Preventing and treating wrinkles

Before I go into the medical cosmetics that we use to improve our skin health and looks, let's review what can we do for ourselves to maintain the collagen and hydration of our skin? 

It’s never too late to take these simple preventive measures for your good looks!

1.      Protect your skin from the sunThe single biggest factor for skin damage is UV light exposure. I cannot recommend strongly enough: WEAR SUNSCREEN!  You are getting UVA rays even through your car windows, so wear sunscreen even if you aren’t outside.

2.      Quit smoking if you smoke cigarettesCigarette smoking is the second biggest environmental cause of premature aging. I realize quitting tobacco is not an easy thing to do, but if you are serious about your skin care, this is a huge cause of wrinkles and poor skin texture. It should go without saying that there are other, much more serious health issues that cigarette smoking causes, but I have to say it anyway, because it’s a doctor thing.

3.      Exercise!
There was recently a great study that proved that regular aerobic exercise reduces wrinkles in the skin and promotes collagen growth. It’s also good for your overall health and heart, not to mention your life expectancy…

4.      Eat healthy foodThere are NO supplements or vitamins that have been shown to improve your skin health, so please don’t waste your money on that. In general, eating food with anti-oxidants and high in vitamins, and low in refined carbohydrates (yes, that means sugar) will give you the healthiest body and therefore the healthiest skin.  I like to quote my favorite food writer Michael Pollan, who recommends three basic things: Eat food [i.e. real food, not processed food]. Not a lot. Mostly vegetables. Following that simple plan will improve your skin health as much as diet can.

Now for a brief overview of medical treatment of aging skin:

 There are a several major facts of aging skin that we can correct with medical aesthetics. I will discuss the main causes below, though there are other issues going on as we age as well.

1.      Loss of collagenWe stimulate natural collagen growth with topical retinol creams, growth factors and other collagen-boosters. Laser, ultrasound and radiofrequency energy treatments are one of the most effective forms of collagen boosting known to doctors. Some fillers also work to stimulate collagen. Ultimately, loosening of the skin by loss of collagen can be corrected by surgery, which will pull the skin tighter although it does not increase the amount of collagen or improve the baseline skin tone.

2.      Fine wrinkles caused by constant muscle activity (so-called dynamic wrinkles)
These are reduced by relaxing the muscles with botulinum toxin (Botox, Dysport or Xeomin).

3.      Fat and bone loss
Over years we lose a lot of the fat padding in our face, and our skull bones begin to shrink back some. This can be corrected with dermal fillers.

4.      Fat deposition
While our middle face and cheeks is losing fat, our jowls are putting it on! It’s just unfair. To a certain degree you can mask this with dermal fillers by erasing the shadows caused by the jowels, but after a certain point this has to be treated with either laser lipolysis or surgery.

5.      Hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage
There are brightening creams to correct dark discolored spots. Lasers are the gold standard treatment for these. Direct superficial damage can cause sloughing of hyperpigmented areas temporarily, such as Thermo-Lo cautery or Cryotherapy (I use a Cryogun in my office, which is a very versatile liquid nitrogen applicator).

If you would like to discuss your own aging issues and concerns, and how you can correct them simply and subtly, please call for an appointment with Dr. Jenny!