Preventative Cosmetic Medicine

Preventative Cosmetic Medicine™ is a Me Clinic approach built on a simple observation: most of what people eventually come to us to correct could have been slowed years earlier.

Rather than waiting until the visible signs of skin ageing are established and then treating them, the idea is to protect and maintain the skin while it is still in good condition - which is both more effective and considerably cheaper than correction.

What it is not

Being clear about this first, because the phrase invites overclaiming:

It does not stop ageing. Nothing does. Intrinsic ageing is genetically programmed and continues regardless.
It does not reverse ageing. Treatments improve the visible signs; they do not turn the process backwards.
It is not a branded product or a proprietary device. It is a way of sequencing ordinary, well-understood measures earlier than people usually do.
It is not a way of avoiding surgery altogether. It can reduce or defer the need for correction. It cannot guarantee that.

The term is Me Clinic's own. It is not a regulatory category or an accredited qualification.

The reasoning

Skin ageing has two components, and they are not equally inevitable. Intrinsic ageing - thinning, dryness, loss of elasticity - is internal and largely genetic. Extrinsic ageing - deep wrinkles, coarse texture, mottled pigmentation, broken capillaries, leathery thickening - comes from outside, overwhelmingly from ultraviolet light, plus smoking, pollution and poor nutrition.

In Australia, the extrinsic component is the larger part of what people see in the mirror, and it is the part that is largely preventable. Compare the skin on your inner upper arm with the back of your hand: same age, very different condition. The difference is sun.

Once collagen and elastin have been degraded, treatment improves the result partially. Protecting them costs almost nothing by comparison.

What a preventative plan involves

Plans are tailored to your age, skin type, existing skin conditions and family history. The components are ordinary and evidence-based:

Daily sun protection - broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, hat, sunglasses, shade, no solariums. The single highest-value item on this list by a wide margin.
Cosmeceutical skincare - retinoids, antioxidants including vitamin C, barrier support, used consistently rather than intermittently.
Maintenance treatments - peels, microdermabrasion, skin needling, laser - at an interval matched to your skin rather than a fixed package.
Early treatment of pigmentation and vascular change, which are easier to address early than once established.
Lifestyle factors - not smoking, adequate sleep, a diet with fresh fruit and vegetables, moderate alcohol, hydration. General health advice rather than a medical treatment, and offered as such.
Skin checks, because sun-damaged skin carries an elevated skin cancer risk. See skin cancers.

When to start

Earlier is more effective, because the point is to protect what is still intact. The twenties and thirties are where sun protection and a basic routine make the most difference to how skin looks decades later.

That said, starting later is not pointless. Prevention and treatment run together at any age - protecting against further damage while addressing what is already there.

What results are realistic

A consistent preventative approach slows the rate at which visible signs develop, and keeps skin in better condition than it would otherwise be. It may reduce or defer the need for more substantial correction later.

What it cannot do is prevent ageing, guarantee that surgery will never be wanted, or override genetics. Individual results vary considerably - people age at different rates for reasons largely outside anyone's control.

Risks

The treatments used in a preventative plan carry the same risks as they do anywhere: irritation and redness from topical actives, pigmentation change after light-based or exfoliating treatment (more likely in darker skin types), infection, and incomplete response. Over-treating skin that does not need it is its own risk - more actives and more sessions is not better.

See risks and complications.

Cost

As at September 2024 and including GST, a skin assessment is $50 and a Cosmetic Doctor consultation is $150. Dermal skin treatments start from $130. A plan is quoted after assessment. Not covered by Medicare.

Booking

Me Clinic, 4 Burke Road, Malvern East VIC 3145. Phone 1300 852 050 or (03) 9569 3511, or use the online consultation form.

Individual results may vary. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.