Wrinkles

Wrinkles_Treatment_Cutis

As you age, your body’s production of essential proteins like collagen and elastin decreases. This negatively affects the firmness and elasticity of the skin, which can then result in fine lines and wrinkles. Wrinkles are the most visible first signs of aging and can deepen or become more prominent as time goes by.

Where do wrinkles appear?

Wrinkles appear as lines, creases, or folds in different areas of the face.

  • Wrinkles around the eyes – tiny lines under or in the corner of the eyes; also known as crow’s feet or laughter lines
  • Forehead wrinkles – horizontal lines on top of the forehead and can be a lot more visible if you raise your eyebrows.
  • Frown lines – vertical lines between your brows that mostly develop due to frowning; also called glabellar lines or angry 11s.
  • Lines on top of the moth – vertical lip lines that form due to smoking and other repetitive facial expressions; also known as smoker’s lines.
  • Nasolabial folds – deep lines that go from the edges of the nose to the outer corners of the mouths; these folds are also a sign of sagging skin.
  • Marionette lines – vertical lines that run from the corners of the mouth down to the chin; they can give the mouth a downturned appearance.

Wrinkles are deeper than fine lines and are more than 2 mm deep. There are also two common types of wrinkles:

  • Dynamic wrinkles – These types of wrinkles show up when you make a facial expression, but then disappear when your face is relaxed or not moving.
  • Static wrinkles – These types of wrinkles stay or linger on the skin even when you relax your face.

What causes wrinkles?

While wrinkles are a natural part of aging, they also appear due to the muscle contractions that happen beneath the skin. They usually show up on the face, but can also appear on the neck, chest, hands, elbows, and knees. A number of other factors also cause or contribute to the formation of wrinkles or accelerate their development. These include:

  • Sun exposure – UV rays break down collagen and elastin, which then weaken the skin structure easily. This then leads to premature signs of aging like wrinkles. Prolonged and unprotected sun exposure also speeds up the development of lines and wrinkles.
  • Repetitive facial expressions – Years of squinting, frowning, raising your eyebrows, and making other facial expressions can cause lines and creases to later on become static or permanent.
  • Smoking – This reduces the blood supply to the skin, which accelerates the wrinkles. The act of smoking (repetitive motion of puckering the lips) can also lead to wrinkles, especially on top or the lips around the mouth, over time.
  • Poor sleep – The skin won’t be able to regenerate and repair itself without enough sleep. Lack of sleep is also associated with skin inflammation and more fine lines or wrinkles.
  • Pollution – This generates free radicals that can damage the skin. Pollution can contribute to a number of skin issues such as dull skin, fine lines, pigmentation, and enlarged pores.
  • Poor diet – Having an unhealthy diet means depriving your skin the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. Too much consumption of sugary, fatty, and processed foods can damage your skin’s collagen, with effects that can then show up on your face.

How can we help?

Here at Cutis Laser Clinics, we know how wrinkles can betray your age or make you look and feel older. We provide a number of medical aesthetic treatments that can treat or soften their appearance. We have injectables and laser procedures that can reduce the signs of aging and make you look refreshed or younger.

Your individualized treatment plan, depending on various factors such as your acceptable social downtime, your expected time frame and budget, will be explained in detail during your consultation with our Harvard trained Medical Director, Dr. Sylvia Ramirez.