Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Fine lines and wrinkles may seem like an inevitable side-effect of aging, but they can quickly change a youthful face to looking older and tired. Not only that, but fine lines and wrinkles can detract from a person’s beauty and make them look older than they feel. Genetics plays a large role in how a person ages, but most people want to delay the effects of aging as much as possible. Luckily, when a person wants to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, the team at The Dermatology Center can help.
What are fine lines and wrinkles?
Fine lines are associated with the earliest signs of aging and/or sun damage. These usually begin to appear once a person enters their 30’s and 40’s. As we age, fine lines are caused by the repeated muscle contractions that happen under the skin when making facial expressions, like smiling, frowning or squinting.

Popular areas for fine lines are at the corners of the eyes (crow’s feet), between the eyebrows (the 11’s) and out from the corners of the mouth (nasolabial folds or laugh lines). Nasolabial folds can appear as fine lines, but may also develop into lax, sagging skin, which causes a heaviness to the mid-to-low face and with time can create jowls. With repeated expressions making the facial muscles contract and release over the years, fine lines will inevitably develop, followed by wrinkles.

Wrinkles are deeper lines that fall into two categories: dynamic and static. A dynamic wrinkle is one that is visible with facial movements or expressions, for example, when smiling or frowning. Static wrinkles, also known as wrinkles at rest, are present even when the face is relaxed. Eventually, dynamic wrinkles will become static wrinkles, remaining visible at all times.

What causes fine lines and wrinkles?
Aging causes our skin cells to begin to divide more slowly and our skin produces less collagen and elastin. This loss of collagen and elastin causes the skin to lose its firmness and elasticity. As a result, our skin becomes thinner and drier, eventually leading to sagging skin and wrinkles. In addition to aging, other factors can increase a person’s development of facial lines, including:

  • Smoking
  • Sun damage
  • Dehydration
  • Certain medications
  • Genetics

One of the first steps towards combating facial aging is to take excellent care of your skin with proper skin care and cosmetics. Remaining hydrated can also help keep your skin healthy and maintain your complexion. However, with the help of the innovative anti-aging treatments our cosmetic dermatologists use at TDC, it’s possible to not only reduce the signs of aging, but in some cases, reverse them.

How are fine lines and wrinkles treated?

Just as there are different types of lines and wrinkles, there are many diverse wrinkle treatments that can improve shallow to deep wrinkles in various locations such as the face, neck, chest, and hands. At the Dermatology Center, we offer a wide range of the most effective facial injectables to help smooth the appearance of fine lines or wrinkles and restore a person’s youthful appearance.

Dysport™/Botox™
Depending on the type of wrinkles and how deep they are, the effective neuromodulators such as Dysport™ and Botox™ can improve dynamic wrinkles by relaxing the muscle contractions responsible for creating the wrinkle. This not only reduces the appearance of the wrinkle, but helps prevent the formation of deeper creases because it allows the skin to rest.

Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are a wonderful option for deeper lines or static wrinkles that cannot be improved with Botox™. For some, a combination of facial fillers and Botox™ is the best wrinkle treatment option.

At The Dermatology Center, our dermatologists and skin experts have extensive experience using facial fillers for smoothing away lines and wrinkles. We offer the following fillers for the best outcomes for treating facial creases:

Restylane® is a cosmetic dermal filler made of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring bodily substance that provides the skin with fullness and volume. It is the world’s most used and studied dermal filler. Restylane® restores contours to the skin by smoothing away facial wrinkles and folds like the lines from your nose to the corners of your mouth. The three dimensional hyaluronic acid molecules in Restylane™ allow them to bind many times their own weight in water and as the hyaluronic acid begins to diminish, each molecule can bind to more water which helps maintain the effects of the treatment for about six months.

Over time, the natural fat that surrounds the cheeks begins to deteriorate, resulting in sagging skin, more prominent wrinkles and a reduction of volume. Restylane Lyft™, formerly known as Perlane-L™, is an injectable hyaluronic acid gel used to correct volume loss and treat wrinkles in the face. Through nonsurgical injections, Restylane Lyft™ is specifically designed to add fullness to the cheeks and mid-face area, which can result in a more natural-looking, youthful appearance.

Laser Treatments
Laser resurfacing is a game-changer when it comes to improving fine lines and wrinkles. Laser treatments can safely and efficiently smooth away creases, revealing a more youthful, vibrant appearance without the downtime of a more-invasive procedure.

Peels
Chemical peels are the perfect choice for people looking to reverse early to moderate signs of aging. This powerhouse treatment can not only reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but it will also restore texture and tone, leaving you with a glowing, youthful appearance.