Review of Facial Aging and Common Treatments

In this post I want to address a problem that we all must face (yes pun intended): Facial aging. Two of the primary culprits responsible for aging of the face are fat loss and bone loss, which start to become increasingly visible as early as your 30s! Over time, volume loss, sagging of the skin, and formation of deep lines and wrinkles begins to occur.  This is why early prevention is key.

The images below show how internal fat loss and gravitational changes present over time. You can see the fat and bone structure at age 35 vs 55.  

Fat pads are what give our face volume. With age these fat pads start to shrink in size and move down the face. The first signs of this tend to occur in the malar fat pad or cheek (pictured). This causes separation at the lid-cheek junction, which results in the appearance of a tear trough or under eye hollow. At the same time, bone resorption causes structural changes to our face. Loss of bony support, along with volume loss from fat pads can cause the skin to sag, as it has lost the underlying support structures. Skin elasticity also degrades as we age. Aging occurs in a downward and medial direction, which is why you can see heaviness in the nasolabial fold and jowls.

That may sound like a lot of bad news, so what can we do? … 

A comprehensive treatment plan (and the earlier the better) may be able to slow the sands of time using non-invasive treatments. Neuromodulator injections (e.g. Botox) can soften dynamic lines, fillers can replace lost volume and skin treatments such as Thermage and Ultherapy can help stimulate collagen synthesis and tighten the skin.

If you are interested in learning more about what treatments may be right for you please contact my office to book a consultation.