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Facial wrinkles are caused by a number of factors;
Expression lines – these are wrinkles that
are caused by contraction of the muscles of facial expression. This
leads to the compression of skin that results in wrinkle formation.
Initially, these wrinkles can only be seen when the muscles contract
e.g when you smile/frown, however, as the skin becomes progressively
creased, the lines may often appear at rest.
Loss of facial volume – When we are younger,
our face is more plump and full like a beach ball, and as time passes,
this volume is lost making it more like a sultana. fat around the
eyes, cheeks, and forehead are depleted. This loss of volume leads
to some laxity of skin and the formation of wrinkles.
Gravity – the inescapable pull of gravity
pulls the skin downwards on the face. This leads to drooping of the
cheeks and formation of nasolabial lines (the lines from the corners
of the mouth to the nose) and jowls, drooping of the eye skin and
formation of upper and lower lid laxity and wrinkles.
Sleep lines – this is caused by the compression
of the skin from contact of the pillow to the face when sleeping.
Their location is determined by the underlying anatomical attachments
of the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS). Pillow contact
puts pressure on these attachments and causes sleep lines. Sleep lines
include those on the forehead, around the eyes, cheeks and upper lip.
How can wrinkles be treated?
Expression lines are generally treated with anti-wrinkle injections
(Botox)
that relax the muscles causing the compression of the skin . This
is most commonly performed in the muscles between the brows and the
around the eyes. Anti-wrinkle
injections generally last for 3 to 4 months. By stopping the movement/expressions
that cause wrinkles, anti-wrinkle injections can also prevent static
lines from becoming deeper by stopping the compression of skin. If
static lines or lines at rest are already present, then anti-wrinkle
injections generally do not reverse these. However, the application
of anti-wrinkle injections at regular intervals gives the skin a rest
from compression, and often static wrinkles may improve slightly over
time.
A common method of treating static lines or lines at rest is with
dermal fillers. Dermal fillers add volume to the area that has lost
volume due to expression formation, gravity, sleep or just aging.
Mostly, dermal fillers are temporary in their effect and last from
4 to 18 months.
A more permanent solution to wrinkles is skin resurfacing. This can
be done with laser, deep chemical peels, or plasma skin regeneration.
Traditional laser resurfacing techniques, although effective, often
require a large amount of downtime or recovery. At The Victorian Cosmetic
Institute, we recommend plasma skin regeneration for the treatment
of wrinkles as it offers results whilst minimising downtime.
Volume loss is usually addressed by using thicker dermal fillers
such as Radiesse,
Perlane, or Restylane Sub-Q. These can add volume to the cheeks, chin,
and eye areas to replace the fat lost over time. A more permanent
alternative is fat grafting which is performed by plastic surgeons.
Dr. Gavin Chan
(MBBS)
The Victorian Cosmetic Institute
Level 6, 200 High St
Lower Templestowe 3107
(03)88500655
www.thevictoriancosmeticinstitute.com.au
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