Aging Skin

Daily Skin Care for Beautiful Skin

Reverse the Aging Process

Aging SkingScientific research in the field of anti-aging continues to give rise to new and promising non-invasive treatment options to help you achieve healthy, youthful-looking skin. Come in for a complimentary consultation with our dermatology team so that we may examine your skin, discuss your expectations, and recommend treatment options right for you. 

Causes of Aging Skin

Research shows that there are two distinct types of aging. Aging caused by the ancestral genes we inherit is called intrinsic (internal) aging, and extrinsic (external) aging which is caused by environmental factors such as exposure to the sun’s rays and smoking.

Intrinsic Aging

Intrinsic aging is considered the natural aging process.  Your genes control how quickly the normal aging process will unfold for you.  This continuous process normally begins in your mid-20s. Within the skin, collagen production slows, and elastin, the substance that enables skin to snap back into place, has a bit less spring. Dead skin cells do not shed as quickly and turnover of new skin cells begins to decrease. While these changes usually begin in your 20s, the signs of intrinsic aging are typically not visible for decades.

The signs of intrinsic aging include:

Intrinsic Aging• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Thin and transparent skin
• Brown spots
• Loss of underlying fat, leading to hollowed cheeks and eye sockets as well as noticeable loss of firmness on the hands and neck
• Bones shrink away from the skin due to bone loss, which causes sagging skin
Before & After Juvederm Dermal Filler Treatment

Extrinsic Aging

extrinsic agingA number of extrinsic, or external, factors often act together with the normal aging process to prematurely age your skin.  Most premature aging is caused by ultra-violet (UV) sun ray exposure. Other common external factors that age your skin are smoking, repetitive facial expressions, gravity, and sleeping positions.

Smoking

Cigarette smoking causes biochemical changes in your body will that accelerate aging. Research shows that a person who smokes 10 or more cigarettes a day for a minimum of 10 years is statistically more likely to develop deeply wrinkled, leathery skin than a nonsmoker. It also has been shown that people who smoke for a number of years tend to develop an unhealthy grayish/yellowish hue to their complexion. These signs can be greatly diminished, and in some cases avoided, by stopping smoking. Even people who have smoked for many years, or smoked heavily at a younger age, show less facial wrinkling and improved skin tone when they quit smoking.  There are ways to cosmetically fix the skin's tone, texture and wrinkles, however the best defense is to stop smoking!  The most effective cosmetic treatments for smokers are fractional skin resurfacing laser, IPL photorejuvenation, microdermabrasion, dermal filler treatments and Botox Cosmetic.

Facial Expressions

facial expressionsRepetitive facial movements lead to fine lines and wrinkles. Each time we use a facial muscle, a groove forms beneath the surface of the skin, which is why we see lines form with each facial expression. As skin ages and loses its elasticity, the skin stops springing back to its line-free state, and these grooves become permanently etched on the face.  Botox Cosmetic and dermal filler treatments are effective ways to temporarily erase the wrinkles and lines formed by repeated facial expressions.

Gravity

Gravity constantly pulls on our bodies. Changes related to gravity become more pronounced as we age. In our 50s, when the skin’s elasticity declines dramatically, the effects of gravity become evident. Gravity causes the eyelids to fall, deep dark circles to appear under the eyes, jowls to form, and the upper lip to disappear while the lower lip becomes more pronounced.  There are non-invasive ways to reverse the gravital force of nature with Thermage skin tightening treatment and dermal filler or fat transfer to restore skin fullness.

Sleeping Positions

Resting your face on the pillow in the same way every night for years on end also leads to wrinkles. Called sleep lines, these wrinkles eventually become etched on the surface of the skin and no longer disappear when the head is not resting on the pillow. Women, who tend to sleep on their sides, are most likely to see these lines appear on their chin and cheeks. Men tend to notice these lines on the forehead since they usually sleep with the face pressed face down on the pillow.  It is best to sleep on your back so you will not develop these permanent wrinkles.  Effective treatment for lines and wrinkles include Botox Cosmetic, dermal fillers and fat transfer.

For Healthier, Younger-Looking Skin

Prevention

While you cannot stop or even slow down the intrinsic aging process, you can prevent signs of premature aging by protecting your skin from the sun, quitting smoking, and eliminating facial exercises.

Our board-certified dermatology team recommend the following ways to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays:

prevention of aging skin• Avoiding deliberate tanning, including use of indoor tanning beds.
• Stay out of the sun between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., when the sun’s rays are the strongest.
• Wear protective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat and long sleeves and pants, when outdoors during the day.
• Apply sunscreen year round. Sunscreen should be a broad spectrum (UVA and UVB protection) and have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before going outdoors to all skin that will be exposed. It should be reapplied after sweating or being in water.

Treatment

If you are bothered by visible signs of aging, a number of treatments are available. Injectable dermal fillers and botulinum toxin are suitable for people with busy lifestyles who do not want the inconvenience of a long recovery. Thermage radiofrequency is a procedure that offers an alternative to the traditional facelift to tighten sagging skin. Microdermabrasion, laser skin resurfacing, chemical peels, and some topical treatments can restore skin health, giving it a smoother and refreshed appearance.   Come in for a complimentary consultation with one of our board-certified dermatologists to discuss the treatment options right for you.