Facial Aging Explained
- Posted on: Oct 30 2018
Anyone who has reached that time we call “mid-life” knows that they have changed. We don’t mean THE change, as in menopause, we mean the changes that men and women notice when they look at old photographs of themselves. At some point, we may see heavier eyelids and eyes that look somewhat closed off. We may notice that our jawline is not as sharp as it once was thanks to pockets of tissue sagging at the sides of the face. In some instances, facial aging creates a hollow appearance around the eyes and cheekbones.
Aging is a natural process that is intrinsically tied to collagen. When we grow older, the body doesn’t produce as much of this protein as it once did. Furthermore, any time that we have spent out in the sun or tanning bed without proper protection has degraded the collagen stands that construct the skin’s foundation. Shortly after the body slows its production of collagen, the fat pads that provide contours to the face begin to break down. To make matters worse, the body also starts to absorb bone. In combination, the natural breakdown of structure leads to numerous cosmetic complaints.
A Look at Volume
As we have learned through years of studying facial aging and the value of cosmetic treatments such as facelift surgery and collagen-stimulating therapies, it has become apparent that volume reigns supreme. Generally, facial volume is comprised of fatty tissue. As this breaks down, volume decreases as much as one teaspoon a year from mid-life on. A good visual depiction of a teaspoon of volume is to envision five sugar cubes. When volume loss is localized on the face, this is a pretty substantial deficit to occur every year.
To restore volume, many people turn to dermal fillers. To date, introducing hyaluronic acid or another substance into superficial tissue has been the best option for volume restoration. Still, one syringe of filler equates to only one sugar cube, or 1/5th of the volume that is lost in a given year. Is it possible to get a full teaspoon of volume back into the face using dermal fillers? Yes. The question is whether or not you want to go this far.
The good news about dermal filler treatment is that, when performed well, it may not take an extraordinary amount of product to achieve beautiful, natural-looking results. Ultimately, a 60-year-old shouldn’t look like they did at age 20. The objective in anti-aging treatments is to soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and support organic volume where it is needed. In conjunction with wrinkle reducing neuromodulators like Botox, Xeomin, or Dysport, dermal fillers can achieve maximum impact without creating a “filled” appearance.
We can help your inner light shine into the world around you. Contact our Manhattan office at 212-391-8600 for more information on our rejuvenating services.
Posted in: Injection Therapy
