What contributes to aging?

According to nationally-recognized board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Anthony Youn, there are 5 causes of aging: nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, oxidation and free radical damage, collagen depletion, and a buildup of cellular waste. But with the right steps, you can take back control through what he calls Autojuvenation® - a collection of tools that your body utilizes to tap into its own regenerative abilities. These include what you eat, when you eat, supplements, skincare, and yes, you guessed it, minimally invasive treatments.

Click here to listen to my full conversion with Dr. Anthony Youn on The Art Of Being Well podcast.

The best non-invasive treatments

While there are many different foods and supplements including collagen and antioxidants that I use in my telehealth functional medicine clinic to target nutrient deficiencies, oxidation, and inflammation, we don’t often talk about non- or minimally-invasive treatments. By combining these treatments with diet and supplementation, we can pull double-duty and fight aging through the inside-out and outside-in.

1. Red light therapy

Chances are you’ve seen red light therapy all over your social media feed from a celebrity or influencer wearing a strange glowing red face mask. But red light therapy, also known as LED light therapy and low-level light therapy (LLLT), is way more than just a fad. This therapy uses specific wavelengths of light (between 625 nm and 900 nm) to penetrate your skin and promote healing by stimulating cellular energy production, collagen synthesis, and lower inflammation. Together, red light therapy can help improve (1) skin tone, texture, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Just remember - red light therapy is not a single treatment therapy and needs to be done consistently over time for you to see results. 

The benefit of this therapy is that it is one of the most accessible options. You can purchase red light therapy masks for as low as a few hundred dollars that you can use on your own time in the convenience of your own home. HigherDose has one of my favorite infrared masks for only $349.

Use my code COLE15 for %15 off your HigherDose order.

2. Microcurrent facial sculpting

Microcurrent therapy is often referred to as a “non-surgical facelift” in functional medicine and holistic wellness circles. By utilizing low-level electrical currents to stimulate facial muscles and promote collagen production, this therapy can help enhance muscle tone and skin firmness, to contribute to a more youthful and lifted appearance without the need for invasive procedures.

You can purchase microcurrent facial sculpting devices that you can use at home or you can go and have this therapy done at most medspas. When choosing a microcurrent facial sculpting device for at-home use, I recommend looking for one that is FDA-certified and has clinical studies to back its effectiveness. NuFACE is one of my favorite brands if you are looking to dip your toes in this therapy as it is fairly priced.

3. Radiofrequency

Similar to microcurrent therapy in its goal of sculpting your face, this technology utilizes controlled radiofrequency energy to penetrate the skin's deeper layers, stimulating collagen and elastin production. Studies have shown that radiofrequency treatments can help promote a tightening effect, resulting in improved skin elasticity and firmness. In fact, one study published in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy (2) found that radiofrequency therapy was able to significantly improve skin tightness and have a lifting effect around the eye area. You can also buy radiofrequency devices that you can use at home, but these tend to be slightly more expensive than at-home microcurrent devices.