Now that summer is here, the brighter sunlight and longer hours of daylight might have you taking a closer look at yourself in the mirror. You might have a series of parties and events planned for the season that cause you to be more critical of your appearance or you might want to look at youthful and refreshed as possible before you head off on a vacation.

You might not have the time to set aside for a rejuvenating surgical procedure this summer, but odd are likely that you have time for a short, minimally invasive procedure to take a few years off of your appearance. No matter where your main area of concern is, there are several quick ways to get a refreshed appearance this season.

Botox

Years of furrowing your brows or squinting can lead to lines between the brows or at the corners of your eyes. Those lines can make you look angry, sad or even just years older than you are. Fortunately, a relatively quick way to treat those lines has been around for years now. Botox injections will temporarily erase the lines between your eyebrows or the crow’s feet at the corners of your eyes.

While the injections themselves take just a few minutes, it does take about a week for the results of the treatment to appear. After that, results last for about three months. If you have Botox performed at the beginning of summer, you can enjoy the entire season without worrying about whether your frown lines or crow’s feet are adding years to your appearance.

There might be some swelling or redness right after the injection, and you’ll want to be careful to keep your head up in the hours following the treatment, so that the Botox doesn’t travel to another area or cause complications, but for the most part, you’ll be able to get back to your normal life immediately after the injection.

Chemical Peels

Perhaps you want a treatment that gives your entire face a refreshed appearance. If so, a chemical peel might be a good option for you. A peel is designed to treat a wide range of skin concerns, from fine lines and wrinkles to acne scarring. It can help reduce hyperpigmentation or age spots and can improve the texture of sun damaged skin.

Peels come in a variety of strengths, too. A very mild or superficial peel might be the best option for you if you want something that will correct minimal damage or minimal signs of aging and that has a minimal amount of downtime.

One downside of a peel in the summertime is that you do need to limit sun exposure afterwards. For that reason, it’s probably not a good idea to schedule a chemical peel of any strength right before a trip to the beach or other sunny location.

Fillers

Botox injections can help minimize lines created by constant movements over the years. Injectable fillers, such as Belotero, Restylane or Juvederm, can help minimize the rest of the lines on your face. Fillers made from hyaluronic acid or calcium hydroxyapatite, such as Radiesse, work by adding volume to the area beneath the skin.

Like Botox, the treatment process is quick and many people are able to go back to their regular lives immediately. Unlike Botox, most fillers provide instant results, so you don’t have to wait a week or so to see what you’re going to get from the treatment. The results from many injectable fillers also tend to last for longer than the results from Botox. Your results might last from anywhere from six months to more than a year, depending on the brand of filler and the main ingredient.

Lip Augmentation

One sign of aging you might not think about as much as lines, wrinkles and discoloration is a loss of volume in the lip area. If your lips are getting thinner with age, you do have options, though. Many injectable fillers can also be used to add volume to the lips, so that you can get a plumper pout for the summer.

Lip augmentation using a hyaluronic acid filler has several benefits. The treatment is pretty quick, the side effects and downtime are minimal, and the results can be undone if you think your lips are too full. The treatment isn’t permanent, and usually lasts around six months, at which point you can have it repeated if you like the new volume in your lips.

Fourth generation Ohio facial plastic surgeon Dr. Stephen Smith offers a variety of non-surgical, minimally invasive treatments at his practice. If you’d like to get a more refreshed or youthful look just in time for the summer season, talk to Dr. Smith at either of his two practice locations. Call 614-245-4263 for a consultation at the practice in Gahanna, Ohio. To schedule an appointment in Columbus, Ohio, call 614-678-7180 today.