LASER MEDICINE & AESTHETICS
Bye, bye wrinkles? How they arise and how we get rid of them again
09 February 2023
You get wrinkles naturally throughout life, but wrinkles can be reduced with both laser and injections. The process of skin aging is perceived differently. For some, the small or large wrinkles bother very little, as it is a mark of maturity and experience and often charismatic. Others wish they could turn back time a little when they look in the mirror.
When do wrinkles actually start to form?
The first wrinkles on the face can appear as early as the early 20s. However, how quickly they actually form and when we see them depends on several factors. Studies have shown that skin aging depends on lifestyle, environmental factors, as well as our skin care regimen and, in fact, our emotional well-being. Preventing wrinkles or avoiding wrinkles does not work in purely biological terms and despite many new findings in science. However, lasering wrinkles and injecting wrinkles are common methods to regain youthful appearance.
Nowadays, the methods of wrinkle treatment on the face are very well known. “True age can be seen on the neck and décolleté” is often said colloquially, but even here the common methods of wrinkle reduction have already arrived.
Why do wrinkles appear on the décolleté?
It is not often talked about, but especially for women, wrinkles on the décolleté are a nagging issue. With age, the production of collagen and elastin decreases. These are two proteins that store water in the skin and are responsible for the formation of connective tissue fibers. Without enough collagen and elastin, the skin loses elasticity and it becomes dry. Due to the lack of moisture, the skin contracts more and more and the first wrinkles appear. Women often find wrinkles on the décolleté particularly disturbing, but they are treatable.
Why do wrinkles appear on the neck?
Wrinkles are caused by the natural aging process. Since the skin on the neck is particularly thin, the first wrinkles usually appear here and the neck looks dry and wrinkled. Wrinkles on the neck can be especially annoying when the face still looks very fresh and youthful. But there are simple ways to tighten the neck again.
Remove wrinkles without surgery?
Simply massaging away wrinkles – that’s certainly what most people would wish for, but unfortunately that doesn’t work. There is a huge range of products, such as special creams or serums that act superficially and “deliver” a short-term result and moisturize the skin.
In addition to the classic surgical face lift, there are a number of methods that do not require surgery at all.
Wrinkles can be treated with a laser, for example, or injected with hyaluronic acid or botulinum toxin.
The so-called mesotherapy is especially suitable for fine wrinkles under the eyes. Mesotherapy uses microinjections to inject individually formulated solutions and hyaluronic acid directly into the middle layer of the skin. Due to the special injection technique, only small amounts are necessary. The injection and delivery of these highly effective antioxidants to the skin increases blood flow, oxygen and metabolism of the area and promotes collagen and elastin synthesis of the skin.
The Profhilo treatment method is also becoming increasingly well-known. Profhilo was developed in Italy in 2015 and is gaining ground in Europe. This new injection treatment has caused a sensation because it delivers visible results in just two sessions.Here, a high-purity hyaluronic acid is injected into five defined points on the face. The treatment aims to counteract the physiological decline of hyaluronic acid in the skin and restore hydration, elasticity and tone. Profhilo can be used on the face and also on the neck.
How to remove wrinkles on the upper lip?
Especially wrinkles on the upper lip, so-called pleated wrinkles (also called smoker’s wrinkles ), are considered annoying by many women because they are immediately noticeable when talking and make it difficult to apply lipstick.
Fine lines and slight wrinkles around the mouth can be treated with a laser. The slight injury to the middle layers of the skin caused by the laser pulse stimulates a new production of collagen and elastin.
However, for deeper wrinkles on the face, such as around the mouth or around the eyes, injections with hyaluronic acid are recommended. Dermal Filler is injected into the skin in small amounts with a very fine needle or cannula. The gel adds natural volume to the skin to smooth lines and wrinkles, improve facial shape or create fullness, depending on how it is used.
In the case of so-called expression lines, such as the frown line or severe laugh lines, treatment with botulinum toxin is usually used. This involves administering several small injections of muscle relaxants directly into the muscles that cause the visible lines and wrinkles.
What actually is skin resurfacing?
The term skin resurfacing is popping up more and more on social media. But what is actually behind this trend from the USA?
Skin resurfacing is when the skin renews itself after an externally inflicted, deliberate injury. This reduces wrinkles and fine lines, refines pores and improves the overall appearance of the skin.
The most common types of skin resurfacing procedures are chemical or laser skin resurfacing. The chemical method uses a chemical peel, which removes the outermost layer of skin.
With the ever-improving technologies, skin resurfacing is often performed with lasers. The “damage” to the skin is created by removing the top layer of skin with a fractional CO2 laser.
The fractional CO2 laser is a further development of the conventional CO2 laser. Conventional CO2 lasers remove the entire top layer of skin during a skin resurfacing procedure. Fractional laser therapy treats only individual microfine points in the skin and is thus a gentler but at the same time more effective method. The consequence of skin ablation is collagen formation and resulting renewal of the skin.
How painful is the treatment?
Images after CO2 laser treatment can be frightening. The face looks red and “drawn”. An anesthetic cream must be applied before the skin is removed with the laser.
With the laser, the superficial layers of the skin are removed with maximum tissue protection and the heat effect in deeper layers of the skin is minimized. However, the treatment creates a wound comparable to an abrasion or even a superficial burn. Wound healing goes through the familiar stages of oozing, crusting, then scaling. The wound area is dry again after a few days, so that the laser areas can be covered cosmetically and you can be socially acceptable again.
The redness of the skin remains a little longer, depending on the individual condition of the skin and the intensity of the treatment. During this time, the skin is sensitive to the sun and must be protected with sunblocks.
Which wrinkles can be lasered?
The laser can be used to treat various types of facial wrinkles as well as wrinkles on the neck or décolleté. Especially finer wrinkles around the eyes, on the cheeks and in the mouth area are very suitable for laser therapy.
In principle, fine wrinkles (“creased skin”) or thickened areas of skin are a better indication for laser treatment than individual very deep, notchy wrinkles. However, a combination of injections and laser treatment can be very successful.
Improve wrinkles – get advice
In the end, there are several ways to fight the wrinkles.
The only important thing is to get professional advice in advance. The decision whether wrinkles should be lasered or injected with hyaluronic acid or botolinum toxin can only be made in a personal consultation.
At ERA Esthetic in Frankfurt, we offer free consultation appointments. Our specialists analyze your skin condition and provide detailed advice on which treatment is best suited to your needs.