How to remove wrinkles
Wrinkles are an inevitable companion of aging and most of us want to get rid of them altogether, or at least reduce their number. Subconsciously, wrinkles are associated with a respectable age, so if you want to look younger, first of all, you need to fight wrinkles.
Wrinkles are folds that form on the skin due to various factors, such as aging or sun damage.
Why do wrinkles appear
Wrinkles are the result of loss of skin volume. They are completely natural. The skin thins over time due to a decrease in the production of collagen and elastin proteins. This slowdown also leads to the fact that the skin becomes less resistant to damage, loses elasticity, and wrinkles appear on it.
Add to this the fat loss that occurs as you age, and facial wrinkles become more pronounced. To understand how to quickly get rid of wrinkles on the face, you need to understand why they appear.
What causes wrinkles
We have depicted the three main factors causing the appearance of wrinkles in the diagram below. This is the loss of collagen, the accumulation of dead cells and a decrease in the level of glycosaminoglycans.
There are many reasons that accelerate these negative processes. The most important are the following:
◼ Aging. With age, skin cells divide more slowly. The inner layer of the skin, called the dermis, begins to thin. The network of elastin and collagen fibers supporting the outer layer loosens and disintegrates. As a result, depressions – wrinkles – are formed on the surface of the skin.
◼ Contraction of facial muscles. Lines between the eyebrows (squint lines) and lines coming from the corners of the eyes (crow’s feet) are thought to be caused by contraction of core muscles. Smiling, frowning and other habitual facial expressions make wrinkles more noticeable with age.
◼ The influence of the sun. The sun’s ultraviolet rays, which cause photoaging, damage collagen fibers (the main structural proteins of the skin) and elastin fibers (the protein that allows the skin to stretch). Both of these fibers are important components of the connective tissue of the skin. Without them, the skin loses its strength and flexibility, which leads to the appearance of wrinkles.
◼ Smoking. Researchers have found that smoking tobacco products reduces collagen production. A lack of collagen leads to the appearance of wrinkles. This may be due to insufficient blood supply to the skin, also caused by smoking.
Types of wrinkles
Before getting rid of wrinkles, you need to understand their nature. Cosmetologists classify the following types of wrinkles:
◼ Mimic wrinkles are the result of active muscle contractions on the adjacent skin. The speed of formation of facial wrinkles directly depends on the nature of facial expressions. They appear especially quickly in the areas of muscle clamps. This is how wrinkles are formed on the forehead, on the bridge of the nose, around the eyes, and “pouch” wrinkles around the mouth.
◼ Deep wrinkles affect not only the upper layers of the skin, but also the subcutaneous fatty tissue, it is more difficult to remove wrinkles of this type. First of all, they appear in the area of natural folds of the skin – for example, nasolabial folds. The formation of deep wrinkles is largely determined genetically and depends on the individual characteristics of the face. As a result of these processes, the elasticity of the skin is lost, elasticity is disturbed, the oval of the face is deformed, the skin of the eyelids sags, and the cheek-cheek area is deformed.
Localization of wrinkles
First of all, wrinkles appear on the following areas of the face:
◼ forehead;
◼ around the mouth and nasolabial fold;
◼ “crow’s feet” (around the eyes);
◼ “lion” (between the eyebrows)
However, wrinkles can appear all over the face and neck, which we have depicted in the diagram below.
The most effective ways to fight wrinkles
Fortunately for modern women and men, wrinkles can be removed quickly and without surgery. There are several effective procedures for this.
Against mimic wrinkles on the face
Botulinum toxin type A injection therapy is an injection procedure that helps remove facial wrinkles and reduce signs of aging by relaxing facial muscles. You can resume most of your daily activities immediately after the procedure, and the results will be visible in 3 days and last up to 2 weeks. The duration of action of the drug is from 3 to 6 months.
The drug consists of various forms of botulinum toxin, which, when injected into muscles, prevents their contraction. This, in turn, softens wrinkles and folds and is one of the most popular ways to fight wrinkles.
But, unfortunately, botulinum toxin does not work on all wrinkles. When it comes to wrinkles caused by repetitive muscle movements, such as smiling or frowning, botulinum toxin is an excellent solution. It can be used to smooth out crow’s feet, forehead lines, smile lines, and more. On the other hand, static wrinkles caused by sun damage, smoking and general loss of collagen and elasticity cannot be removed in this way.
The results before and after the procedure can be compared below.
How the botulinum toxin injection procedure works
The procedure is quite simple: the doctor uses a needle to inject the drug into a specific muscle. If desired, it is possible to apply local anesthesia so that the discomfort is even less.
Who can inject botulinum toxin
Anyone who is concerned about the appearance of facial wrinkles can undergo a botulinum toxin injection procedure. There is no “appropriate age” to start the drug. You can also inject botulinum toxin as a preventative measure to prevent wrinkles from forming altogether.
What are the side effects after the procedure
Botulinum toxin injections are relatively safe, however, there are some risks associated with them. Some mild side effects include pain or bruising at the injection site, droopy eyelids, headache, or flu-like symptoms.
Botulinum toxin injections are the most popular and effective method of getting rid of facial wrinkles. In addition, this is far from the most expensive procedure in cosmetology.
You can learn more about the procedure and its cost in a separate article “Anti-wrinkle injections” or in the video.
Contour plastic surgery against deep wrinkles and folds on the face and neck
As we have already said for deep wrinkles, botulinum toxin injections are not an option. But this does not mean that such wrinkles are a sentence. To correct deep wrinkles, contour plastic surgery is used – its principle is to introduce fillers into deep wrinkles.
Fillers are gel-like substances that are injected into the skin to smooth out wrinkles. They are excellent for eliminating wrinkles caused by loss of facial volume. They can restore the lost volume and make the face younger. This technique is also called “blanching”. Unlike botulinum toxin, these fillers can be used to smooth out static wrinkles caused by loss of collagen, elastin and fat. Also, fillers are suitable for getting rid of those wrinkles that were formed under the influence of gravity and sunlight.
Fillers are as follows: hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, poly-L-lactic acid, polymethyl methacrylate. Hyaluronic acid fillers are the most popular because they are great for all skin types and provide quick results.
The best effect is achieved by filling wrinkles with a filler with a course of 2-3 procedures. The effect of the drug usually lasts for 6 months.
We talked about the procedure in more detail in the article “Contour plastic” and in the video.
Other ways to fight wrinkles
Botulinum toxin injection and contour plastic surgery are undoubtedly the most common and effective methods of wrinkle correction, but other (usually hardware) methods may be used at the beautician’s discretion.
◼ RF lifting is the use of high-frequency currents that affect the dermis and hypodermis without touching the surface layer of the skin and without injuring it. By warming up, the blood circulation in the subcutaneous tissues increases, the microcirculation of lymph currents increases, and the work of fibroblasts is restored. The procedure literally starts the regeneration process, rejuvenating the skin from the inside, while the fibers return to tone, they are compressed, and a new elastic elastic skin tissue is formed. A great way to get rid of deep wrinkles.
◼ Microneedle RF lifting (fractional radiolifting, needle radiolifting) – has a powerful lifting effect and simultaneously provides both skin rejuvenation and the removal of small wrinkles. The microneedle RF-lifting technique works in the deep layer of the skin, affecting collagen and elastin fibers responsible for skin turgor and clarity of facial contours. During fractional RF lifting, high-energy radio waves are transmitted through microneedles into the epidermal tissues, creating a matrix of vertical “columns” of influence. Each thin column is surrounded by a large volume of intact tissue, which is a reserve for rapid recovery.
◼ Chemical peels help exfoliate the outer layer of the skin. After the procedure, the skin peels off (hence the name), revealing smoother and less wrinkled skin underneath. Chemical peels vary in strength and may use a combination of different acids such as glycolic, lactic and salicylic. They also affect fine lines, enlarged pores, acne scars and age spots.
◼ Laser techniques. Laser skin resurfacing is a procedure to reduce facial wrinkles and unevenness caused by sun damage or acne. The laser technique directs short, concentrated pulsating rays of light to uneven skin, which stimulates the growth of new collagen fibers, helping to restore the contour and appearance of the skin. Laser resurfacing provides the fastest results of all non-surgical skin tightening methods. After healing within 2 weeks, much less wrinkles will be visible.
◼ SMAS lifting. Although this technology is known primarily as a facelift technique, SMAS lifting is also suitable for wrinkle correction. The use of this technology is especially justified when it is necessary both to directly remove wrinkles and to achieve a lifting effect. Result of the SMAS-lifting procedure lasts from 1 to 3 years. The course of treatment is only one session. This is the most effective non-surgical skin tightening method.
As you have already understood, there are many options for how to remove wrinkles. By signing up for a consultation with an Esteva Clinis cosmetologist, you will receive an individual consultation and a procedure tailored to your needs. The clinic of aesthetic medicine and dermatology Esteva Clinis is waiting for you!