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Facial Wrinkles
Expression lines, loss of facial volume, sleep lines
and gravity are factors that can cause facial wrinkles. Wrinkles are
generally treated with anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers and
skin resurfacing procedures.
Expression lines
Repetitive muscle movement such as smiling and frowning
creates lines and wrinkles, known as expression lines. At first these
wrinkles will only be seen when smiling or frowning, however, the
lines may become visible while at rest as the skin becomes progressively
creased.
Loss of facial volume
Wrinkles are also caused by the loss of facial volume
generally around the chin and cheek area.. Younger skin is typically
more plump and full, as people get older this volume is lost leading
to laxity of skin, therefore wrinkles are formed.
Sleep lines
Sleep lines are formed due to the compression of the
skin due to contact of the pillow to the face when sleeping and are
formed around the forehead, the eyes, cheeks and upper lip area .
The wrinkles are determined by the underlying anatomical attachments
of the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS). Pillow contact
puts pressure on these attachments which then causes sleep lines.
Gravity
The pull of gravity pulls the skin downwards on the
face, leading to the dropping of the cheeks and the formation of nasolabial
lines (lines from the corners of the mouth to the nose). Gravity also
causes the dropping of the eye skin and forms upper and lower lid
laxity and wrinkles.
Treating wrinkles
Anti-Wrinkle injections (Botox) relax the muscles
and stop the movement and expressions that cause wrinkles. Botox is
most commonly performed in between the brows and around the eyes and
generally last 3 to 4 months.
Anti-Wrinkle injections can also prevent static lines
from becoming deeper by stopping the compression of the skin. Anti-Wrinkle
injections generally do not reverse static lines that are already
present or lines at rest, however, regular anti-wrinkle injections
will give the skin a rest from compression and over time static wrinkles
may improve. Dermal fillers are commonly used to treat static lines
or lines at rest; their effect is temporary and lasts between 4 and
18 months. Dermal fillers work by adding volume to the area that has
lost volume due to factors such as expression formation, gravity,
sleep and ageing.
Skin resurfacing is a more permanent solution to wrinkles
and can be done with lasers, deep chemical peels, or plasma skin regeneration.
Laser resurfacing is an effective wrinkle treatment
procedure, however Laser resurfacing requires a large amount of downtime
and recovery. At The Victorian Cosmetic Institute, plasma skin regeneration
is the preferred method to treat wrinkles as it offers quality results
and has a minimal downtime and recovery.
Thicker dermal fillers such as Perlane or Restylane
Sub-Q are usually used to replace lost volume. Using these treatments
will help add volume to the cheeks, chin and eye areas, replacing
the fat loss over a period of time. Fat grafting is performed by plastic
surgeons and is a more permanent option to treat volume loss.
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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