Ageing gracefully: The paradigm shift of aesthetic medicine

THE word "age" is almost taboo in modern society; TV shows have told us that "a woman's age is secret"; many of us (myself included) decide to only have one candle on our birthday cakes; we enter our birth dates in social media so that friends remember to send us greetings, but leave out the birth year. Indeed, every time I mention the word "ageing" to a patient in my consultation, inevitably I will be able to pick up a tinge of discomfort.

The human face undergoes many changes as we age. Bone changes in the face such as widening of the eye sockets, loss of bone in the cheeks and receding of the jaw, cause significant lack of support for the soft tissues and ligaments. Loss of facial fat volume, loosening of the facial ligaments and reduction in collagen production of the skin give rise to saggy-looking skin. Chronic exposure to sunlight gives rise to superficial skin changes such as fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation.

All these changes constitute the "worst nightmare" of any aesthetic patient.