If you are starting to notice early signs of skin aging, you may be wondering how you can reduce signs of aging without surgery. If you are, rest assured that there are options available that can help retard skin aging.
How the Face Ages
Age brings about changes in the structural components of the face. A youthful face has an even distribution of fat in all the right places, and pockets of fat in areas such as the cheeks and temples, help maintain youthful contours. However, as the years pass, fat stores decline and shift downward, and with that the skin becomes loose and starts to sag. Consequently, certain parts of the face take on a hollow, sunken appearance.
How Can I Reduce Signs of Aging Without Surgery?
There are many ways to reduce visible signs of aging without surgery. Injectable treatments such as botox and dermal fillers are excellent anti-aging treatments that can be combined to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, and add volume to sunken areas of the face. Chemical peels are also an option.
How Botox Reduces Signs of Aging
Botox (botulinum toxin type A), treats dynamic wrinkles, which are expression lines seen on the forehead (forehead lines), and between the brows (frown lines). It also reduces crow’s feet (lines at the corner of the eyes). These expression lines are caused by the repeated movement of the muscles when you laugh, squint, or frown.
Botox is a neuromodulator that can be used to temporarily relax certain facial muscles that cause the skin to crease. Botox is injected into specific muscles and the drug blocks the nerve signals that cause the muscles to contract. Relaxing the muscles helps reduce the appearance of unwanted wrinkles.
Botox is an in-office treatment that only takes a few minutes to complete. Possible side-effects include swelling, bruising, and redness at the injection site.
The muscles start to relax about 3-5 days after botox treatment, and the effects typically wear off within 3-6 months.
How Dermal Fillers Reduce Signs of Aging
Dermal fillers can be used to reduce facial wrinkles such as nasolabial folds (lines that extend from either side of the nose down to the mouth), and marionette lines (lines that run from the corner of the mouth to the chin).
These wrinkles develop as a result of the breakdown of skin collagen and elastin over time. The decline in these skin components reduces skin elasticity, so the skin no longer bounces back after facial expressions.
Dermal fillers also improve collagen production and help bring back moisture to the skin, making it fuller and smoother.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane are among the most popular choices for wrinkle reduction. HA fillers are a favorite because HA is a molecule that is naturally found in the skin.
When HA fillers are injected into the skin they attract and retain water. This stored moisture hydrates the skin and gives it a plump, smooth appearance. It typically takes just one injection to reduce the appearance of wrinkles for several months.
Loss of facial volume also gives the face an aged appearance, as it changes the shape and proportions of the face. The decline in facial fat in the cheek and temple areas, contributes to the formation of jowls and deep creases. Dermal fillers also restore lost facial volume, giving the face a subtle lift.
How Chemical Peels Reduce Signs of Aging
A chemical peel is a multipurpose skin rejuvenation treatment that can address a variety of skin concerns. Peels are regularly used to treat wrinkles, scars, and skin discoloration.
Chemical peels vary in intensity depending on the depth to which they penetrate, and may be superficial, medium, or deep.
The chemical peel process involves the application of a chemical solution to the skin. The controlled exfoliation triggers cell turnover and regenerates skin cells. Exfoliating the outermost layer of the skin reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and improves skin tone.
The skin looks plumper and healthier after a chemical peel, due to the regeneration of the skin cells.