You want to undergo a dermatology or cosmetic surgery treatment, but you’re afraid you’re too old for it? Don’t panic: a study shows that age isn’t the main discriminating factor.
What is the right age to undergo aesthetic procedures such as fillers, Botox, facelifts, to name a few? In an age in which not only the average lifespan has lengthened considerably, but more and more of those living to a ripe old age people reach it in good health, we can say that there are no absolute age-related contraindications for this type of procedures. In fact, the concept of chronological age is increasingly moving towards a concept of biological age, the latter an e the expression of the general performance of one’s organs and systems, including the skin.
In fact, the ideal candidate for these procedures is a healthy person with healthy lifestyles, such as non-smokers, non-overweight, non-hypertensive or cardiopathic patients. In a large US study designed to find out whether aesthetic procedures were safe for people aged 65 and over, researchers looked at the medical records of about 130,000 cosmetic surgery patients. Most patients were under 65, but doctors also treated people aged 65 to 93. Researchers examined whether patients aged 65 and over had more serious complications after cosmetic surgery than younger patients. Well it turns out the risk was almost the same between the two age groups, with the sole exception of the abdominoplasty, undoubtedly the most invasive surgical procedure, which presented more serious complications in older patients.
Researchers also found that patients over 65 had better lifestyles and health conditions than younger patients. All this for two reasons: first, because patients were less likely to be smokers and more likely not to be overweight; second, because younger patients were often selected with less attention for more invasive procedures, maybe even performing more than one procedure in a single surgical session, with the consequence that deep vein thrombosis (considered a serious complication) was more frequent in younger patients.
This study showed that even ninety-year-olds can undergo aesthetic procedures, but also that the results depend largely on the doctor’s skills and experience. An experienced doctor, a specialist in dermatology or plastic surgery, should have the knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate the feasibility of the procedure, carry it out safely, and seriously consider the risk factors. Among the risk factors one should consider the presence of comorbidities that could make a procedure risky, possible drug interactions, and last but not least, the conditions of the skin.
If the person performing a medical-cosmetic procedure doesn’t possess the right skills, complications are more likely. We often see and treat patients who developed a complication due to lack of operator competence.
In conclusion, if you wish to pursue your aesthetic goals even in your older years, know that this is by no means out of place, neither for health reasons nor for supposed ethical conundrums. Living life to the full and with a youthful spirit is not only a right but also a duty, towards ourselves and towards those around us.
Article of Dr Adele Sparavigna for https://4me.styl