Beauty Doc Blog

July 22. 2008

Wrinkles! Caused by lifestyle, environment and the simple act of aging, wrinkles are a fact of life. If left untreated, what start out as fine lines on your face become deep creases, folds and visible wrinkles. If you are thinking about doing something about those ‘telling’ facial creases, whether by aggressive skincare or plastic surgery, you may want to know that there are different types of wrinkles; each with their own personalities and causes. Therefore, it goes without saying that every type of wrinkle requires a different type of treatment. So, let’s get to know your wrinkles…

Dynamic Wrinkles occur from muscle contractions. These types of wrinkles commonly appear between the eyebrows, on the forehead and in the corner of the eyes. They are more noticeable when the muscles are contracted. Since we cannot stop smiling, frowning, concentrating or squinting in the sun, dynamic wrinkles are simply a fact of everyday life that cannot be avoided. Dynamic wrinkles are those that are treated by Botox injections which temporarily decrease the muscle activity, suspend the facial muscle movement and thus provide an appearance of smoother skin. More drastic measures to removing dynamic wrinkles include weakening the muscles through eyelid surgery, brow lifts and forehead lifts.

Static wrinkles occur from a decline in the skin elasticity. This can be caused by sun damage, heredity, a lack of nutrients, smoking and from extended dynamic wrinkling. The worst part of static wrinkles is that they are always visible, whether facial muscles are contracted or not. Over time, static wrinkles created the cross hatched effect often seen in the cheek and eye areas. As a general rule, laser skin resurfacing and chemical peels are effective in removing the damaged skin and encouraging healthy skin growth.

Skin folds (also known as wrinkle folds) occur over time due to the slackening of the underlying facial structures. For most of us, skin folds are evident in the deep wrinkles between the nose and mouth (clinically known as the naso-labial groove) as well as skin folds in the eye area and most commonly, the neck. Non-surgical but temporary procedures include Restylane and Perlane filler injections to plump the area, making the folds less noticeable. Permanent solutions include facelifts, neck lifts and fat transfer procedures.

The simple truth is that most of us (especially as we age) have a combination of dynamic wrinkles, static wrinkles and skin folds. Luckily, there are solutions available for every wrinkle issue. Now that you have put a name to your face and its various lines and wrinkles, it is time to let them know they have overstayed their welcome and send them packing!