighter and firmer.
A major advantage of the Sofwave is that there is no recovery time. Because we leave the top skin layer intact, you won’t experience redness, crusting, or swelling. No incisions are made in the skin and no needles are involved, so you can resume your daily activities afterward.
Patience is required for the final result. Collagen production takes between 3 and 6 months, so only then can we determine what the treatment has achieved.
Often one treatment is sufficient, but with significant skin laxity, you may need a second treatment after 6 months.
Who is Sofwave Suitable for?
A Sofwave treatment is suitable for anyone bothered by skin laxity. The treatment does not work on muscles or excess fat. During a consultation, the skin therapist can provide comprehensive advice on whether your skin is suitable for Sofwave treatment and develop a treatment plan with you.
Tips for Optimal Results
To optimally stimulate collagen production, there are several things we can do ourselves to not counteract this process.
– Healthy nutrition: Eat varied and healthy foods. Sugars and processed foods actually cause collagen breakdown.
– Protect your skin from the sun: The sun/tanning bed is also harmful to our collagen. UV radiation accelerates collagen breakdown, causing the skin to age faster. Additionally, sun exposure increases your risk of blood vessels, pigmentation spots, and even skin cancer.
– Use the right SPF: For the best results, we recommend using sun protection every day, even in winter and even when staying indoors. UV radiation can penetrate through clouds and windows, still reaching our skin and causing damage. Additionally, it’s important that the sunscreen also contains an HEVL (High Energy Visible Light) filter. This is a filter that protects against all visible light such as light from tablets, TV screens, phone screens, etc. It is precisely this visible light that is responsible for the breakdown of our collagen.
Are you unsure which treatment best suits your skin? Schedule an appointment for a non-committal consultation at one of our clinics and get advice from our skin therapists.
