The Ultimate Guide to Slowing Down Time

With a new medspa popping up weekly, new treatments advertising on every media platform, and influencers endorsing every product that has ever existed, it’s nearly impossible to determine what is effective for you in the realm of anti-aging. I can’t even tell you what’s right for you personally, but I can tell you what has worked for me and my patients. Mapping out a year of treatments that are effective in all avenues of anti-aging is the key to slowing down time.The aging process consists:

1. Skin Changes

• Loss of collagen and elastin: These proteins provide structure and elasticity. Their decline leads to wrinkles, sagging tissue, and thinning skin

• Reduced cell turnover: Skin becomes dull, rough, and uneven in tone.

• Decreased oil production: Leads to dryness and fine lines.

• Sun damage (photoaging): UV exposure accelerates aging through hyperpigmentation and broken capillaries

2. Fat Redistribution and Volume Loss

• Subcutaneous fat pads shrink and shift leading to:

  • Hollowing under the eyes (tear troughs)

  • Flattening of the cheeks

  • Deepening of nasolabial folds (smile lines)

  • Sagging jowls along the jawline

3. Muscle Changes

• Muscle tone decreases:

  • Loss of firmness

• Repetitive facial movements:

  • Expression lines become permanent (crow’s feet, frown lines, smile lines)

4. Bone Resorption

• Facial bones lose volume and density:

  • Eye sockets widen → sunken eyes

  • Jawbone recedes → less defined jawline

  • Maxilla (midface) shrinks → contributes to deep folds and flattening

5. Gravity

• Constant downward pull contributes to sagging of the:

  • Eyebrows

  • Cheeks

  • Jawline

  • Neck

6. Lifestyle & Environmental Factors

These accelerate visible aging:

• Smoking (breaks down collagen)

• Pollution

• Poor nutrition

• Lack of sleep or hydration

• Chronic stress

So how do we slow this process down? You find a one stop shop with educated providers that know how to guide you in all facets of anti-aging. Let’s start with skin changes! I genuinely believe that anti-aging begins with skincare. Important ingredients to be mindful of are AHA/BHAs which assist in the slowing cellular turnover therein improving texture and glow, retinoids which increase cellular turnover, reduce hyperpigmentation, and boost collagen production, Vitamin C which brightens skin while helping to fade sunspots, protect against UV damage, and stimulate collagen, and last but not least, SPF, which blocks harmful UVA and UVB radiation and reduces the risk of cancer. Studies show that SPF prevents 80–90% of visible aging. Of course there are many other ingredients to be mindful of, but that is why finding an educated and passionate provider to guide you is key. In your yearly timeline, skincare is to be used EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Injectables are a powerful tool for addressing age-related facial fat redistribution and volume loss. As we age, fat pads shrink and shift, leading to hollow cheeks, under-eye shadows, and a loss of jawline definition. Dermal fillers, particularly those made of hyaluronic acid (like Juvederm or Restylane), are commonly used to restore volume in areas such as the cheeks, temples, jawline, and tear troughs, providing immediate lift and contour. Results depend heavily on injector skill, with subtle, well-placed enhancements creating the most natural outcomes. Firmer injectable hyaluronic acid fillers can be strategically used to combat the effects of age-related bone resorption by restoring structural support and contour to areas where facial bones have thinned or receded. As we age, bones in the midface, jawline, chin, and around the eyes gradually lose volume and density, leading to sagging skin, hollowing, and loss of facial definition. HA fillers, when injected deep onto the bone or just above it, can mimic the lost support by replacing volume and recontouring these areas. For example, fillers can be placed along the cheekbones to lift the midface, in the chin to restore projection and balance the profile, and along the jawline to improve definition and reduce the appearance of jowls. Around the eyes, HA fillers can help fill tear trough hollows caused in part by orbital bone widening. By rebuilding these foundational structures non-surgically, HA fillers not only restore a more youthful facial shape but also improve the way the skin drapes over the face, subtly lifting and softening the overall appearance. Maintenance treatments are typically needed every 6–18 months, depending on the product used. For that reason, I believe facial balancing filler should be done ONCE YEARLY AS NEEDED unless treatments are deliberately separated due to reasons like budget, emotional capacity, or issues involving downtime.

Botox (botulinum toxin) is used to combat expression lines by temporarily relaxing the facial muscles responsible for repetitive movements that lead to wrinkles over time. These dynamic wrinkles—such as crow’s feet, frown lines (11s between the brows), and forehead lines—form from habitual actions like squinting, frowning, or raising the eyebrows. When injected into specific muscles, Botox blocks the nerve signals that trigger contraction, allowing the overlying skin to remain smoother and more relaxed. This not only softens existing lines but can also prevent new ones from forming or deepening. The effects typically last 3 to 4 months, after which muscle activity gradually returns and repeat treatments are needed to maintain results. When done skillfully, Botox preserves natural expression while reducing the visible signs of aging linked to muscle movement. Botox is your QUARTERLY treatment.

Biostimulators and treatments like HALO and MOXI lasers are used to combat collagen depletion by stimulating the skin’s natural regenerative processes, leading to increased collagen and elastin production. Biostimulators such as Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid) and Radiesse (calcium hydroxylapatite) are injectable treatments that work beneath the skin’s surface to activate fibroblasts—the cells responsible for producing collagen. Rather than adding immediate volume like traditional fillers, biostimulators gradually rebuild the skin’s structural integrity, improving firmness, elasticity, and thickness over time. Similarly, HALO and MOXI are fractional lasers that create controlled micro-injuries in the skin, triggering a wound-healing response that boosts collagen synthesis. HALO, a hybrid fractional laser, combines ablative and non-ablative wavelengths to target both surface texture and deeper skin layers, making it effective for wrinkles, sun damage, and overall rejuvenation. MOXI is a gentler, non-ablative laser that is ideal for early signs of aging and maintaining collagen levels with less downtime. Both types of treatments help reverse the visible effects of collagen loss—such as fine lines, laxity, and dullness—by encouraging the skin to rebuild itself from within, leading to smoother, firmer, and more youthful-looking skin over time. Biostimulators need to be done in a series up front (heavily dependent on age, goals, and skin condition) but can be done once a year after that. Halo can be done once yearly or one moxi series per year. Which should you do? If you have the patience for some downtime leading to a stellar result, Halo. If downtime is not up your alley, Moxi.

In summation, an ideal year of anti-aging looks like DAILY skincare with a highly customized regimen to suit your skin concerns and goals, QUARTERLY botox, YEARLY filler, YEARLY biostimulator, and a YEARLY laser or series. A perfect example would look like January botox plus biostimulator, May botox, September botox plus filler, and a December Halo. Looking to construct YOUR perfect year of anti-aging? Give us a call and we can help!