Impacts of Aging on Facial Skin and Contours
Jim Davis, the creator of “Garfield”, once said, “Life is like a hot bath. It feels good while you're in it, but the longer you stay, the more wrinkled you get.” Although this is a funny statement from a cartoonist, for many people, the changes in appearance that occur due to age are no laughing matter. GLOW Surgical Arts has many patients who want to reverse or minimize the signs of aging through cosmetic surgery. Your Redwood City cosmetic surgeons want to help you understand how aging affects facial contours.
Facial aging is part of life.
Throughout your life, the effects of age may become more noticeable. When you're in your 20s, these changes can start to appear; you may see differences in the texture, firmness, tone, and complexion of your skin. The more time passes, the more noticeable these changes will be. Facial aging can cause you to see yourself differently—thus resulting in emotional and psychological changes that cause some people to become depressed and insecure.
Here's what you need to know about your skin.
Your skin has three layers. First is the epidermis, which is the outermost layer of skin that provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin tone. The cells of the epidermis cover and protect the body. Specialized cells in the epidermis work continuously to regenerate your skin.
The dermis is the middle layer of the skin and contains collagen, a protein that is vital to healthy skin. Collagen gives your skin structure and provides the infrastructure for elastin, which gives your skin elasticity, and hyaluronic acid, which allows your skin to retain moisture.
The subcutaneous layer is the third layer of skin. This deeper subcutaneous tissue is mostly made of fat. It provides your face with structure and warmth and protects your bones and muscles.
Internal facial aging
Internal factors are age-related; these happen over time and are caused by genetic factors. Collagen reduction occurs naturally as you age, because the dermis thins. This reduces your skin's ability to retain elasticity and moisture. With age, your bones also will begin to deteriorate and lose their density. Thinner bones can cause loss of volume in the face and a weaker looking jaw. A combination of these things, along with weight changes throughout life, can lead to sagging, loose skin.
External facial aging
External aging, which is also called environmental aging, is not genetic. These environmental factors can include, but are not limited to, sun damage, smoking, pollutants in the air, facial expressions, sleep positioning, and gravity. It's common knowledge in today's society that things like overexposure to sun and cigarettes age your skin. It isn't always widely known, however, that smile lines are caused because of how you hold your mouth, and crow's feet are more common if you squint. Did your mother ever say, “If you keep your face like that it will get stuck that way”? She wasn't entirely wrong.
Prevent the signs of aging
GLOW Surgical Arts cannot make you stop aging altogether. However, we have a great variety of surgical and non-surgical facial procedures that we can customize to re-contour your face. Our procedures to rejuvenate your face include:
- Botox
- Dermal fillers
- Lip enhancement
- Eyelift / Cosmetic eye surgery
- Skin treatments such as a chemical peel or facial
- Facial volume enhancement
- Facelift
- Facial fat transfer
- Laser treatment
- PRP therapy
- Microneedling
- Plasma Pen resurfacing
Facial contouring in Redwood City
Dr. Renee Marshall and Dr. Paul Gorman want to help you turn back the clock. We have a trained staff skilled in a variety of procedures that can help to invigorate your skin. Contact us at GLOW Surgical Arts today at (650) 241-2209. We're proud to serve our patients in Redwood City and throughout the Bay Area of California.
