When I was young, I remember my grandmother telling me that inside she felt like a girl in her 20’s until she stepped near a mirror and saw an old woman looking back at her. That statement made no sense to me until I reached my 50’s and began feeling precisely the same.
One of the most defining features of the baby boomer generation is our love of youth and our desire to reinvent ourselves. As we grew up, anything having to do with aging was pushed into the background. But if there is one thing we haven’t been able to conquer as a generation it’s time, the clock still continues to tick.
Thanks to the baby boomers desire to look young and beautiful, beauty, anti-aging and health-related products and services are flooding the market. Market research firm Global Industry Analysts projects that in the U.S. alone, a boomer-fueled consumer base striving to keep signs of aging at bay will push the market for anti-aging products to more than $114 billion this year.
Botox treatments are the most commonly performed, minimally invasive cosmetic procedure because they make you look younger. The fact that there is no incision, scarring, stitches or cuts involved makes Botox much better than other invasive cosmetic treatments.
A Botox injection session usually takes just 10-15 minutes for most people and requires little or no anesthesia. For me, the attendant cooled my eyes and forehead with an ice pack. Once I let the Dr. know the area was chilled she would make the injections. The needle doesn’t go deep. I could feel it but the pain was minimal to non-existent.
Injections of Botox are suited for people who want to see the benefits of plastic surgery without complications and hassle. Botox is most popular for minimizing or removing wrinkles around your eyes, mouth and forehead.
The effects of Botox are usually noticed in three to five days and last up to six months. So if you don’t like it, you can welcome those wrinkles back. If you like it, repeat the injection process and reclaim your youth once again.
Botox is a trade name for botulinum toxin, which comes in the form of a purified protein. Botulinum toxin A is the most commonly used form with a few thousand articles supporting its use in scientific and medical literature
The mechanism of action for botulinum toxin A is really quite simple. It is injected into the facial muscles and, within a few hours, it attaches itself to the nerve endings of the motor muscles, thereby affecting the nerve transmission to these muscles. There is no loss of sensory feeling at all during the time that botulinum toxin A is effective. Once these motor nerve endings are interrupted, the muscles cannot contract. When the muscle does not contract, the dynamic motion that causes wrinkles in the skin will then cease. The only reason there are wrinkles in the skin in the first place is because the muscle is moving underneath it, thereby these are called dynamic wrinkles. Approximately three to five days after treatment, the skin above these motor muscles becomes nice and smooth. The length of time Botox lasts is dependent on various factors including the amount of botulinum toxin A injected, metabolic activity of the patient and lifestyle choices, which may cause the Botox treatment not to last as long.
Botox is not the legendary fountain of youth, but it is an inexpensive way (in comparison to cosmetic surgery) to rid your face of those wrinkles you have become accustomed to seeing when staring in a mirror.
The clinic I went to for my Botox injections and can recommend is the Veera Clinic in Phetchaburi. Dr. Penlada Krutkos is the founder and owner of the Veera Clinics which also has two locations in Bangkok. Dr. Penlada received her medical degree from Siriraj Mahidol University.
HOT Magazine had the pleasure of sitting down with the busy Doctor to learn more about her.
Dr. Penlada Krutkos
HM: Khun Penlada, where did you grow up and what was your childhood like?
PK: I was born in Bangkok, growing up in a family with a single mom and my dad’s parents. I loved outdoor sports such as horse riding, windsurfing, cycling, etc…
HM: At what age did you know you wanted to be a doctor and why did you choose this profession?
PK: I don’t remember the age but I always loved learning and was familiar with hospitals because my mom was a nurse. As a young girl I dreamed to be a nurse too but then as I became older I decided to become a doctor instead.
HM: Can you tell us your medical specialty and what services you provide that are most popular?
PK: I graduated board certified from the faculty of medicine at Siriraj Mahidol University in the field of Anatomical Pathology. I’ve worked in Aesthetic Clinics since 2005 and established my first Veera Clinic in 2013. Every branch provides various Aesthetic Services which covers all of my customers desires. Popular services include Laser, Botox and Fillers, Rhinoplasty & Breast Augmentation.
HM: You are a very driven woman, owning 3 Surgery and Beauty clinics in 2 provinces that you visit weekly. How do you manage your time and are you able to take any time off during the week?
PK: My time is divided into two parts, one as a Doctor and two as a Business Executive. I visit every clinic once a week which doesn’t leave much time for other pursuits.
HM: Will you stop at 3 or will you open more clinics in Thailand?
PK: I plan to open more branches in other big cities in Thailand and would like to open an Aesthetic Hospital in the future.
HM: On top of the time at your clinics you are also a National Director for 3 female pageants; Miss Supermodel Worldwide, Miss Culture Worldwide and Miss Jewel of the World. Can you tell us about this aspect of your life? How did you get involved? Where do you find your contestants?
PK: It all started when girls started coming to me for aesthetic work because they had dreams to enter beauty pageants. Later on I decided that my Veera Clinic would sponsor women for several pageants, both domestic and international.
HM: What benefit do you derive from being the National Director of these pageants?
PK: I feel much happiness to see these women succeed in making their dreams come true. They are great representatives of Thailand and are also “Beauty Ambassadors” for my Veera Clinics as well. I look forward to continuing these projects in the future.
HM: We understand that you are also a fan of big bikes. What kind of motorcycle do you own and do you get to spend much time on it?
PK: Nowadays, I rarely have time to ride a big bike as my days and evenings are full. But my favorite bikes are the enduro-touring styles like the BMW F800GS & R1200GS and the KTM990AGV.
HM: You are a very busy woman. If you could take a month-long holiday starting tomorrow, where would you go and why?
PK: I love nature & natural beauty rather than the big vibrant city with crowds of people. If I could have free time for 1 month I’d love to catch the Trans-Siberian Train from China to Russia and the route Qinghai – Tibet, as well as touring in China, Tibet, Nepal & Russia.
HM: Thank you Doctor Penlada for your time
Veera Clinic
082 365 6599
Veeraclinicthailand@hotmail.com
facebook.com/veeraclinicthailand
