Facial Wrinkles

Facial wrinkles come in two broad categories: dynamic wrinkles and static wrinkles. Dynamic wrinkles are related to facial expression and are caused by muscle action underneath the skin. Common dynamic lines include frown lines, horizontal forehead lines, crows’ feet, marionette lines (corner of the mouth) and nasolabial folds. Static wrinkles, on the other hand, are related to overall skin condition and loss of collagen. Dr. Durboraw refers to static wrinkles as the “go nowhere” lines which often look like road maps or crepiness on the skin. Static wrinkles often appear first on the lower eyelids in the late 30’s and early 40’s.

Neurotoxin Treatment is the first line of defense against most dynamic lines, with the exception of nasolabial folds. Neurotoxins like Botox and Dysport attack the source of the problem by relaxing muscles temporarily, improving the appearance of these lines. Results with Neurotoxin alone are often dramatic, but dermal fillers are sometimes recommended as an adjunct treatment for deeper lines.  

Dermal filler treatment is the treatment of choice for nasolabial folds and other areas where neurotoxin treatment would affect your smile, such as the corners of the mouth (marionette lines) and deep frown lines.

Static wrinkles are a directly related to collagen loss and are best addressed by enhancing collagen production and stimulating skin turnover. TOPICAL THERAPY using prescription strength clinically studied products is essential for success with treating facial wrinkles. The latest generation of topicals include peptides which act like growth factors stimulating new collagen formation at the cellular level. Hyaluronic acid based topicals can reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles by thickening the top layers of the skin. Retinoid based topicals enhance cellular turnover and improve the health and appearance of skin. At Center for Aesthetics we only prescribe state of the art “evidence based” topicals which have been clinically studied and proven to be effective. Topical therapy is the key component to long term success no matter what else is prescribed and will make your results from any procedure more impressive as well as longer lasting. 

LASER THERAPY is the most effective treatment to improve the health of the skin as well as the appearance of wrinkles. Depending upon your age and the extent of your condition there are two lasers which may be recommended. 

CLEAR & BRILLIANT LASER is a fractional resurfacing laser treatment for early wrinkle formation and mild to moderate aging issues Treatments are comfortable and easy to fit into busy lifestyles. Often we will recommend a series of 3-6 laser treatments over the first 6 months. An additional benefit of CLEAR & BRILLIANT treatments is the increased permeability to your topical therapy for several days following your treatment. 

FRAXEL laser is also a fractional resurfacing laser but treats at a much deeper level. FRAXEL is the gold standard for laser resurfacing producing marked improvement in not only the appearance of the skin but in the health of the skin – effectively treating conditions like precancerous lesions and actinic keratosis. This type of laser is a good choice for the person with significant wrinkles, sun damage or precancerous lesions. FRAXEL laser has some “soft downtime” – mainly consisting of swelling in the first few days and a chapped appearance to the skin for up to 2 weeks. Depending upon your situation one to five sessions may be required.