To understand how to best to tackle the ageing process, it helps to understand exactly how we age.

There are many factors that contribute to us looking older; they include gravity, lack of good quality collagen, loss of fat and a decrease in bone density. Of course there are ways of fighting this process, but until now, all had downsides. Surgical routes are invasive, expensive, have associated risk factors and are still not permanent. Non-surgical options can give good results, but the effects are also temporary and will need more regular maintenance. However, things are changing.

The ageing process is complex chain of events between bone, muscle, fat and skin – the four main layers of the face. There are a number of key changes that happen to the face as it ages, and these changes are interconnected, creating the ripple effect of ageing.

1) The apertures, (the holes that contain the nose and eyes) increase by around 20%. The area just under the eyes moves back, creating a sunken area, and the nose opening will grow larger. This causes muscle, fat and skin tissues to begin to descend – something we used to believe was due to gravity – but we now know an important contributory factor is the enlargement of facial apertures.

2) The musculature of the face is the next layer involved in the ripple effect of ageing, but not in the way many patients believe. It may surprise many people to learn that facial muscles actually grow tighter as we grown older. The platysma muscles are where this is often most noticeable. A thin muscle on each side of the neck, platysma muscles stretch from the upper part of the shoulder to the corners of the mouth, and they become far more pronounced with age.

3) The sagging effect many patients complain of is generally caused by a loss of fat sitting on top of the muscles. Facial fat decreases with age, causing a deflated effect. Not only does this lead to a loss of volume, but it also means the skin functions less well. As we age we produce elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid more slowly than we did in our youth, and with less fat on the face, this process is slowed even further, leading to a sagging, deflated look.

So, how do we tackle the ripple effect of ageing without resorting to surgery? In my opinion the Silhouette Soft Lift combined with Dracula Therapyâ„¢ is the best way course of treatment, and has proved very successful with many of my patients.

This combination of treatments restores smoother, more toned skin and gives more definition by both lifting and regenerating. It not only offers an immediate, natural lifting effect but it also restores lost collagen, giving a more youthful, fresh appearance.

I perform the treatment in my clinic as an outpatient procedure. The procedure is only minimally invasive and requires just a local anaesthesia. I use Silhouette Soft® suspension sutures, and after administering a local anaesthetic, I insert the sutures into the skin using a fine needle. The suture is held in place as it has absorbable cones along its length. After inserting the suture, a slight pressure is applied to the treated area – this reshapes the surface of the skin and makes it visibly smoother.

Results are immediate and last for around 18 months and the treatment is suitable for the face, neck, breasts, inner thighs, upper arms and stomach.

By combining Silhouette Soft® with Dracula Therapy™ (PRP) I provide a double action treatment, immediate and discreet lifting with regenerative benefits.

Dracula Therapy involves taking a small sample of blood, which is then run through a process of centrifugation. This separates the blood into red blood cells, clear serum and platelets. Once the sutures are in place I will inject the serum into different layers of the skin, this will naturally stimulate the production of collagen, DNA repair, healing scars and making lacklustre skin look and feel younger and more radiant.

Results of Dracula Therapy are noticeable within 3-4 weeks and the effects generally last around six months.

In my opinion this is the very best way to tackle the ripple effect of the ageing process.

If you want to know more about Silhouette Soft Lift, Dracula Therapy, or any of my other treatments,  please get in touch. You can comment on this blog post, email me at drsister317@gmail.com or tweet me @DrDanielSister or find me on Facebook. I look forward to hearing from you.