“Nature gives us the face we have before thirty; after that, we get the face we deserve.” I like to use this Coco Chanel quote to emphasize the importance of skincare: as a specialist in reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery, this topic is especially dear to me. In Italy, just one in four doctors give the proper skincare recommendations to their plastic surgery and aesthetic medicine patients. In my opinion, this is a big mistake! The synergy between skincare and “aesthetic treatments” is a powerful tool at our disposal to optimally prepare the skin for procedures, and to soothe and pamper it immediately afterwards (minimizing the occurrence of unwanted effects) and, especially, to boost and improve the effects of the medical-aesthetic therapy over time.

In the past, it was believed that cutaneous ageing depended only on one’s genes, but today we know that environmental factors (sun exposure, nutrition, sleep, lifestyle, oxidative stress, etc.) are responsible for a good 40% of this process. We also have a biological marker – the length of our telomeres (our chromosomal “code”), which allows us to ascertain if our biological age corresponds to our chronological one. The shorter the telomeres are, the more our cells have “aged”, which depends precisely on those external factors I mentioned, and skincare plays a crucial role in this.

Any conscientious specialist who keeps abreast of current research will be sure to include personalized skincare prescriptions for every patient. The initial consultation is crucial in this sense: this is when a real journey towards beauty and proper skincare is planned, and treatment with injections is just one step. Skincare starts with cleansing and continues with a tailor-made routine depending on age, lifestyle, skin type, specific concerns (hydration level, stress, hyperpigmentation, etc.) and, above all, goes hand in hand with the chosen medical-aesthetic therapy, with targeted prescriptions. In the case of hyaluronic acid fillers, Teoxane offers a range of products that utilize the same ingredients as fillers, helping us on the one hand to manage any side effects (bruising, puffiness) and protect the skin at a very crucial moment, and on the other, to stimulate and rebuild it, for an even more satisfying and long-lasting result. All this must be adjusted during the various follow-up appointments because, I must stress again, a proper treatment plan must be decided upon with the doctor. And this is, without doubt, the best strategy to ensure healthy, fresh and radiant skin over time. At any age.

Dr. Maria Vittoria Giatti

Reconstructive and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Specialist

Italy

Member of SICPRE (Società Italiana di Chirurgia Plastica, Ricostruttiva ed Estetica) and the ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons).