THEskin that changes, tissues that lose tone, a look that appears different from what one has always known. For many women, menopause is not only a biological transformation, but also a moment of profound redefinition of one’s image. There regenerative aesthetic medicine can you accompany this step? We talked about it with Dr. Valentina Finotti, regenerative aesthetic doctor, together with Dr. Alberto Teppex, aesthetic and regenerative doctor of his team.
What do menopausal women ask for?
There is a precise moment, says Doctor Finotti, in which many women begin to perceive that something has changed. «I would say that around 95% of the women who come to me around the age of 50 tell me the same thing: “I’ve been through menopause for two years”. As if they had reached a point where there is almost no hope of going back to the way they were before.” But that “as before” has nothing to do with the desire to look younger. «The women they don’t ask me to change their appearance. They tell me: I don’t recognize myself anymore. They accept aging, but they see that i tissues have weakenedwhich the skin is more atrophicless hydrated. One of the first things they notice is the change of gaze. And the request is almost always the same: I would like to go back to having a state of hydration and vitality more similar to what I had before.”
It’s not a question of wrinkles
For years, aesthetic medicine has been associated above all with the correction of the signs of aging. Today, however, the paradigm has changed.
«We have moved from a concept of simply slowing down aging through increasing volumes to one completely different vision, that puts the quality of the fabrics is at the center», explains Finotti. The goal is not to erase age, but support biological processes that slow down with hormonal decline.
How regenerative medicine works
«We need to imagine ours organism like a soil that slowly becomes impoverished. Even before using a technology or treatment, we can work to keep the natural mechanisms of collagen production and tissue regeneration active.”
This is where regenerative medicine comes in. “If we intervene in the perimenopause phase, when the biological mechanisms are still active, we can carry out a sort of “fertilization of the soil” and better prepare the tissues for the decline in hormones. However, when change has already taken place, the path is possible but becomes slower, because often there are no longer the same biological reserves to work on.”
Menopause isn’t just about aesthetics
According to the specialist, one of the most frequent mistakes is considering menopause exclusively as a gynecological issue. «We shouldn’t just take age as a reference. Today we can evaluate the woman’s hormonal heritage and understand how to accompany her towards menopause in a personalized way».
The importance of being followed 360 degrees
This is why team work becomes fundamental. «It is very important collaboration between gynecologist, endocrinologist, nutritionist and aesthetic doctor. You don’t have to wait for the most important symptoms to appear. Menopause involves changes that affect metabolism, physical and mental energy, the cardiovascular system, bone and tissue health.”
The hormonal decline can in fact translate into a reduction in physical strength, a greater sedentary lifestyle and a feeling of persistent tiredness. «Many women find it more difficult to do physical activity. Not because they don’t want to, but because they have less energy available. To this are added the metabolic changesthe tendency to water retention and one different fat distribution corporeal”.
Look in the mirror and feel better
Is there a relationship between image and psychological well-being? For Dr. Finotti the answer is yes. «Seeing yourself better in the mirror doesn’t mean seeing yourself different. It means seeing yourself cared for. And this has a real impact on self-perception.”
The specialist also cites some studies that have observed how the improvement of facial expressiveness can positively influence mood.
Dr. Valentina Finotti, regenerative aesthetic doctor.
Confirmation from scientific studies
«The face is the first feedback we receive every morning. When a woman looks at herself and recognizes herself, when you see a more rested and harmonious appearance, this has a positive effect on your day».
But there is an even more important aspect. «Even just dedicating twenty minutes to yourself, putting on makeup, combing your hair, choosing what to wear, is a therapeutic gesture. It’s a time to take care of yourself. And this care has enormous value, especially in the most difficult periods.”
A recent review concludes that facial muscle activity can modulate emotional experience and that changes in facial expressiveness can influence psychological well-being. (Source: The Face of Emotion: Botulinum Toxin, Emotional Anatomy, and Mood Modulation).
A meta-analysis also found a improvement of mood disorders in subjects treated with botulinum toxin in the mimic muscles of the upper part of the face compared to placebo. (Source: Botulinum Toxin in Facial Aesthetics Affects the Emotion Process: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials).
A phase that should not be experienced in solitude
During the interview with Dr. Finotti, something emerges interesting comparison with postpartum. «They are very different moments, but they have one thing in common: the woman must find a new image of yourself. And not everyone goes through this transition in the same way.”
This is why, according to Finotti, it is important stop considering menopause as something to be passively endured. «It is not a condition to be accepted without tools. Today we have many possibilities to build a tailor-made route. The fundamental thing is that the woman does not feel alone and that this moment is recognized as a true transition phase.”
Regenerative technologies, Alberto Teppex: «Prepare the ground before intervening»
The approach of the team led by Valentina Finotti is based on a precise concept: improve the health of the tissues even before the aesthetic aspect. «If your metabolism is slowing down, before delivering energy with a technology we need to prepare the fabric. We have to create the conditions for that tissue to respond».
An approach that radically changes perspective. «It is no longer the treatment done once to correct something. Become a tissue health path. An accompaniment over time.” As Dr. points out Alberto Teppexaesthetic and regenerative doctor of Finotti’s team, today the The challenge is not to correct the visible signs of aging, but to work on the biological health of the tissues. «When the metabolism slows down and the regenerative capacity decreases, we cannot think of applying a technology on a tissue that is not ready to respond. First we must reactivate the biological terrain.” According to Teppex, the Modern regenerative medicine must be interpreted as a progressive path. «For years aesthetic medicine was perceived as something that filled or corrected. Today the paradigm has changed: we work on the quality of the tissues, on the production of collagen, on the skin’s ability to remain vital and functional.” Among the tools used are polynucleotides, microfocused ultrasound, fractional radiofrequency and technologies dedicated to the stimulation of fibroblasts.
The goal, the doctor emphasizes, is not to stop aging. «We are not talking about aesthetic transformation. Let’s talk about support. It is the same principle with which we take care of cardiovascular health or muscle mass: today we can also take care of the health of skin tissues».
Help the body maintain its biological capabilities for longer
Among the technologies most used by the team are microfocused ultrasoundcapable of stimulating collagen at different depths, and the fractional radio frequency Morpheus8particularly useful in the most difficult to treat areas, such as arms, neck and jaw profile.
«Today we no longer work only on the face», underlines Teppex. “There Menopause changes the entire body: there quality of the skin of the arms, hands, knees and décolleté changes significantly. This is why we need a 360-degree vision.” Alongside medical technologies, there are also tools dedicated to the well-being of tissues, such as the LED photobiomodulation they infraredused to support repair processes, improve skin quality and contribute to muscle and joint well-being.
“The goal is not to chase an ideal of youth,” he concludes. “AND help the body maintain its biological capabilities for longer. When a woman sees herself better, but above all feels that her tissues work better, the way she experiences this phase of life also changes.”
When finding yourself becomes therapy
Among the professional memories that most struck Dr. Finotti was that of a patient who was simultaneously going through menopause and a serious bereavement. «After the first journey she came back to me in tears. He told me: “After a long time my smile returned. I started to love myself again”.
An episode that contains the deepest meaning of this discipline. «It’s not about transforming a person. It’s about helping her find herself. When a woman feels she is listened to, welcomed and accompanied without being upset, often something much bigger than a simple aesthetic improvement is set in motion again.”
Because, concludes the specialist, «we’re not talking about erasing wrinkles or stopping time. We are talking about giving support to a woman who is going through a major change in her life. And to help her live it while still feeling like herself.”