MEdia : FAIRFIELD COUNTY LOOK: AGING GRACEFULLY

FAIRFIELD COUNTY LOOK: AGING GRACEFULLY

NEW YORK PLASTIC SURGEON

Plastic Surgery New York, NY

Darrick E. Antell, M.D.
850 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10075
(212) 988-4040.

We recently were lucky enough to chat with Dr. Darrick Antell, a board-certified plastic surgeon who lives in Greenwich and has a practice in New York City. Dr.
Antell has been practicing for over twenty years and has some sage advice for those of us who are trying to age gracefully. Dr. Antell's advice for keeping wrinkles at bay is pretty simple. His suggestion: "Wear sunblock and avoid the 3 S's — excess sun, smoking and stress. I also think a lack of sleep may be a big co-factor. Basically all of the things Mom always told you to do." But when you see the first signs of wrinkles, Dr. Antell recommends mild intervention in the form of Botox, Restylane or Juvederm injections. He says, "As a general rule, there has been a downward migration in terms of when people intervene to maintain their looks. I see people in their twenties who may have Botox to prevent getting number 11 lines between the eyebrows." Prevention and maintenance now will help us keep a youthful appearance.

Dr. Antell has conducted some interesting research involving identical twins who have aged differently, mainly due to lifestyle choices. In one set of twins, one twin spent a lot of time in the sun and the other didn’t. The difference in their appearance is astounding. The sun-worshipper looks markedly older than her twin sister who avoided the sun.

In another set of twins, one is a smoker and the other isn't. The photo of the non-smoker shows visibly smoother and tighter skin compared to her twin sister who smoked. The message is clear. By limiting sun, smoking and stress you can help slow the aging process. Dr. Antell notes, "Sometimes I feel that your genes are highly overrated in terms of how you will age."

If you are considering surgery to enhance the appearance of aging skin, Dr. Antell assures us, "Indeed the face lift operation has come of age. We have far superior methods starting from improvements in anesthesia which allow the operation to be done under local anesthesia with only a twilight sleep type of sedation. Patients are discharged home with a companion and the dressing is removed the next day. Incisions are hidden, we never shave hair and people can shampoo their hair 48 hours after the surgery."

For advice in choosing a plastic surgeon, Dr. Antell says the most important part of getting a good result from plastic surgery is the surgeon that you choose. Look for someone who is board certified by checking the American Board of Medical Specialties website at www.abms.org. This is the only organization recognized by the American Medical Association to certify physicians.

 

By Sophie Dowling

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