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Published on October 16, 2007

This is very difficult to answer due to the fact that it's really a personal choice. If there are lines on your face, particularly horizontal forehead lines, frown lines and crow's feet, then you're a good candidate for Botox. If you want to have Botox injections, make 100-per-cent sure you're seeing a reputable and experienced professional.

What advice do you have for keeping children's skin healthy?

There are many ways. Daily routines such as gentle cleansing and light moisturising are good, but the most important thing to remember is sun protection. Using sunscreens and wearing hats will help reduce skin problems the child might have in the future.

What - besides Botox and surgery - can women do to reduce or get rid of wrinkles?

Wrinkles predominately occur through the effects of the sun and facial expressions. Most people attribute an aged appearance to the passing of time, but if you compare the skin on your face to skin on other areas of your body, you'll see that there are fewer wrinkles elsewhere. Wrinkles appear mostly on the sun-exposed sites.

When people lose muscle mass or weight, such as is commonly seen on people's bottoms with ageing, the skin will sag, but if you look closely, you'll see there are no wrinkles on the sagging skin.

As the skin becomes less elastic from sun damage, the constant contracting of the muscle - each and every time you smile, frown or raise your eyebrows in surprise - creates lines in the skin.

Botox, or Botulinum toxin, will help relax the muscles and smooth the wrinkles caused by facial expressions - crow's feet and frown lines - away.

Other popular approaches to combating wrinkles are injectable collagen and hyaluronic acid. They work to plump up or reduce wrinkles, furrows and hollows in the face, especially the lines from your nose to your mouth, which are called nasolabial, and those from your mouth down to your chin, which are marionette lines.

To improve wrinkles elsewhere on the face, there are also a number of laser treatments. Recently, fractional lasers have become extremely popular because there is ample data to demonstrate both their safety and efficacy in treating wrinkles.

Among these, Fraxel R is a laser, while Matrix R is a hybrid. Both devices give the skin a smoother, firmer and more pleasing appearance. However, you should consult with your dermatologist about the best device or treatment.

Last but not least, a sunscreen is a must. It makes no sense to treat wrinkles without preventing their further reoccurrence.

Thanisorn Thamlikitkul, MD, is a member of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology & Aesthetic Surgery and qualified in laser surgery. Send your questions to info@romrawin.com. Her column appears twice monthly on the Fashion and Beauty page.

by thanisorn thamlikitkul, md

The Nation