Enhancing and refreshing our looks has never been so accessible. These days, non-surgical treatments for subtle rejuvenation and healthy skin maintenance are commonplace in many of our personal beauty programs. Not only are we becoming far more conscientious in taking preventative measures to maintain our youthful looks (the best practice), but also, we quickly are addressing skin and facial aging issues as soon as we begin to see them.

Let’s take a quick look at what generally happens to our faces through the decades and a few of the basics actions we can take to slow it down:

Teens and 20’s

• Skin volume is plump, supple, bouncy
• Subcutaneous fat (subq fat; fat pads below skin’s surface) are full and seemingly connected, much like pieces of a puzzle or the supercontinent, Pangea. Consistently using sunscreen and retinoids in our youth delays facial aging to remarkable degrees.
• Acne may become an issue, driven by hormones, diet and genetics. Best advice: be extremely proactive with controlling and clearing acne as it starts to prevent skin trauma and scars, physically and emotionally. Read about acne here and acne treatments here.

We control 80% of skin aging. Start good skin habits NOW. Take care of skin issues as they arise.

30’s

• Visible changes to skin and facial appearance begin as collagen and elastin production begins to slow and facial fat pads begin to diminish and flatten. As skin volume decreases and subcutaneous fat erodes, shadows appear where the previously “connected” fat pads begin to separate. (Remember our mentioning Pangea above? Now, comes the part where this supercontinent starts breaking and drifting apart.)
• Facial bony structure becomes more apparent as faces narrow. Skin starts to lose its suppleness and bounce. Our faces start looking more tired and less radiant than it did in our 20’s. Enter dermal fillers to replace volume loss, putting the brakes on the skin’s downward slide.
• Lines become visible and slightly etched into skin, particularly in forehead, crow’s feet and between brows from repeated muscle movement folding skin along the same lines for 30+ years now. Enter Botox to prevent these muscles from etching these lines deeper and more permanently into skin.
• Skin tone becomes visibly uneven with hyperpigmented patches and spots from unprotected sun exposure and hormonal changes. Chemical peels, Excel V, Laser Genesis, IPL, Secret RF, SkinPen with pigment suppressing topical agents and medical grade products and prescriptions will help clear and even skin tone.
• Broken capillaries become visible especially around the nose and on cheeks from various skin issues such as rosacea, past acne issues, sun damage and general skin trauma from bad skin habits.

Excel V and IPL are the go-to treatments to vaporize broken capillaries and calm rosacea and inflamed skin.

40’s + 50’s + Onward

• Everything regarding skin and facial aging in your 30’s gains momentum throughout the decades. Without timely intervention, the aging process of skin may be compared to a runaway train without brakes or a conductor.
• Lines and wrinkles become more obvious than before as skin becomes more dry, skin cell turnover becomes increasingly sluggish, collagen and elastin production markedly slows, and the rates subq fat loss speeds up. Read about skin rejuvenation treatments here.
• Temples become depressed.
• Forehead lengthens and bone mass shrinks.
• Brows begin to drop and lid space shortens.
• Nasolabial folds deepen, and marionettes and jowls form as skin support (aka subq fat) declines.
• Lips lose their plumpness and definition. Philtral columns and cupid’s bows flatten.
• Cheeks begin to flatten and fall. Cheekbones appear more angular.
• Eyes appear smaller and under eye hollows are noticeable as eye sockets widen.
• Chins and jawlines become weaker in structure and appearance than before. Chins recede and jawlines lose bone mass and definition.
• Noses begin to widen and nose tips begin to droop.
• The space between our noses and upper lips elongates.

To slow and reverse the skin and facial aging process as much as possible, regular appointments with your dermatologist for a variety of treatments, consistent use of therapeutic products and sunscreen, a healthy diet and regular exercise are required.

Stay tuned for Part II: Skin Aging – What to Do