Loose Skin, Jowls, and Wrinkles Are Created as We Age. This is a Comprehensive View of Non-Surgical Solutions for These Common Signs of Facial Aging.

FAcial changes with age.

Imagine how a helium balloon looks shriveled and wrinkled in the morning after you bring it home. As helium is lost the balloon volume declines, the “skin” of the balloon becomes wrinkled. Much like a helium balloon, our faces loose volume over time, resulting in wrinkles, loose skin and jowling.

Common changes in the face include;

• Cheek Volume declines. Our plump cherry cheeks of our youth lose their underlying fat pads, and the remaining fat pads move downward, changing facial proportions

• Skin thickness declines. Smaller volumes of collagen and hyaluronic acid results in thinner skin with less volume.

• Elastic properties of skin declines. The connective material in our dermis that provides pulls skin back into place declines in volume and effectiveness. Elastin is the name given to this dermal structure. In our twenties we stop creating elastin and the elastin that remains slowly loses it’s ability to “snap” skin back to the underlying tissues, creating loose, wrinkled skin.

• Fat pads lose volume and firm connection to underlying tissues. Containers of fat (fat pads), particularly along the jawline, move downward on the face. Along the jawline this contributes to “jowling”, hiding the definition of the jaw and adding volume to the lower face.

• Bone is lost, particularly around the eyes, cheeks and nose.

Youthful faces are typically associated with the most volume high in the face, and a sharply defined jawline and chin. An inverted triangle is used to describe these face proportions.

As we age our faces lose volume in the eye and cheek area and gain volume in the lower face.

A comprehensive plan for loose skin and wrinkles includes replacing volume in the upper face (with dermal fillers), removing volume from the lower face and rebuilding skin structures that provide volume and elasticity (with Profound RF and/or CO2 resurfacing).

Here’s Why You Should Visit the Team at Boise’s Best Med Spa!

Each cause of loose skin and volume changes requires a unique treatment plan…Botox is not enough

Loose skin and wrinkles have many causes, therefore your treatments strategies should include multiple services and daily habits.

Potential Services and Treatments for Loose, Wrinkled Skin

Loose skin and wrinkles - Detailed Information and Potential Solutions;

Cheek Volume addition - Juvederm Voluma dermal filler or Sculptra dermal filler injections

Young faces have high, full cheeks. As we age the fat pads in the face decrease in volume and move downward. This changes the proportions of the face and the skin becomes loose and “hang” on the face, creating folds and wrinkles. Dermal filler injections can restore this lost cheek volume. Two primary products are used. Hyaluronic Acid (HA) based products, such as Juvederm Voluma, or Sculptra, a Poly-L-Lactic Acid based. HA based fillers provide immediate changes, Sculptra takes a few weeks to stimulate your body to create volume. /Results typically last 12-24 months and varies by product and person. Your skin specialist at Spa 35 can provide additional information on cheek fillers.

Jawline definition by removing fat - CoolSculpting or Kybella Fat Removal injections. Profound RF Fat removal. Sculptra injections

With age we have a tendency to lose the definition of our jawline as fat moves downward and hangs below the jawline, this contributes “square” face proportions and makes us look older. We also tend to accumulate fat under the chin. This can be genetic or lifestyle related (diet and exercise). There are two core ways to address this issue. One is to remove fat from the jaw and chin area, the other is to add volume to the jawline with a dermal filler injection of Sculptra. Removing fat can be done by freezing the fat with CoolSculpting, dissolving the fat with Kybella or melting fat with Profound RF.

Stimulate elastin and collagen production - Profound RF and CO2 Resurfacing

The loss of dermal thickness and elasticity are core causes of loose wrinkled skin. By age 50 you can lose 30% of your collagen (per Galderma, click here to see more), and we stop naturally creating elastin (which keeps skin taught) in our 20’s. Two energy based cosmetic treatments can stimulate your skin to create new elastin and increase production of collagen and hyaluronic acid, Profound RF and CO2 laser resurfacing. They work in two different modalities, and are a great combination for maximum non-surgical tightening of the skin. Profound RF uses tiny micro-needles to inject radio-frequency (RF) energy into the dermis and minimizes disruption of the epidermis for faster recovery time. The RF energy stimulates the production of elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid. CO2 laser resurfacing removes portions of old skin with laser energy, requiring your skin to build new skin. The CO2 laser also deposits heat in the dermis, stimulating regrowth. CO2 laser treatments can be adjusted to match the amount of change you’d like to get, and to match the amount of downtime you have available. Maximum results are achieved with longer recovery periods, though some clients choose to have a series of lighter resurfacing treatments to minimize downtime after each treatment.

Add volume around the eyes and temples - Sculptra dermal Filler

For some people the bone lost around the eyes and temples are key contributors to signs of aging. Sculptra injections are a potential treatment for this area of the face. Adding volume around the eyes and upper face create the inverted triangle of proportions typical of a youthful face. Sculptra takes a few weeks to gradually and naturally build volume and the results can usually be seen for 12-24 months.

Neck rejuvenation. Don’t forget the neck! Botox, Profound RF, CO2 Resurfacing

Skin in the neck can show the signs of aging more than your face, so a good plan includes neck treatments. Platysmal bands are tendons that run along the bottom on the chin and down the neck. They become more pronounced as neck skin thins and loses overlying fat. Small amounts of Botox can be used to decrease the tension of the Platysmal band and decrease their appearance. Rebuilding skin thickness can also help tighten skin and reduce lines and wrinkles. Profound RF with CO2 resurfacing is the recommended cosmetic treatment for loose neck skin.

Prescription grade Vitamin A cream, such as Tretinoin - Rebuild collagen, hyaluronic acid

Clinical studies show that you can slow the destruction your skin’s foundation by adding prescription grade Tretinoin to your nightly skin care regimen. This will help diminish the lines around your eyes that deepen from repetitive muscle contractions around your eyes. Tretinoin can also rebuild skin under the eyes and lighten underlying darker tissues that causes dark circles under the eye. This is a Vitamin A based product that is sold over the counter in non-prescription strength as Retinol.

Sunscreen - with Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide

Don’t count on SPF in your cosmetics to protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation damage. Apply a high-quality sunscreen every morning to your face, with a focus on the tissues under the eyes on the Crow’s feet area. The best sunscreens contain a physical energy block, such as titanium dioxide or zinc, they’ll be listed on the label