Facial wrinkles are caused by a number of factors;
Sun damage – Chronic UV exposure is the most common cause of premature skin wrinkling. Besides being the cause of skin cancers and skin pigmentation, UV radiation causes premature ageing by thinning the epidermis (the top layer of skin) as well as causing breakdown of collagen. A good sunscreen is an imperative in the prevention of premature ageing.
Expression lines – These are wrinkles that are caused by the contraction of the muscles of facial expression. This leads to the compression of skin that results in wrinkle formation. Initially, these wrinkles can only be seen when the muscles contract e.g when you smile/frown, however, as the skin becomes progressively creased, the lines may often appear at rest. Anti-wrinkle injections can help reduce expression lines.
Loss of facial volume – Fat around the eyes, cheeks, and forehead are depleted. This loss of volume leads to some laxity of skin and the formation of wrinkles. Loss of facial volume also results in an older, more gaunt appearance. Non-surgical facial reshaping with dermal fillers can help to replace this lost volume – improving both wrinkles and the overall youthfulness of the face.
Gravity – The inescapable pull of gravity draws the skin downwards on the face. This leads to drooping of the cheeks and formation of nasolabial lines (the lines from the corners of the mouth to the nose) and jowls, drooping of the eye skin and formation of upper and lower lid laxity and wrinkles.
Sleep lines – This is caused by the compression of the skin from contact of the pillow to the face when sleeping. Pillow contact puts pressure on these attachments and causes sleep lines. Sleep lines include those on the forehead, around the eyes, cheeks and upper lip.
Smoking – Smoking can speed up the ageing process of the skin, and contribute to reducing the production of new collagen. The lack of new collagen results in wrinkles and other changes to the facial appearance, including fine lines between the eyebrows, deep creases and crow’s feet.
