It’s easy to think of facial plastic surgery as the ultimate way to reduce the signs of aging on your face. When some people think of anti-aging, they might automatically think of a facelift or eyelid lift, for example. While surgical procedures do turn back the clock when it comes to how you look, they are not the only option you have when it comes to reducing the signs of aging.
In fact, in some cases, surgery might not be the best or the most appropriate option for you. Surgery can help minimize extra skin and reduce sagging and droopiness. But, it won’t improve the texture of your skin or its quality. Depending on your particular skin and aging concerns, there might be non-surgical treatments that are a better fit for you.
Eyebrows and Eyes
The area around your eyes and forehead is often the area that shows the signs of aging first. There are a number of reasons for this. For one thing, the lines that form around your eyes, between your eyebrows and on your forehead usually form as a result of repeated muscle movements over time, rather than as a result of a loss of volume or a reduction in collagen production. If you’ve been squinting for your entire life or regularly furrow your brows, you’ll start to see lines in those areas, even in your 20s.
The skin in the area around the eyes also tends to be thinner than the skin on other parts of the face, meaning it’s more likely that you’ll see line or other signs of aging there sooner rather than later.
Although there are surgical options that can minimize signs of damage around the eyes and forehead, such as a brow lift or eyelid surgery, many people seek out non-surgical, temporary options first. Botox or Dysport injections are often the first treatments for aging that people consider.
The injections are designed to specifically treat lines caused by movements and work by keeping the nerves from signaling the muscles responsible for those movements. Botox and Dysport are very similar and contain the same active ingredient. For the most part, they provide results that last around three months. In some cases, the use of Botox or Dysport can be preventative, meaning that starting the injections as soon as a trace of a wrinkle appears can keep that wrinkle from becoming worse over time.
Wrinkles and Lines
Other types of lines and wrinkles, such as those that appear by the mouth and in the cheek area, form as a result of a loss of volume and as a result of the effects of gravity. As those lines deepen and as the skin in the area becomes looser and loses it elasticity, surgery is usually the best option to smooth those wrinkles and lines.
But, in the early stages, many wrinkles and lines respond well to an injectable filler, such as Juvederm, which contains hyaluronic acid. Fillers help smooth lines and wrinkles by increasing volume in the area. They can also be used to actually add volume to the face, such as in the cheek area, where a loss of fat can make a person look gaunt and older. Depending on the type of filler used, the results from an injection can last anywhere from six months to two full years.
Skin Texture and Quality
Sagging skin and wrinkles aren’t the only cause of the signs of aging on the face. As you get older, the texture and quality of your skin changes, too. Usually, those changes are because cell turnover slows down and the production of collagen decreases. They can also be due to excessive sun exposure earlier on in life.
A slowdown in cell turnover means that your skin can look dull, as a dead cells collect on its surface. A treatment that helps exfoliate those cells, such as a chemical peel, laser skin resurfacing or microdermabrasion can give your skin a refreshed appearance. Resurfacing or peeling treatments also help stimulate the production of collagen beneath the surface of skin, so that it becomes firmer and plumper. Additionally, resurfacing treatments can also help minimize the appearance of age spots, or hyperpigmentation, giving you a more even tone.
The skin care products you use on your face can also go a long way to improving or maintaining its quality and texture. Sunscreen is a must, before or after any treatments, as it minimizes the damage done by the sun. You might also consider using a product containing retinoids to help minimize wrinkles or to keep new wrinkles from forming.
No matter what your concern is when it comes to your face and the signs of aging, working with an aging face specialist, such as the Naderi Center’s Dr. Jessica Kulak, can help you develop a treatment plan and course of action that keeps you looking youthful for as long as possible. Dr. Kulak practices at the Center’s locations in Virginia and Maryland. To schedule an appointment in Virginia, call (703) 481-0002. For a consultation in Maryland, call (301) 222-2020 today.
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