What Causes Facial Changes As I Age? And What Can I Do About it?
We all know things change with age- from technology to wine. Understanding how this happens with our faces and how we can reverse signs of aging can help us age more like a good wine! Yes, it is inevitable that our outward appearance will change as the years go by. Unfortunately, one of the first places we all tend to notice this is in our face. What causes this and what can we do about it? Let’s take a look at some of the key factors in this complex process:
Gravity- yes that thing keeping you on the ground is also pulling at your body and over time causes your skin to sag and droop.
Loss of Volume- you know how round and plump babies are? This is because they are full of fat. That healthy fat stays in your face and makes you look young when you are in your 20s and 30s. Over time your face loses its fat that will further cause volume loss. The fat may start to shift and sag and it may migrate to the lower parts of your face.
Loss of Lift and Tightness: This is where collagen comes into play. We naturally lose collagen over time and our own collagen production decreases as well. The face may begin to sag and loses its lift and young appearance due to this.
Loss of Glow: Hyaluronic acid plays a major role in the natural skin moisturizing mechanism. It is a clear substance that is naturally produced by your body. Its main function is to retain water to keep your tissues well lubricated and moist. Without hyaluronic acid, the face loses its volume, shape, and glow.
Gaining Fat- the face often becomes fuller in lower areas caused by aging or by weight gain/loss from year to year. This also can be triggered by a change in hormones like going through the menopause stage. You may start seeing hanging jowls or double chin over time.
Bone Loss- think of this like an osteoporosis of the face. No matter how much calcium you consume your bones in your whole body loose mass over time causing shifts and remodeling. In your face, you can see how it went from more of an inverted triangle shape to that of a square. This is happening in your jawline and mid-face or cheek area.
Stress- oh yes my friends, stress can cause those fine lines and wrinkles to appear faster than we want. It also can cause you to grind your teeth at night which will accelerate the bone loss even quicker and should be taken seriously. If this is you, it is imperative to see your dentist and get fitted for a bite guard to wear overnight to the prevent that premature aging of the jaw. Reducing your stress is always a great choice by making healthy habits like meditating, yoga, or journaling. Hot baths and sweaty workout sessions also are must-dos!
Sun damage- living in Florida has it’s perks of more sunshine days but that can have your face aging quicker than your friends living up north! Sun damage is one of the most common problems we see that really makes those wrinkles look more intense. Using sunscreen every day is a must! Also, make sure you moisturize your skin daily to give it the quench it needs.
So what can you do about it all? Well, luckily science has uncovered some amazing treatments that can help you look younger if you have already noticed the first signs of aging. Of course, eating a nutritious diet full of real fruits and veggies while drinking plenty of water is a total must no matter what stage you are at. Avoiding smoking at all costs is also very important as it will age you quicker than all the other things combined.
Some of the most effective treatments are those that boost the production of collagen and restore loss of volume. You can look and feel younger with one treatment or choose a few things to combo and really make yourself glow.
Laser Skin Resurfacing sounds more intense than it really is! This procedure can reduce wrinkles, clear up sun spots, and even smooth out your skin texture. It also helps to boost the production of collagen giving you better skin tone and long-lasting results. At Perich Aesthetics, Dr. Tanya Perich offers the Candela CO2RE® Laser which is designed to effectively enhance the texture and tone of your skin for a smoother, wrinkle-free, more even complexion. CO2RE® is a fractional CO2 therapy that uses the most advanced technology. Your skin is treated with a matrix of laser light points that vary in intensity, depending on your skin type and desired treatment results. Laser skin resurfacing gives spectacular results and it is the key to complete facial rejuvenation. As it is considered one of the most effective anti-aging treatments, it might still require 10-14 days of downtime.
Radio Frequency Treatments - in other words, RF treatments. These treatments are becoming more and more popular because they are fast, comfortable, and do not require any downtime. You can have it done in less than an hour and go back to your daily routine right after your treatment. It is a fantastic way to boost collagen production, improve skin tone and appearance, remove hanging jowls, remove shifted facial fat, reduce sagging skin, and reverse the main signs of facial aging.
Derma Fillers and Botox are a great way to minimize fine lines and wrinkles to smooth your skin and restore your youthful appearance. They are the leading and most known about way to contour the face to achieve instant results. These injectables are used to smooth, lift, enhance, contour, and restore the volume of just about any area of the face to give you the look you want. There are many variations to choose from in this category and now we even have Sculptra® which is not a filler, but a biostimulator. It stimulates the body to produce its own type 1 collagen over time, giving you a permanent result. Depending on the desired look, Dr. Tanya Perich uses fillers, botox, Sculptra, and other anti-aging treatments to achieve the best results.
No matter what you are interested in correcting or adjusting there is an option that is right for you. It is important to note that speaking with a medical professional prior to getting your heart set on just one treatment is the best way to go. A highly qualified and experienced doctor, like Dr. Perich, can tailor your treatment to fit your needs and your lifestyle to obtain the healthiest, happiest results! Contact us today to schedule your consultation 😊
