Wrinkle Treatments: How to Get Rid of Wrinkles

3.2) Cosmetic Procedures

3.2.1) Chemical Peels:

Three types of peels are performed, depending on the desired outcome: superficial peels, medium peels, and deep peels. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Superficial Peel

A superficial peel is just as it sounds: a lighter peel that does not penetrate as deeply into the skin. Superficial, or mild peels, are generally done with alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA), but trichloroacetic acid (TCA) may also be used. These peels have been dubbed ‘lunch hour peels’ because they take only 15 minutes to complete and the patient can then resume normal activities. However, the skin may flake and remain red for a few days. The patient will most likely need treatments over a longer period of time to reach the desired effect.

Medium Peel

A medium peel often contains trichloroacetic acid (TCA). Though this treatment will not correct deep lines and wrinkles, it will improve the texture of skin with fine lines and pigmentation problems. The procedure lasts up to one hour, and the patient may feel a slight burning or stinging sensation during the treatment. Within a week, the treated skin will crack and peel, revealing a fresh layer underneath. Redness may persist for up to two weeks, and several peels may be needed to treat the area(s), depending on the severity of the skin’s damage.

Deep Peel

Deep chemical peels are often referred to as phenol peels. These are the most extensive of the three, and therefore recovery time is longer, pain is more severe, but the results are often superior to other techniques. The procedure can take up to two hours for a full-face peel, and since swelling of the eyes is common, it is suggested that the patient have someone to care for him or her for at least 48 hours after the procedure.

One downside to a deep peel is that the intensity of the peel can cause the skin to turn a ghostly white color, and this color may not change; so the best candidate for a deep peel is someone with a fair skin tone. After the procedure, the skin will be raw. Pain medication and antibiotics may be prescribed. After three months, the skin should lose the bright red tone. Generally, patients can return to normal activities after two weeks.

3.2.2) Dermabrasion:

Dermabrasion helps to “refinish” the skin's top layers through a method of controlled surgical scraping. The surgeon scrapes away the top layers of skin using an electrically operated instrument with a rough wire brush or diamond-impregnated burr. The treatments soften the sharp edges of surface irregularities, giving the skin a smoother appearance.

Dermabrasion can result in excellent improvement, but can also produce significant side effects, including scarring and permanent changes in skin color.

3.2.3) Laser Resurfacing:

In laser resurfacing, sometimes called “laser peel,” a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is used to remove areas of damaged or wrinkled skin, layer by layer. The procedure may be performed on the whole face or in specific regions. In many cases, facial wrinkles form in localized areas, such as near the eyes or around the mouth. The laser can be precisely controlled so that only these specific areas are targeted. Often, the procedure is done in conjunction with another cosmetic operation, such as a facelift or eyelid surgery.

Risks associated with laser resurfacing include: burns or other injuries from the heat of the laser energy, scarring, and obvious lightening or darkening of the treated skin. Also, laser resurfacing can activate herpes virus infections (“cold sores”) and, rarely, other types of infection.

3.2.4) Non-ablative Laser Resurfacing:

Unlike “traditional” resurfacing procedures, in which the epidermis is sacrificed, leaving a raw surface that takes days to heal, non-ablative laser resurfacing or “photo rejuvenation” utilizes light energy to stimulate collagen remodeling and/or remove irregular pigmentation and enlarged blood vessels from the skin surface.

Data on their effectiveness are still preliminary at this point, but suggest that results for fine lines and wrinkles may approach those of invasive laser resurfacing. Treatment is almost painless and there is little or no redness, peeling, or “down-time” afterward. Noticeable improvement may involve several repeated procedures over a period of months.

3.2.5) Plastic Surgical Procedures:

Browlift

For persons who want to remove fine lines and wrinkles around the eye area, over the nose, and along the forehead, a browlift is a viable solution. Quick and uncomplicated under the masterful hands of a qualified plastic surgeon, a browlift can make a person look years younger . . . instantly!

Overall, recovery from browlift surgery is uncomplicated and quick. Most people can return to work or their regular daily activities within 10 days or less.

Facelift

With a 22% percent increase in cosmetic surgeries over the past year, facelifts are among the top 5 surgeries performed annually. Men and women in mid life and beyond are electing to have surgery to smooth out wrinkles, tone facial contours, and look younger.

The best candidates for a facelift are men and women 40 to late 60s in age, whose facial areas have begun to sag but the skin still has some elasticity. Deep lines or a fold of skin running from the corner of the nose to the mouth can be removed entirely, or else greatly reduced. More pronounced cheek bones and a better defined jaw-line can also be expected, as well as fatty pockets along the face and neck removed.

But even if a person’s skin has lost most or all of its elasticity, and the person is well into their 80s, they might still be a good candidate, and be able to improve their appearance significantly.

Complications are, for the most part, minor. Risks include collections of blood under the skin (requiring surgical removal), nerve injury (usually temporary), infection, unexpected reactions to the anesthesia, and poor healing. The latter is most likely due to smoking, which inhibits a wound’s ability to heal. Another possible risk is a visible scar; while most incisions heal nicely and are inconspicuous, it is possible for poor healing to enhance a scar line.

Remember, having a facelift cannot stop the clock of time. Your face will continue to age; many people have another facelift after 5 or 10 years. But the effects of the facelift will remain. You’ll look younger than you really are.

3.2.6) Botox Cosmetic:

Botox Cosmetic is the number one non-surgical medical procedure for the removal of facial wrinkles. Botox works by paralyzing the muscles that create the wrinkles and that way lessening the appearance of frown lines, crow's feet or laugh lines. Improvement lasts several months and must be repeated to sustain improvement. Safety depends again on the experience of the physician.

Anyone considering any of the cosmetic procedures should be sure to consult doctors who have experience in one or several of these techniques. Patients should fully inform themselves about the risks and potential benefits of the procedure they are considering before going forward.

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