Just how far will you go to look younger?

9:41am Wednesday 12th December 2007

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THE battle to be forever young is one that has raged since humans first glanced at their reflection in whatever they used as a mirror in those days.

Medical science is now poised to bring a powerful new weapon to this age-old struggle and one Worcester plastic surgeon is right in the frontline after investing in a machine that sounds like something from a science fiction film - but is already science fact.

Dalvi Humzah, a consultant plastic reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon, is already using the high-tech equipment to offer a service beyond the dreams of the surgeons of the past, cementing his reputation as a pioneer in his field. He is the first surgeon in the West Midlands to use the £30,000 VISIA complexion analysis system from the USto analyse people's faces.

The machine works by taking a picture of your face using four different types of light to highlight wrinkles, spots and other blemishes, sun damaged areas and even the levels of bacteria living on your face.

The types of light are normal white light which shows open pores, ultra violent light which can show bacteria and sun damage, cross-polarised light, which highlights thread veins and red marks, and oblique lighting which emphasises irregularities in the texture of the skin.

The scan takes about five minutes and involves patients placing their heads in a circular dome which produces images from three different angles - a frontal shot and left and right hand side images.

Mr Humzah said some people are shocked by the results when they see the effect the sun has had on their skin and become more determined than ever to use sun protection cream.

Not only can the machine show you what your face looks like now but what it will look like in five or 10 years by aritificially ageing you.

Mr Humzah, aged 43, said: "The machine gives the patients a lot more choice and tells me what the problems are. I can look at someone's face with all this data at hand and see where they are in relation to anyone else.

"For example, someone with acne may have a lot of bacteria on their face and the machine will give me some idea of the bacterial load. I can also see with a later scan whether the treatment I recommend is working."

Sometimes people come to Mr Humzah believing surgery is the only option for them only to discover that changes in diet, exercise and routine and breaking bad habits may also be of benefit. Not all the treatments Mr Humzah offers at his clinics are surgical - there has been an explosion in non-surgical procedures like dermal fillers to fill in wrinkles and glycolic acid skin peels are increasingly common alternatives to the facelift in the fight against old age.

The machine was officially launched at Wolverhampton Nuffield Hospital but, thanks to computer technology, Mr Humzah can get access to scan images at any of his clinics, at the Spire South Bank Hospital in Bath Road, Worcester or the BMI Droitwich.

PLASTIC SURGERY THE FACTScosmetic enhancements and functionally reconstructive operations. Plastic surgery is also referred to as cosmetic surgery. The word plastic' derives from the Greek plastikos meaning to mould or to shape and has nothing to do with plastic. Plastic surgeons mould and reshape bone, cartilage, muscle, fat, and skin.

Treatments can range from non-surgical procedures to improve the texture and appearance of the skin, such as dermal fillers, to surgical procedures like removing tattoos and rhinoplasty - otherwise known as a nose job'.