Wrinkles might signify a level of maturity, but not when they appear at an early age. The problem with wrinkles is that they do not necessarily appear once you cross a particular age. This happens because the skin can age much faster than the body because of things like unprotected sun exposure, damage from free radicals in the environment, smoking, etc. Moreover, wrinkles and fine lines are usually associated with aging, something that is looked down upon by beauty enthusiasts. Generally, wrinkles and fine lines appear in parts of the body that undergo the most sun exposure. Some of the most common areas include the face, neck, the back of your hands, forearms and hairless scalp.
Wrinkles can be divided into two types – fine lines and deep furrows. Some deep furrows have very little to do with skin aging, and they are not something that bothers most people. It is only the wrinkling that is associated with aging that is a cause of concern for people. Now, there are two approaches that need to be employed to get rid of wrinkles on a long term basis – protection and removal. The fine surface lines can be treated using cosmetic treatments, but the deeper creases might require you to use invasive techniques such as plastic surgery or injections. But, before you learn about the various methods of treating fine lines and wrinkles, you must understand what causes them. Which is why OROGOLD brings you this guide.
OROGOLD on What Causes Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Wrinkles are usually caused by a number of factors, some of which can be controlled and some that can’t be controlled at all.
- Age – As your body gets older, your skin becomes fragile and less elastic. The decrease in production of natural oils makes your skin drier and makes it look wrinkled. The fat also diminishes from the deeper layers of your skin which causes your skin to look loose and saggy.
- Exposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun – Sun exposure is considered to be one of the main factors of accelerated skin aging and wrinkles. The UV rays break down the connective tissues of your skin, which makes it lose its flexibility and strength. As a result, the skin begins to wrinkle prematurely and sag.
- Smoking – Smoking not only causes damage to your lungs, it torments your skin as well. It is one of the main factors that causes wrinkles because it ends up reducing the blood supply to your skin.
- Facial expressions – Facial expressions like smiling and squinting also lead to fine lines and wrinkles. A groove begins to form under the surface of your skin each time you use a facial muscle. As your skin ages, it looses its flexibility and fails to spring back into its original place. As a result, the grooves become permanent fixtures on your face.
OROGOLD on How to treat fine lines and wrinkles
There are a number of procedures that claim to help in treating fine lines and wrinkles. Some of these procedures actually work while others remain largely ineffective. There are two types of treatments for fine lines and wrinkles – Cosmetics and medications; and Surgical procedures and techniques.
- Cosmetics and Medications – There are several formulations that are effective when it comes to getting rid of the common signs of aging. However, these solutions are only useful when it comes to getting rid of fine surface lines.
- Vitamin A – Vitamin A is one of the most effective anti-agers available in the market. It has a huge track record in successfully helping people to get rid of fine surface lines. Creams and serums that contain Vitamin A or one of its derivatives must be used on a regular basis to allow them to become effective. However, Vitamin A can also lead to redness, irritation or peeling in some cases.
- Alpha-Hydroxy acids – Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) include glycolic acid and lactic acid. These treatments are very safe and do not lead to irritation or peeling. However, they are only known to bring about subtle improvements.
- Antioxidants – Antioxidants are believed to be extremely popular in the world of anti-aging because of the high rate of success that they offer. Some antioxidants also boost your sun protection measures.
- Surgical procedures and other techniques – There are a variety of surgical procedures, injections and treatments that can be used to smoothen out wrinkles. Each procedure offers unique results and many of them might contain side effects as well.
- Glycolic acid peels – Glycolic acid peels are superficial and can only bring about subtle differences in the intensity of your wrinkles.
- Deep peeling – Deep peels use ingredients like salicylic acid to penetrate deeper into your skin. They are generally known to offer a better result than glycolic acids in reducing your fine lines and wrinkles. However, they can also lead to pigmentation and scarring.
- Laser and radiofrequency treatments – Laser treatments use laser beams to destroy the outer layer of the skin and heat the inner lying areas in order to stimulate the growth of collagen. As the wounds begin to heal, your skin becomes tighter and smoother. Such treatments can take a few months to heal properly. They might also lead to darkening or lightening of your skin or scarring. Fractional re-surfing is another form of laser treatment that only works on areas of the skin that require attention. It is considered to be much better and more effective than laser treatments.
- Dermabrasion – Dermabrasion uses a process which sands the surface layer of your skin with a rotating brush. This removes the surface layer and allows a new layer to take its place. You can expect redness and swelling to last for a couple of weeks after dermabrasion.
- Microdermabrasion – Microdermabrasion is quite similar to dermabrasion. The only difference is that it uses a series of treatments to remove a fine layer of your skin. However, Microdermabrasion produces temporary results.
- Botox injections – When injected in small doses, Botox helps in preventing the muscles from contracting. This makes your skin look less wrinkled and smoother. Botox injections work very well on the frown lines between your eyebrows and on your forehead.
- Soft tissue fillers – Soft tissue fillers such as hyaluronic acid, collagen and fat can be injected into deep wrinkles to make them smoother. This procedure can lead to bruising, swelling and redness.
- Face-lift – Face-lift involves removing the excessive fat and skin from the lower face and neck and tightening the underlying muscles and tissues. This procedure generally lasts for 5 – 10 years.
Before undergoing any of these treatments, make sure that you understand the side effects that come along with them. Moreover, if you’re looking at maintaining your younger look, you will need repeated treatments as nothing can completely stop the aging process of your skin.
Don’t forget to discuss these treatments with experienced dermatologists before you get them done!
