Wrinkle Zappers

Wrinkle Zappers

Thin Skin

Dermatologists offer an array of in-office procedures that give even more dramatic results---and often can be combined with one or two other treatments in a single appointment.

Fine Wrinkles

For Fine Wrinkles

Peptides

These amino-acid compounds seem to help promote the growth of collagen and elastin stimulating fibroblasts --- the skin’s support structures that keep it smooth and youthful looking,  Known for their role in wound healing and recognized for their ability to improve the appearance of photodamaged skin, most peptide products are also rich in antioxidants and topical nutrients.

Wrinkle-relaxing lotions

With all excitement surrounding injectables as wrinkle smoothers, there was bound to be creation of topical creams claiming to achieve similar results.  Extensive testing shows that a lot or products help smooth out fine lines caused by smiling, frowning and other facial movements.

Retinol and retinoids

Retinoid or Vitamin-A based cream remain as top smoothers in the anti-aging arsenal.  Now, advance formulations help prevent the red, flaky face that was the most common side effect.  However, these products can increase sun sensitivity, so make sure to wear a sunscreen daily when using them.

Microdermabrasion

You used to have to go into a doctor’s office to get the full effect of this treatment, where dead skin cells are removed with tiny silicon or aluminum-oxide crystal blown against the skin using a handheld device and then sucked up with a small vacuum.  But there’s a new generation of at-home alternatives that allows you to get similar results (smoother, more even-toned skin) with four weeks.  Some products help improve skin’s clarity and are far less expensive than in-office procedures.

Laser and non-laser lights

New lasers stimulate collagen production.  Toning with intense pulsed visible light (IPL or photorejuvenation) and radio-frequency waves can eradicate irregular pigmentation and broken capillaries as well as help tighten the skin

Deep Wrinkles

For Deeper Wrinkles

Botox

Approval of Botox for cosmetic use pushed demands for this muscle-paralyzing substance (purified botulinum toxin) to the top of doctors’ request lists.  Two other versions, Myobloc and Dysport, also claim to work by temporarily paralyzing the muscles that create certain expression lines, thus smoothing wrinkles.  However, it injected improperly, botulinum can cause paralysis of the wrong muscle, leading to drooping eyelids or other problems.  That’s why it’s important to seek out a qualified doctor to have it done.

Collagen

Bovine Collagen (Zyderm and Zyplast) has been around for years and is still effective filler, but typically requires two allergy tests, two weeks apart, before injection.  Now there’s human collagen which can be injected immediately, without an allergy test.  All forms of collagen lasts only up to six months since they can eventually absorbed by the body.  Permanent soft-tissue filler that is composed of part bovine collagen and part polymer beads, which help stimulates the body to produce its own collagen, is also considered.  For this filler, however, there is the possibility of lumps forming underneath the skin after injection.

Your own fat

Fat is effective for filling in lines and making the skin look smoother.  Using your body’s own fat as a filler avoid allergy concerns, but you have to have the fat withdrawn from your abdominal area, thighs or butt through a minimal liposuction procedure.  It’s then injected into the skin, a procedure that takes about an hour.  Self-donated fat can be stored for up to a year, so you can go back to refill sans the full procedure.

FAMI (Fat Autograft Muscle Injection)

Another fat transfer method, called FAMI (Fat Autograft Muscle Injection), involves injecting fat deeper into the skin---below the fat layer and into muscle.  The benefits include longer-lasting results (several years as compared to the six to 24 months that your own fat lasts).

Hyaluronic Acid

This component of connective tissue has been found an effective filler for deeper lines (like ones that can be form around the mouth) not suitable for botulinum toxin; it also works well to plump up the lips.  It goes by the names Restylane and Perlane have been used successfully in Europe for years and have been shown to produce longer-lasting results (up to a year, as compared with the six months that collagen lasts).

Looking Ahead

Injectable Line Filler

Noteworthy up-and-comers include a gel comprising microscopic spheres of calcium hydroxyapatite (a constituent of human bone).  Currently used in Europe and South America, it offers the promise to a longer lasting solution for deep lines particularly those around the mouth.

Gene therapy

Chicago researchers are studying DNA to identify genes that change with age.  They believe that treatment can eventually be developed to target the specific genes, helping to slow the aging process of complement existing procedures.

Wrinkles Treatment