By Joyce Sunila

Did you know that women’s life expectancy has increased by 34 years? Thirty-four years! That’s equal to the length of adulthood itself!

The most dynamic women in our society won’t approach this era as their “declining years.” Instead, they’ll use it to fulfill the promise of their youth and adulthood. They’ll stay in the limelight and make their “third acts” their most productive yet.

Your Role in the Third Act

Your job will be to help them look good. Here are some areas you might want to think about as women seek your services well into their 70s, 80s and 90s.

Rhinoplasty. The tip of the nose tends to droop late in life, and noses seem to get bigger as facial structure shrinks.

Blepharoplasty. If you haven’t stopped removing fat from lower lids during blepharoplasty, stop now. Third Act women are seeing deep hollows under their eyes as 15-year-old eyelid surgeries conform to older faces. Upper eyes will continue to droop and require excising of skin, so revision surgeries will be plentiful. Fat transfers on the lower lids will replace excision.
 
Neck. This area will call for regular maintenance (a lift every 5 years or so). Avoid excising too much skin too early in a woman’s life by offering the trampoline neck lift to first- and second-time neck lift patients. Lifting the neck without excising skin, plus tightening the area with lasers, will give you better material to work with later on.
 
Work with Dentists. Creating a beautiful midface and jaw requires adequate structural support. Women who ignore dental work are in danger of losing that support. Arrange for mutual referrals with a local dentist you respect.

Fat Transfers. As this technology improves, use it as much as you can. Facial volume and contour will separate the gracefully aging woman in her 70s, 80s and 90s from the woman who “gets the uglies”.
 
Skin Care. Healthy, refurbished collagen improves thinning skin, wrinkles and droopiness. Recommend a maintenance plan for regular laser skin remodeling to keep the collagen supply in check.

These are just a few preliminary ideas to jump-start your thinking.  Of course, treatments will evolve as surgeons work on this population and share their experiences with peers.

What’s absolutely certain is that “Third Actors” will make your future bright, keeping you busy and adding to your bottom line.

Joyce Sunila is the president of Practice Helpers, providing e-newsletters, blogs and social media services to aesthetic practices. You can contact Joyce at [email protected] or visit the Practice Helpers website at www.practicehelpers.com