When frown lines, smile creases, wrinkles, sunspots (also known as age spots or liver spots) and drooping skin starts to appear, you realize it’s high time to take better care of your skin. This wake-up call tends to be in your late 30s to 40s, except for the lucky few who have amazing genetics working in their favor.
It’s about this time you notice fine lines and wrinkles appear that were not there before, and even your skin texture and color have declined. That’s when you know it’s crucial to connect with an experienced dermatologist and find skin care treatments that work.
Exposure to sunlight is the single biggest culprit in aging skin. Over time, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light damages certain fibers in the skin called elastin. The breakdown of elastin fibers causes the skin to sag, stretch and lose its ability to snap back after stretching. Aging skin also bruises and tears more easily and takes longer to heal. So while sun damage may not show when you’re younger, it will later in life.
Gravity, facial movement, and sleep position are secondary factors that contribute to changes in the skin. When your aging skin loses its elasticity, gravity causes drooping of the eyebrows and eyelids, looseness and fullness under the cheeks and jaw (jowls and “double chin”) and longer ear lobes.
Sleep creases are commonly located on the side of the forehead, starting above the eyebrows to the hairline near the temples, as well as in the middle of the cheeks. Sleeping on your back may improve these sleep creases or prevent them from becoming worse.
Certain nutrients help the cells in your aging skin regenerate, so they are less susceptible to breakdown from exposure to the sun, pollution, other environmental factors and disease. When you maintain a skin-healthy diet of nutritious, wholesome foods, you are making a positive choice that will contribute to an overall healthier you.
Fortunately, you do have options for state-of-the-art skin and facial procedures that address most of the concerns that come with skin changes as you age. A few of the most popular treatments include
- BOTOX® Cosmetic to relax and smooth wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes
- Dermal fillers (i.e., Juvéderm®, Sculptra® and Radiesse®) to restore volume, fill out creases and plump lips
- Facial peels, dermabrasion, photo rejuvenation and fractionated resurfacing to exfoliate and even-out the surface of the skin
- Laser surgery to diminish or remove small veins, age spots or wrinkles
- Scar revision for acne and other types of scarring
Your birthday doesn’t have to be a sign of more aging skin. It should be a time of celebration. Taking steps early on to maintain healthy skin habits will ensure better skin health into your 40s and well beyond.
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