What Can Be Done To Reduce Expression Wrinkles?
If you want to soften dynamic wrinkles, there’s traditionally been one type of injectable to address the problem: neuromodulators. These work by relaxing muscles, while fillers have historically addressed static wrinkles by adding volume below the skin. There are also other treatments for dynamic wrinkles, including a newer type of hyaluronic acid filler designed to withstand muscle motion, known as RHA®. Newtown, PA’s The Well Lounge team explains that choosing the right treatment involves looking at the type of wrinkle being targeted.
First, it’s important to understand that aging alone isn’t the only cause of wrinkles. Although the age-related depletion of collagen and other important substances from the skin is one of the major causes of static wrinkles—which are always present on the face and are caused by damage or loss of collagen—there’s another common contributor that you may not realize is happening: your facial expressions. Every time we move our face to convey emotions, communicate with others, talk, chew, or squint, the facial muscles that are attached to our skin are in motion.
When you repeatedly fold a sheet of paper, the fold becomes deeper and eventually a crease forms. It’s similar for your face: The constant action of your skin being stretched causes wrinkles to form in those areas, and they become more pronounced over time. These wrinkles appear when the face is moving, but fade when it’s relaxed. They’re known as dynamic wrinkles or expression wrinkles.
See below for advice about some of the best ways of softening expression wrinkles on areas such as the forehead and between the eyes.
BOTOX® and Other Neuromodulators
Wrinkle creams aren’t always the most effective option for wrinkles, especially if the lines are caused by overly expressive facial muscles. Neuromodulators are injections of botulinum toxin type A that relax facial muscles by keeping them from contracting. A small amount of the product is injected into the underlying muscle to keep it at rest, so the skin above looks smoother instead of being pulled into folds. These injections keep your skin looking refreshed for three to four months on average. Neuromodulators not only correct existing wrinkles, but can also prevent them from deepening. By relaxing the muscles, the injectable blocks new lines from forming.
Avoiding Habits That Cause Wrinkles
Although you’re probably aware that too much exposure to sunlight and smoking are damaging for your skin, you may be surprised by some of the other causes of wrinkles. Drinking from a straw or bottle and pushing out the lips for duck-faced selfies are habits that cause excessive puckering of the lips due to contractions of the orbicularis oris muscle. Since the mouth moves constantly throughout the day while we’re talking or eating, there’s already a high risk of wrinkles forming in this area. With this in mind, it’s always better to drink from the side of a cup. Try to avoid exaggerated facial expressions in general. You should also try not to squint too much. Get your eyes checked regularly, don’t look at your phone first thing in the morning if that causes you to squint, and wear proper sunglasses if you’re outside in bright sunlight. Constant squinting in sunlight makes crow’s feet and glabellar lines deeper.
Resistant Hyaluronic Acid Fillers
Hyaluronic acid fillers are typically only used for static wrinkles and work very differently from neuromodulators. Typical filler treatments add volume and lift as gels are injected beneath the surface to act as a placeholder for the collagen or fat that’s been lost. This gives the skin a smoother, less wrinkled appearance. Usually, fillers are thought to be too “stiff” to handle dynamic wrinkles and the motion responsible for them. The RHA® collection includes the first injectable fillers designed to work on dynamic wrinkles. The manufacturing process results in a hyaluronic acid more similar to the HA your skin makes naturally when compared to traditional facial fillers.
Contact the team at The Well Lounge to learn more about how fillers and other strategies can reduce dynamic wrinkles. Call 215-360-3940 or fill out a contact form to request a consultation and get more advice about treatments.