A typical woman may search endlessly through department stores and spas for a product that would help her get rid of wrinkles and slow down the aging process of her skin. Each product she finds make countless and sometimes baseless claims of reducing the outward signs of aging with no mention of what lies underneath. She always wondered what could be hiding under her otherwise smooth, freckle-free complexion. We all realize that wrinkles are a fact of life. The goal however is to minimize their presence. Plastic Surgeons and Dermatologists now can evaluate individuals under a special UV light to reveal the years of sun damage that lurk beneath ones complexion but we now have an additional diagnostic tool, an ultrahigh frequency skin ultrasound device.
This ultrasound scanner is a device similar to a sonogram which determines one's solar age by measuring collagen levels and the thickness of the skin through the use of sound waves. "This is the first time that we have been able to look into the skin without a surgical skin biopsy," says Dr. Jeff Zwiren of Prima Center for Plastic Surgery in Duluth , Georgia . The scanning procedure is quite simple. A probe is placed against the patient's skin and instantly a series of small yellow and turquoise blips and lines appear on the system's computer screen. These lines which are related to the ability of different tissues to reflect and absorb sound represent the collagen levels of the skin. In an instant we can determine if collagen levels are normal or if the dermis is thin for a person's age. Thin skin and a weak collagen level make a prime target for premature wrinkling and aging of the skin.
Using the ultrasound device removes the subjective nature of determining the benefits of using a particular product. Now patients will be able to see and follow their improvement over time. The most exciting advancement is that we can now document the actual reduction in age degeneration so that it is noticeable in a photograph as well as documented with our advanced medical ultra-sound scanning equipment. With ultra-sound sonograms we are able to monitor the improvement within the skin from the surface across its entire depth showing dermal fiber density (where organized collagen is found). The treatment with using a topically applied Vitamin A product which cause the skin's structure to rejuvenate significantly improving the skin characteristics such as strength, thickness, texture and resilience.
.
Dr Zwiren has lived in the Atlanta Area since 1961. He attended The University of Georgia and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology. His medical education was completed from 1977 to 1981 at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He completed a 5 year general surgery residency and a 2 year plastic surgery fellowship at OhioState in ColumbusOhio. Dr. Jeff Zwiren has been a very active member of the medical community since starting his plastic surgical practice in GwinnettCountyGeorgia in 1988. He is on the active staff at GwinnettMedicalCenter. He served at the chief of surgery at GwinnettMedicalCenter from 1992 to 1994. Currently PrimaCenter for Plastic Surgery serves as a training site for fourth year medical students from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Suwanee, Georgia.
The author of this article has chosen to make this article available with free reprint rights. Click here to copy this article.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
