How And Why Do Our Faces Age?

Effects of Aging - Part Two of Three

As noted in Part One, aging happens to all of us and can be attribute to many sources. Aging effects such as wrinkles, facial deflation, and a changing bone structure are prime indicators of our age, but luckily, Dr. Flaharty and Azul offer ways restore youthfulness, and thus, our natural beauty.

What About Wrinkles?

Wrinkles are lines that form in the skin. There are two types of facial wrinkles:

Dynamic wrinkles

Dynamic wrinkles form as a result of muscle motion—including the way we express ourselves—as well as from habitual movement, as is the case of vertical lip lines in smokers and crow’s feet in tennis players who often squint in the sun. When our facial muscles contract, the skin over those muscles stretches to accommodate the muscles. When we’re young, our skin bounces back after squinting, smiling or laughing. Eventually, however, our skin can no longer bounce back, and the dynamic wrinkles start to become more permanent, or static. The most common dynamic wrinkles are across the forehead, at the outer corners of your eyes (crow’s feet) and between the eyebrows.

Static wrinkles

Static wrinkles are caused by gravity, the loss of fat and collagen, and the loss of the skin’s elasticity. These types of wrinkles are visible regardless of the muscle action. They are always there, hence the term “static.” Dynamic wrinkles eventually become static wrinkles. Some wrinkles are really more folds than lines, and may be dynamic or static. The deep lines that run from the nose to the sides of the mouth are called nasolabial folds. Lines that start at the corners of the mouth and go downward toward the jawline are called marionette lines. They form for three reasons: years of dynamic facial movements, static forces such as gravity, and chronological aging.

Facial Deflation

The single most important concept in facial aging is “facial deflation.” As we age, the natural loss of fat—and to a lesser extent muscle and bone—leads to a loss of support for the skin and a sunken, hollow, sagging and drawn appearance to the face. (The gradual, progressive loss of fat in the face is called global fat loss.) Just as a deflated balloon loses it smooth, round exterior, a deflated face will flatten, sag, and wrinkle. This is one of the reasons fuller faces remain more youthful than thinner faces. Heavier people tend to age slower in the face.

Bone Structure

It’s not only our skin that ages us. Changes in bone structure also contribute to making us look older. A study by physicians at the University of Rochester Medical Center[i] indicates that significant changes in facial bones occur as we get older, contributing to an aging appearance. The study noted that the angle of the jaw increases markedly with age, which results in a loss of definition of the lower border of the face. With the passing years, our cheekbones descend, offering less support. With the descending of our cheekbones, the eye sockets widen and become longer.  This insidious loss of bone further contributes to volume loss and tissue sagging.

How And Why Do Our Faces Age?

Part One of Three

As we grow older, our faces reflect both our joys and our challenges in life. Some of the factors that contribute to aging—such as fitness, nutrition and to a certain extent, our environment—are within our control. Other factors, like genetics and gravity, are not. As we age, our skin gets thinner and losses its elasticity. Brown spots and other sun damage cause us to look older. At the same time, there are unavoidable changes happening under the surface: gravity pulls on our skin and muscles. When we’re young, the fat in our faces is evenly distributed and abundant. As we age, fat volume decreases and shifts, resulting in loose and sagging skin. The lower half of the face tends to gain fat. Jowls (drooping flesh under the lower jaw) form. Fat accumulates along the nasolabial fold (between the nose and creases of the mouth) and in the front of the neck. Fuller faces tend to remain youthful while thin faces do not age as gracefully.

A Quick Lesson on Your Skin 

Most of us don’t give a lot of thought to our skin in general, but in reality, skin is quite remarkable, it is the largest organ of the body and is responsible for protecting us from dehydration, regulating body temperature, shielding us from injury, disease, and more.

The skin is essentially made up of two layers: the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is the top layer of the skin, the layer you can see and feel. The epidermis itself is comprised of two layers: the outermost layer is called the stratum corneum and beneath that is the basal layer. The stratum corneum is composed of dead cells that have migrated from the basal layer. This migration of cells (cell renewal) happens over 15–30 days. As we age, the process of cell renewal slows down. The result is an accumulation of dead cells on the surface and a dry, scaly, lifeless appearance of the skin.

Beneath the epidermis is the dermis, which contains hair follicles, sweat glands, and nerve endings, along with collagen and elastin. Collagen is a protein that provides structure and support for your skin; it works hand in hand with elastin, which is a protein that keeps skin flexible. As we age, the epidermis becomes thinner and the dermis (where collagen is located) becomes thinner and drier.

Two Types of Aging

The aging process is a natural phenomenon. This natural aging of the skin is call intrinsic aging. The skin also ages due to external factors—with the sun being the primary offender—and this is called extrinsic aging.

Intrinsic Aging

Here’s the bad news about your skin: over time, collagen production slows, elastin loses its strength, dead skin cells do not shed as quickly, and new cells do not replenish as rapidly as they once did. This is a natural process and it happens to every one of us. It’s called intrinsic aging, or chronological aging. The consequence of this natural aging process is loss of our skin’s color, volume, and elasticity. The result is dry skin, wrinkles, increased pore size, redness due to broken capillaries, and skin laxity.

Our genes play a definitive role in the intrinsic aging process as well. We have no control over the genes with which we’re born. You’ve probably seen mothers and their daughters, or fathers and their sons, who have both grown older gracefully and who never seem to look their age. You may also have witnessed the opposite side of the coin: mothers and their daughters, as well as fathers and their sons, who appear to look older than their years. It’s mostly in the genes.

Extrinsic Aging

Extrinsic aging results from exposure to external factors such as sun exposure, poor nutrition and sleep habits, smoking, extreme climates, pollution, or stress. For the most part, these are factors over which we do have control. The consequences of extrinsic aging include deeper wrinkling, roughness, brown spots, a leathery look or feel of the skin, and blotchy pigmentation.

The aging effect of the sun is called photo aging. Sun damage is the biggest single offender when it comes to facial aging. I can’t stress this enough, so let me say it again: sun damage to our skin is the single biggest offender when it comes to facial aging. As much as eighty percent of the appearance of facial aging is due to sun exposure. In short, ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun causes skin damage. There are two types of ultraviolet radiation: the long-wave rays, called Ultraviolet A and the short-wave rays, called Ultraviolet B. Both types damage the skin and need to be blocked or screened to reduce sun damage. It’s the Ultraviolet B rays, the short ones, that give you sunburn. The Ultraviolet A rays, the longer rays, penetrate into the dermis, where they damage the collagen fibers.

Featured in the Los Angles Times, The Aesthetics Guide, and New Beauty Magazine, Dermapen is being referred to as the most exciting innovation in non-surgical skin rejuvenation. With shorter treatments, shorter recovery, less pain, and, adjustable needle depth which allows the treatment of numerous skin conditions, Dermapen is cutting edge technology. And, it’s offered here in Southwest Florida at Azul Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Spa.

ABOUT DERMAPEN®

Ultherapy in Southwest Florida
The Non-invasive Solution to Lift, Tighten and Tone Skin

It’s been featured on national television shows such as Rachael Ray, The View and The Doctors. It’s been touted by big-name beauty editors from Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, Shape and more…

It’s Ultherapy, a non-surgical treatment of the face that uses ultrasound to actually lift and tone loose skin without any downtime. And, it’s offered here in Southwest Florida at Azul Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Spa.

Ultherapy Uses Ultrasound?

That’s right! Ultherapy is the only cosmetic procedure to use ultrasound imaging, which allows us to actually see the layers of tissue we target during the treatment, to ensure that the energy is delivered precisely to where it will be most effective.

Leveraging this tried-and-true technology, we can specifically target the deep foundation below the skin – the one typically addressed in cosmetic surgery – without cutting or disrupting the surface of the skin. That means after a 30- to 60-minute non-invasive treatment, you’ll be able to return to your everyday life without interruptions…and, without hiding behind those “post-treatment” glasses or scarves.

Ultherapy Creates Collagen Naturally

Ultherapy is so unique because it “banks” your collagen by jumpstarting a repair process. It relies on the body’s own regenerative process to stimulate the natural renewal of existing collagen and creation of new collagen – yes, new collagen. This results in an actual lift of skin overtime – and just better-fitting skin.

Many people notice an immediate effect following the treatment, but the ultimate lifting and toning takes place over 2-3 months, as tired collagen is renewed and replaced with new, stronger collagen. And, as this collagen-building process continues, further improvements can even appear up to 6 months following a procedure!

Ultherapy – an Uplift not a Facelift

Ultherapy is a non-surgical option for people with mild to moderate skin laxity – those who want some lifting for skin that has lost elasticity, but are not ready for surgery, either mentally, financially or logistically. It’s also a great option for those who want to “stay ahead of the game” as well as those looking to prolong the effects of cosmetic surgery.

Ultherapy may cause some discomfort while the energy is being delivered, but it is temporary and a positive signal that the collagen-building process has been initiated. Of course, we offer a number of options to help make your Ultherapy treatment as comfortable as possible. Our patients who’ve had Ultherapy typically leave comfortable and excited about the benefits to come!

Ask us if Ultherapy is right for you!

If you’re looking for a lift to counter the effects that gravity takes over time, it may be just the treatment you’ve been waiting for.