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How our skin ages and what we can do about it

While it appears as if “everything is just sagging” as we age, recent research has revealed a much more complex series of events occurring beneath the skin than simple gravitational pull.   Recognizing the mechanisms of aging helps our dermatologists at SkinCare Physicians near Boston to better understand how to correct them in a more natural manner and avoid giving patients that “over-done” look.

Understanding the deeper cause of facial aging

The youthful face has a beautiful smooth look with high cheekbones and even tone.  As we age the effects of the sun create tan spots and little veins just under the skin’s surface that break up the even tone and can give the face a somewhat splotchy appearance.  These superficial changes are generally easily treated with a variety of lasers that remove the brown spots and eliminate the veins.  The more difficult issues to correct are those occurring under the skin surface, the ones that give the aging face a sagging appearance.  While it looks like gravity is just pulling everything down, it turns out that it is a multifaceted process below the skin that make these dramatic changes on the surface of the skin.  There is substantial bone loss as we age that is most significant around the eyes, mouth, and jaw areas.  This creates a caving in under the eyes and around the mouth.  It makes it appear as if everything is dropping and sagging.  To make matters worse, some of the fat pads beneath our skin begin to shrink. This is especially apparent in thin people around the upper cheek area.  As a balloon with less air in it seems to collapse, so too does the face without its supporting structures. The entire process is accentuated by the increased laxity of the skin associated with aging and sun damage.  All of this results in the lumpy, bumpy, sagging skin that is synonymous with aging.  Fortunately, we now have ways to correct many of these changes.

Two ways to combat the sagging face

1. Correcting with fillers: The recent research into the exact mechanisms of facial aging has shown exactly where the bone and fat is being lost. By precisely replacing the specific loss of bone and fat with fillers (Juvederm, Restylane, Voluma, Belotero, Radiesse, Sculptra, etc.), it is possible to restore the youthful contours of the face without creating a bloated or artificial look.   It continually amazes us at how a small amount of filler in just the right spot can make such a dramatic difference.  Correcting minor changes associated with aging can make a significant impact on the appearance and apparent age of the face.
2. Starting treatment early: Additional research is showing that early treatment of these structural changes actually helps prevent further deterioration and can maintain a youthful appearance for extended periods of time.  Using small amounts of product can stimulate your skin to make your own collagen and keep pace with the natural degradation process. The concept of starting treatments early and “prejuvenating” the skin to stay ahead of the aging curve is now actively being discussed. Small early treatments are easier and generally lead to more natural correction and preservation of healthy youthful skin.

Like many problems, the greater the understanding of the issue, the easier it is to solve.  The experts at SkinCare Physicians are happy to sit down and discuss with you a plan to restore your natural youthful face. Contact us at (617) 731-1600 or online.

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2 Responses to How our skin ages and what we can do about it

• Nicole says:

  February 21, 2014 at 4:56 pm

  Very interesting post. Thanks for explaining how the aging process affects the skin and possible treatments to prevent or lessen the appearance of the changes.

  Reply
  • SkinCare Physicians says:

    March 4, 2014 at 2:19 pm

    Nicole, thank you for visiting our blog and for taking the time to share your thoughts.

    Reply