Put Your Best Face Forward After 50

We all want to grow old ‘gracefully’, but when fifty rolls around it just seems to get a little tougher. It doesn’t help when you see pictures of Hollywood heartthrobs, like Patrick Dempsey, looking sexier than ever even though he’s hit the big 50 — and starlets like Robin Wright with barely a wrinkle on her creamy complexion as she enters her second half-century. But for the rest of us battling wrinkles, sagging skin, crow’s feet, and jowls, there is hope and help available to make the 50’s and beyond attractive and youthful.

By Dawn Tongish
and The Plastic Surgery Channel

Battling The Signs of Aging

Middle-age arrives, wrinkles and all. That’s when many people begin to realize the years of basking in the sun, smoking, and perhaps consuming a few too many libations have taken a toll on the most important calling card – the FACE! It’s a good time to refresh and consider rejuvenation of the face, when the fifth decade sets in and the changes start to appear. Plastic surgery continues to be an option for men and women who want to fight the signs of aging with a healthy image. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), older people are a big chunk of those seeking change through cosmetic surgery  – ages 35-50 made up 45 percent of the nearly 12 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed in early 2014, and those numbers continue to grow.

Less Can Be More

Less can be more when it comes to the right procedure in the over-50 age group. A large swath of baby boomers will reach this milestone soon and are clamoring for a fix that doesn’t require a ton of downtime. “We have to do something to address loss of volume and sinking and sagging skin because those will be the biggest issues in the face over 50,” says Arizona plastic surgeon, Dr Shaun Parson. Parson says skin loses elasticity and gets drier and thinner as we age. He says minimally-invasive procedures are still popular choices because they don’t require much downtime and produce good results in smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles. “I think some of the the new fillers offer really dramatic changes, because they last years. We have never had that before. We have only had fillers that last up to three to six months.”

When Is Surgery The Answer?

It happens after 50. You are walking through the mall and do a double take at the ‘older guy or gal’ in the window’ and then realize, it’s you! It happens to the best of us, even Dr. Clifford Clark. “I remember seeing that old guy and thinking, ‘Who’s that?’ and realizing it was me,” says the Orlando plastic surgeon. Clark says that’s the time to have the ‘talk’ with your plastic surgeon. “I love it when they come to me because then I know they are ready.” He thinks that eventually surgery is inevitable to keep a youthful, refreshed appearance. “As plastic surgeons, we know when the point comes where you are going to get a better result with surgery.” Clark says that fillers and Botox can reach an overload point and can look overdone, heralding surgery to turn back the clock. “Whether it’s eyelid surgery, a brow lift, or a face lift, or a neck lift – we know when it’s a good idea to use these because non-surgical procedures are going to be too much.” Clark says every face is different – some need a facelift by 50 – others can wait until closer to 70. The best advice is don’t try to wing it, start talking to your doctor early.  It’s the right way to put your best face forward after 50!