Dr. J. Choksi

Normal skin: wash your face with cleansers that are designed for your normal/normal-to skin type. Wipe an alcohol free, hydrating toner all over the face. Apply moisturizer more frequently to dry skin.

One of the effects of ageing is the double chin that is caused due to extra fluid or fat under the chin. It could also be due to increased weight, sagging skin, or merely genetic. Given that it produces an aged appearance, people with double chin are constantly trying to find ways to hide it. There are two main muscles in the neck area, and toning them helps to remove the double chin appearance. There are grooming tips like specific kinds of clothes, hairstyle, and makeup to conceal it. There are also some exercises which are believed to reduce the prominence of the double chin. However, these are temporary measures, and for a permanent solution, surgical correction is the only method of choice.

Some of the new methods to get rid of the double chin are listed below with some important additional details. Talk to your surgeon and understand what to expect before going ahead with the surgical correction.

1. Kybella: Approved by FDA, this is the new wonder drug to correct double chin. With no surgery involved, all it takes is about half an hour. The area is injected with a local anaesthetic and then Kybella. This contains deoxycholic acid, which is an enzyme that the body also produces naturally. This helps break down fat cells and so after a couple of weeks, the double chin gradually begins to literally melt away. Depending on the desired results, repeat injections might be required at monthly intervals. There could be mild swelling in the initial couple of days, which will subside shortly. The result would be a more defined chin line, producing a slimmer appearance.
2. CoolMini: This involves freezing the fat and massaging it to remove the double chin. This is a form of chin sculpting and is preferred in people with good skin tightness. Results will be evident in about 1 to 3 months.
3. Skin tightening using infrared light: A beam of infrared light is aimed at the double chin which causes tightening of the skin by stimulating the underlying collagen and elastin layers.
4. Chin liposuction: In people with excess fat deposition, chin liposuction where the excess fat is suctioned off is a good treatment option. This is a time-tested method and produces results more immediately than the above-mentioned procedures.

Subsequent to any of the above procedures, it is better to make some lifestyle changes so that the double chin does not return. Weight management and regular exercise can go a long way in preventing recurrence of the double chin. Speak to a doctor to draw up a weight management plan and an exercise regimen that can help in the same.
 

Aging is natural and inevitable. But today, sun damage and pollution are speeding up the process of aging. As your skin ages, you might start feeling terrible about your appearance. Luckily, modern technology and science have a solution to that. Nowadays, there are too many anti-aging treatments available, and Botox and fillers are the latest craze. And it could get confusing for some people to correctly distinguish between them. Read on to know more about what both these anti wrinkle treatments are all about and what they do for you.

Botox
What is Botox?
Botox is made from the neurotoxin named botulinum toxin. Botox injections basically freeze the muscles under wrinkles.

What are its advantages?
Some advantages of Botox include
1. The muscles are relaxed, which makes the skin seem tighter and smoother
2. Lines on your forehead, between (furrow lines) and around your eyes (crow’s feet) are best treated with Botox and hence are considered the best skin tightening treatment.

What are its disadvantages?
Botox has certain disadvantages as well, such as
1. Finer lines cannot be fixed with Botox which makes it a non-inclusive treatment  
2. There are side effects of using Botox, such as droopy eyelids, facial pain, muscle weakness or eyelid swelling.

FILLERS

What are fillers?
Wrinkle fillers are injected under the skin to give volume and fill out wrinkles, thus smoothening them and making the skin look younger. Fillers usually contain natural acids such as hyaluronic acid, or synthetic acids like silicone. Collagen fillers can also be used.

What are its advantages?
The advantages of fillers include
1. They are non-invasive
2. The procedure doesn’t take too much time
3. Side effects are hardly severe and often lessen on their own
4. Fillers need less time for recovery
5. Fillers are best for fine lines around the nose and lip. Also laugh lines are better treated with fillers.

What are its disadvantages?
Some disadvantages of fillers include
1. More than one course is needed for optimum results
2. Skin weakness is a common side effect which leads to scarring
3. Deep wrinkles and scarring cannot be resolved with fillers 

If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a cosmetic surgeon.