AGING
While aging is an inevitable part of life, there is nothing wrong with wanting to look a bit younger than your actual age. As aging causes noticeable changes that can sometimes make you self-conscious, it then becomes important to address them or improve their appearance. Anti-aging aesthetic treatments, after all, are known to reduce anxiety, boost self-esteem, and improve overall well-being.
How the face ages or changes over time
A youthful face has three unique features: high cheekbones, full volume in the cheeks, and a defined jawline. This is referred to as the “triangle of youth”, with the two sides of the cheeks serving as the base of the triangle and the chin as the point. Aging, however, slowly inverts this triangle. As the face starts to lose volume, the chin or jawline becomes the widest part of the face, resulting in what we call the “pyramid of aging”.
The aging process causes noticeable changes not just on the skin surface, but throughout the facial structure:
- Facial fat pads – shift and decrease with aging, commonly gathering on the lower part of the face. This contributes to jowls or a baggy appearance, as well as makes existing lines and wrinkles more visible. It can cause the cheeks to flatten and the corners of the mouth to point downwards.
- Facial muscles – weaken over time due to repetitive motions and facial expressions. Combined with the effects of gravity, weakened facial muscles can lead to folds and wrinkles in different areas of the face.
- Bone structure – weakens and gradually alters the shape or dimensions of the face, especially the chin and jawline area. The bone around the eyes also becomes thinner, contributing to a sunken appearance, as well as other signs of aging such as droopy eyelids and crow’s feet.
- Collagen and elastin – give support, strength, and elasticity to the skin. Their production, however, naturally declines over time, resulting in drier, thinner, and less elastic skin. This then contributes to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, sagging skin, and a dull and tired look.
What are the common signs of aging?
People age differently. Some may experience signs of aging early on, while some notice changes later in life. Your genetics, habits, and lifestyle can contribute to this, which is the reason why some people look younger or older than their actual age. Common signs of aging include:
- Fine lines and wrinkles – appear as lines, folds, and creases. They are also among the first visible signs of aging and can become deeper or more prominent with time. Depending on their depth and location, fine lines and wrinkles can make you look sad, angry, tired, or confused even when you’re not.
- Sun damage, age spots, and pigmentation – can be due to spending too much time in the sun. Sun damage can appear almost anywhere, but they are more common in areas exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck, shoulders, hands, back, and feet.
- Thinning or sagging skin – can be due to collagen loss, sun damage, loss of fat, and poor lifestyle habits. Saggy skin can appear almost anywhere on the face and body, but areas with thinner skin like the neck and chest are more susceptible. It can cause the skin to look older and make other signs of aging appear more prominent.
- Volume loss – is caused by a number of factors, including hormonal changes, environmental causes, and loss of collagen and elastin. This can contribute to flattening of the cheeks, sagging skin, and a less defined jawline. It can give the face a sad and tired appearance.
- Dry skin and rough skin texture – are mostly due to the skin’s weakened ability to retain moisture. As the skin’s water content and production of essential lipids decline with age, you may experience dry and rough skin. The buildup of dead skin cells can also contribute to dry patches or coarse skin texture.
Other signs of aging include
- Enlarged pores
- Folds and deep wrinkles
- Blotchy skin
- Uneven skin tone
- Skin dullness
How can we help?
If signs of aging make you self-conscious or negatively affect your confidence, don’t hesitate to contact us. Cutis Medical Laser Clinics offers a range of non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments that can help slow down the visible signs of aging and rejuvenate your appearance. From fine lines and wrinkles to volume loss and sun damage, we got you covered.
Your individualized treatment plan, depending on various factors such as your acceptable social downtime, your expected time frame, and budget, will be explained in detail during your consultation with our aesthetic doctor.
