Wrinkle Treatment Information

What causes wrinkles?

Wrinkles can be caused by many factors, including loss of volume due to age, sun damage, and even by changes to the skin caused repetitive muscle movements. This constant movement of facial muscles, combined with a decrease in the elasticity and volume of the skin, can cause wrinkles, creases, or fine lines in the face (as well as other parts of the body).



The skin has two important building blocks that play a role in the formation of wrinkles: collagen and elastin. The amount of these two substances can change naturally over time, as well as in response to factors such as sun exposure, smoking, and even air pollution.

Completely getting rid of wrinkles is an unrealistic goal

Skin experts, doctors, and dermatologists agree that it may be nearly impossible to completely remove wrinkles if you want to have a natural appearance. The best goal for wrinkle treatment should be to rejuvenate the skin and softening the lines without giving you a "frozen face" or skin that looks pulled back. After all, a face completely devoid of wrinkles just looks wrong. It's impossible to reverse the aging process and get back the young, full skin we had in our younger years; but by working with a knowledgeably physician, we can slow the signs of aging and grow older gracefully.

Stage 1: Beauty consultation with a medical professional

Your personal situation is just that: personal. Rather than try to determine your own treatment course, your best course of action is to schedule a one-on-one session with a skin care professional. There are many factors that go into successful skin care: in addition to the right products, your skin needs to be cared for with the right diet and lifestyle choices, among other factors. A consulting session with a skincare specialist is the first step to the look you are searching for.

Successful skin care requires the use of mosturizers and sunblocks, and often products such as Retin-A to improve skin tone. There are numerous products available to aid in wrinkle treatments, including retinoid creams (such as renova), strong antioxidants (Prevage, Revale, etc.), glycolic acid (such as Vivite), and a combination of antioxidants and growth agents. Consult a medical care professional for recommendations - don't do this on your own!

Be wary of claims made by television or internet advertisements - there is no easy, fix-all process to wrinkle removal. These ads are often not based in solid science, and make claims that are due to disappoint. In some cases, these treatments may irritate or dry out your skin, cause acne, clog pores, and cause other skin ailments. Non-prescription creams may include ingredients that deteriorate before they can be absorbed.

When consulting with your skin-care professional, ask for prescription, medical-grade anti-wrinkle creams. A licensed professional is likely to recommend effective products that can not only improve the appearance of your skin, but also improve its long-term quality and make future treatments more effective.

Stage 2: Wrinkle treatments performed by medical professionals

Your medical professional will help you find a solution that fits your personal situation and type of wrinkle. There are three very common types of wrinkles identified by doctors, outlined below:

1) Fine lines and superficial wrinkles:

Minor facial lines and superficial wrinkles can be approached with some simple and effective, nonsurgical treatments. While these fine lines may seem insignificant, they can accumulate over time and have significant effect on your appearance. Your doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatments:

• Botox may be effective in preventing dynamic wrinkles from getting deeper.
• Injectable fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm may be effective in filling wrinkles temporarily. Adding volume through the use of such fillers often has tangible results in making light wrinkles disappear. After volumization, your skincare professional may recommend skin resurfacing treatments, chemical peels, dermabrasion, or laser treatment.
• Lasers, including carbon dioxide lasers, erbium, YAG, and Fraxel are often effective treatments to resurface skin and erase fine lines.
• Chemical peels are often recommended to resurface the skin.
  
    

2) Deeper wrinkles:

The methods for eliminating deeper wrinkles, facial folds, and creases depends on the locationg of these imperfections. Eliminating nasolabial folds requires methods that differ from those that deal with forehead wrinkles. For these deeper wrinkles, doctors may recommend one or many treatment courses:

• Botox: As with superficial wrinkles, Botox can be a very useful and effective treatment. Botox works by paralyzing the muscles of the face, and can be very effective at treating wrinkles caused by muscle motion.
• Facial Fillers: Dermal fillers such as hyaluronic acid (HA), including Restylane, Juvederm, and Perlane, can help fix lines by filling in the underlying problem areas. Collagen, Radiesse, and others are also effective methods to achieve this end. These treatments, while temporary, often last as long as one year and grant immediate results.

3) Dynamic wrinkles:

Dynamic wrinkles are the lines that appear during facial movements - especially squinting, smiling, or frowning. In the areas around the eyes, where these wrinkles most often appear, they are sometimes called crow's feet, vertical smoker lines, or eye wrinkles. Skin specialists agree that these wrinkles are nearly impossible to completely remove, and treatment cannot stop them from recurring when the muscles are used. The best goal for treating dynamic wrinkles is to soften the lines and achieve a natural look. Your doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatments:

• Botox before and after for dynamic wrinkles: As with superficial and deep wrinkles, Botox may be used to treat dynamic wrinkles. Dysport, another treatment similar to Botox, may achieve the same results. However, some patients prefer to avoid botox, whether it be out of a fear of needles, safety issues, or reluctance to take on the repeated cost of routine injections. In addition, patients with loose skin or fat deposits in the lower eyelid area may be poor candidates for Botox. Some wrinkles may be better treated with facial fillers than Botox, and some may benefit from skin resurfacing treatments. Visiting a cosmetic clinic and getting advice from a medical professional is the best way to determine which course of action is the best for you.