There’s no buzzkill quite like glancing in the mirror and seeing a face that looks older than you feel. For many of us, wrinkles are to blame. Fine lines and deep folds are a natural part of aging, but that doesn’t make dealing with them any easier. Fortunately, there is no shortage of treatments available for smoothing away these signs of aging, from nonsurgical options like BOTOX Cosmetic to facial surgery at Destin Plastic Surgery.
So what is the best facial treatment for wrinkles? That answer depends on you: what type of wrinkles you have, how deep your lines are, and a host of other factors. Read on to learn more about why wrinkles form, what you can do to prevent them, and which treatment is your best option for leaving those pesky lines behind.
What Causes Wrinkles?
Wrinkles are a natural function of the aging process, caused by several changes in your skin. Here are a few major reasons wrinkles form:
- Loss of collagen and elastin in the skin as we age: Collagen and elastin make the skin more elastic and less susceptible to wrinkles, but its production slows down as we get older.
- Repeated contractions of muscles over time: Expressions such as frowning, smiling, and raising your eyebrows leave behind creases in the skin over the years.
- Loss of volume under the skin: Volume naturally depletes, and gravity takes its toll throughout the aging process, creating folds in the skin.
Some factors contribute to how quickly wrinkles form and how severe they are. Sun exposure, smoking, and diet all play a role in your skin’s health and appearance.
How To Get Rid of Facial Wrinkles
The right treatment depends on the type of wrinkle, its location, and its depth. (More on the best treatments for specific types of wrinkles later.)
BOTOX Cosmetic
BOTOX is an injectable neurotoxin that treats “dynamic wrinkles,” also known as expression lines. Dynamic wrinkles form as a result of repeated muscle movements. Horizontal forehead lines and vertical lines between the eyebrows are common examples, although these wrinkles appear in many different areas of the face.
- How BOTOX Treats Wrinkles: BOTOX interrupts the signals between the muscle and the brain telling that muscle to contract. This allows the muscle to relax, causing the overlying wrinkles to smooth away.
- What It’s Like To Get BOTOX: Treatments typically take just a few minutes and involve a short series of injections using a tiny needle. There is little to no recovery time involved.
- How Long BOTOX Results Last: BOTOX results last between 3 and 4 months before the product naturally wears off.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers address the types of wrinkles caused by volume loss under the skin. One commonly treated concern is nasolabial folds, which run from the sides of the nose to the sides of the mouth. These lines are caused by falling cheeks and hollowness below the skin. Fillers add volume to fill up the sunken areas and create a smooth surface.
- How Dermal Fillers Treat Wrinkles: Dermal fillers add volume below the skin in several ways. Most of the fillers we use contain hyaluronic acid, a sugar found naturally in your body. It’s injected in a gel form to add fullness in precise areas.
- What It’s Like To Get Dermal Fillers: Dermal filler appointments are typically quick and involve a few injections that carefully place the filler just beneath your skin. There is little to no downtime involved, although some bruising and swelling are common for a few days.
- How Long Dermal Filler Results Last: Some formulations last longer than others, but most fillers last anywhere between 6 and 18 months.
Facelift
For deeper, more structural folds, a facelift may be the best solution. The surgery creates a natural-looking lift by addressing not just the skin itself but also the underlying structures that contribute to the face’s appearance.
- How a Facelift Works: During a facelift, your surgeon lifts and repositions the deep tissues of your face to restore a naturally more youthful look. Your surgeon may also remove excess skin to create a subtly tauter skin surface, smoothing away deep wrinkles.
- What It’s Like To Get a Facelift: At Destin Plastic Surgery, you will be cared for every step of the way by an experienced surgical team, including a board-certified anesthesiologist. After your surgery, you will need to rest for a few days to allow your body to heal. Most people resume work and social activities after 2 to 3 weeks, at which time most bruising and swelling have subsided.
- How Long Facelift Results Last: Facelift results often last as long as 10 years. You can extend these results even longer with nonsurgical touch-up treatments, such as BOTOX and fillers.
Laser Treatments
Laser treatments address wrinkles in a few different ways. Some, such as the MicroLaserPeel®, work on the surface and involve less downtime. Others, such as the Contour TRL™, reach deeper into the skin to create more dramatic and longer-lasting improvements.
- How Lasers Treat Wrinkles: Most laser treatments either remove the outer layer of aged skin, stimulate new collagen production deep within the skin, or do a combination of both.
- What It’s Like To Get a Laser Treatment: The treatment experience varies depending on how aggressive your treatment is. Most treatments take 30 minutes or less. You can expect some redness and sensitivity for a few days, and you’ll need to stay out of the sun.
- How Long Laser Treatment Results Last: Most people notice improvements within a week, although you may notice continued improvements for up to 6 weeks. People often choose to touch up their results every year or so to maintain their youthful look.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels use a specially formulated blend of ingredients to chemically exfoliate layers of aged or damaged skin, revealing smoother, softer skin below. These treatments are especially popular for addressing fine lines caused by sun damage.
- How Chemical Peels Work: Using ingredients such as salicylic acid and glycolic acid, chemical peels cause the top layers of your skin to peel away. This lets the fresh, youthful layers of skin below come to the surface.
- What It’s Like To Get a Chemical Peel: The treatment experience depends on which type of peel you receive. Some are more aggressive than others. After applying your peel, your provider will give you instructions for caring for your skin as it heals. Expect some flaking and redness in your skin for a few days.
- How Long Chemical Peel Results Last: You will likely notice a difference in your skin for a few months, depending on the depth of your peel.
You can learn more about the Obagi Blue Peel, and see one patient’s day-to-day progress after treatment, in our related blog post.
The Best Treatments for Each Type of Wrinkle
Wondering which treatment you should try for wrinkles that are bothering you? Here is a quick guide.
| Type of Wrinkle | Description | Best Treatment |
| Forehead Lines | Horizontal forehead lines caused by raising eyebrows | BOTOX |
| Glabellar Lines (Frown Lines or “11s”) | Vertical lines between the eyebrows caused by frowning | BOTOX |
| Crow’s Feet | Lines on the outer corners of the eyes caused by squinting | BOTOX |
| Bunny Lines | Lines on the bridge of the nose caused by scrunching the nose | BOTOX |
| Tear Trough Lines | Lines below the eyes caused by hollow tear troughs or “under-eyes” | Dermal Fillers |
| Nasolabial Folds | Deep lines that run from the sides of the nose to the sides of the mouth | Dermal Fillers, Facelift |
| Smoker’s Lines | Vertical lines surrounding the lips caused by smoking or using drinking straws | Dermal Fillers, Chemical Peels, Laser Treatments |
| Vertical Lip Lines | Vertical lines on the lips caused by volume loss | Dermal Fillers |
| Smile Lines (Parentheses) | Folds on either side of the mouth that appear when smiling | Dermal Fillers, Facelift |
| Marionette Lines | Lines that run from the sides of the mouth down to the chin | Dermal Fillers, Facelift |
| Fine Lines | Small lines and wrinkles found on many areas of the face | Chemical Peels, Laser Treatments |
Wrinkle Treatment FAQs
Have more questions about wrinkles? Find answers to a few of the most common questions below.
Q: Are wrinkles genetic?
A: Genetics determine the makeup of your skin and may affect how susceptible you are to wrinkles. However, lifestyle choices, like protecting your skin from the sun, have a major influence.
Q: Are wrinkles reversible?
A: Cosmetic treatments reverse wrinkles in many different ways. However, it is important to remember that nothing can stop the aging process altogether. With regular maintenance treatments, it is possible to keep wrinkles at bay and minimize their effect on your appearance.
Q: When do wrinkles start to appear?
A: There is no set age when wrinkles start to appear; it is different for everyone. Some people start to experience lines as early as their 20s, while others experience them closer to their late 30s or 40s.
Q: Can wrinkles appear overnight?
A: When you look in the mirror in the morning, you may notice you have new wrinkles that weren’t there the night before. These are called compression wrinkles, and they happen when your skin is pressed in as you sleep. They typically fade throughout the day, but they may become deeper and last longer over time.
Say Goodbye to Wrinkles
If you would like to learn more about smoothing away wrinkles and rejuvenating your skin with cosmetic treatments, please get in touch! Contact us online or call (850) 654-1194 to reach our Destin, FL, plastic surgery office.
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