With the ongoing trend to prevent the signs of aging, much focus has been on how to prevent facial lines and wrinkles. Repetitive actions like how we sleep, mouth movement, facial expression, smoking, sun exposure, drinking from a straw and even how we look down at our cellphones can play an important role in the development of facial wrinkles.
How Wrinkles are Formed
When a muscle is contracted it pulls the skin together and creates what is called a dynamic wrinkle. Our body stops producing collagen in our late 20s and continues to decrease yearly from thereon. Due to the reduction in collagen in our skin, it is not able to bounce back and dynamic wrinkles become etched lines called static wrinkles.
Common Causes
Over time the continuous compression and shearing of the upward/downward force on a pillow when side sleeping can also be a contributing factor to the lines developing on the face, neck, and chest.
Cigarette smoking impairs the blood flow, causes free radical damage and repetitively contracts the muscles around the mouth. Drinking from a straw is another pursing motion that over time can cause vertical lines to form around the lips as well.
Ultraviolet radiation, visible light, and infrared light make up the solar radiation that reaches the earth’s surface. UV and IR radiation has been proven to cause destruction of skin cells, breakdown of collagen and a contributing factor to expedited aging.
All of the above are contributing factors to facial wrinkles. Now, the question is… how can we reverse the signs of aging? Surgery is always an option but if you are looking for a less invasive alternative here are some of the options we offer our patients today:
- Quality skin care products to activate collagen, skin cell production, cellular turnover, and sun protection are just the beginning to treating wrinkles and aging skin.
- Botox® and dermal fillers like Juvederm® and Restylane® help soften and counter wrinkles.
- Microneedling, radiofrequency, fractional laser, and platelet-rich protein are all great treatments for improving wrinkles and fine lines.
- Ultherapy® is able to penetrate deep into the dermis to help lift, tone and tighten laxity in the face, neck, and chin and can be combined with microneedling.
Keep in mind that for the best result combination therapies are a MUST!