There are numerous options for reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Some methods are as easy as applying the right skin cream. Other tactics involve surgery and significant recovery time.
Aging is inevitable. Changes like grey hair and wrinkles are common signs of aging. It’s easy to color grey hair to look youthful, but covering up wrinkles is more complicated. There are numerous options for reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Some methods are as easy as applying the right skin cream. Other tactics involve surgery and significant recovery time.
Learn more about what you can do to hide your wrinkles.
Make-up and skincare
The first option for improving the look of aging skin is to use the right skincare products. Products with moisturizing ingredients can make skin look fuller and more hydrated. Drugstores and department stores carry products that contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which provides a lot of hydration. Ingredients such as alpha-hydroxy acids, niacinamide, and retinoids can improve the overall tone of the skin.
If you don’t see improvement from over-the-counter products, you can ask a dermatologist for prescription-strength treatments. Retinoid creams are very good for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Your doctor may also suggest prescription products for other signs of aging, such as creams with hydroquinone that reduce dark spots.
Make-up can disguise wrinkles effectively. If you have questions about the right products or application techniques, you can schedule an appointment with a professional make-up artist. They can help you look your best.
Injectables
If you want a longer-term solution to wrinkles, you may consider injectable treatments such as Botox or fillers. You can get these treatments from your dermatologist or a med-spa. You should research the doctor doing the treatment before you make an appointment. You should look for someone well-trained and experienced.
Botulinum toxin type A, commonly known by the brand name Botox, is a medical formula that's injected into the muscles of your face. Botox stops the nerves from signaling muscles to move. That relaxes the muscle tissue so that wrinkles appear smoothed out. Botulinum toxin can be used for forehead creases, between the eyebrows, and around the eyes. It lasts about 3-4 months.
Dermal fillers are injected under the skin to replace lost volume from aging. Doctors use fillers to directly fill deep creases in your face. They may also suggest fillers in areas such as the cheekbones or temples to provide an overall lift to your whole face. Depending on the type of filler, the effects last from several months to a year.
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Bar soap and water are fine for cleansing the face if you have sensitive or dry skin.
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Skin resurfacing
There are minimally invasive procedures that resurface your skin and improve the signs of aging. You can have them done in the doctor’s office. The amount of downtime you will need after the procedure varies. With some treatments, you will only have minor redness. With others, you may need a week or two to recover.
Chemical peels
When you get a chemical peel, your doctor applies a layer of a peeling agent to your face. Some peels are very mild and only affect the top layers of skin. These peels provide a modest reduction of wrinkles and lines. The recovery period is usually less than a day, though you may have flaking or redness for up to a week after the peel.
Other peels are much deeper and remove many layers of skin. You will probably need a mild sedative and numbing cream to manage the pain from the procedure. The results are more dramatic, but so is the recovery time. You will need pain relief after the peel, and your skin will look raw, swollen, and crusty for several weeks. The results of a deep chemical peel can last for many years.
Doctors can use a machine to do a deep exfoliation called microdermabrasion. They will pass a wand that showers your skin with fine, abrasive dust over your face. This rapidly exfoliates dead skin cells from your face. The machine vacuums the dust and debris away from your skin as the wand moves over your face. You may need several treatments a few weeks apart for optimal results. Most people only have mild discomfort after treatment.
There is a wide variety of laser and intense light treatments to improve the look of fine lines and shallow wrinkles. Like chemical peels, these treatments have different intensities. The results vary depending on the type of laser used. Doctors can do them in-office and the recovery time is usually very short. Most people have some redness following laser resurfacing.
Surgery
If less invasive methods don’t give you the wrinkle-reduction results you want, you can look into surgery. A full- or partial-face lift can dramatically improve the appearance of wrinkles on your face and neck. These are serious operations that require full anesthesia. You will have bruising and pain after the procedure. You will probably need to take time off work to recover. The results of a facelift last for many years.