The ageing face
To offer the best possible anti-ageing solutions, you must first understand what changes occur to the face as we age.
Changes occur on three levels:
1) Deep level changes
Deep level changes include alterations to the skull bone itself. As we mature past the age of 30, the bone that makes up the eye socket & cheekbone becomes smaller. This results in an eye that appears deeper set and shadowed, and a more hallowed cheek appearance.
Dermal fillers are naturally occurring proteins that replace the lost bone structure and replenish the lost volume. As such they are the preferred treatment for deep level changes.
2) Sub-level changes
Sub-level changes include alterations to positions of facial fat pads. These fat pads are responsible for giving the fullness to the cheeks. Think of a babies chubby cheeks and round facial shape.
As we age fat pads change position and begin a slow descent that results in a redistribution of the pads. This changes the overall face shape from an inverted triangle centred around high cheekbones to a more rectangular form which starts to lose focus as the facial silhouette changes.
Fat pads also reduce in size and fullness, with between 0.5-1 ml being lost every year from the age of 30. This is why we associate sunken, hollowed out cheeks with more mature faces.
Dermal fillers are also effective at replacing sub-level changes. We use dermal fillers to restore the lost fat pads and restore the original face silhouette.
Dermal fillers, our recommended treatment for deep level and sub-level changes
3) Surface level changes
Surface level changes include the loss of skin elasticity & collagen. This results in a sagging appearance to the skin. We also see an increase in skin pigmentation such as age spots and liver spots.
A year’s worth of facial expressions can etch deep creases into the skin, which remain with a relaxed face. These are wrinkles, they most commonly form on the brow ridge of the forehead, and at the corners of the eyes (crows feet).
The most effective treatment to prevent wrinkles from forming is the use of anti-wrinkle injectables such as Botox and Azzalure. They work by gently relaxing the muscles responsible for wrinkle formation.
With the muscles, they are unable to contract and cause a wrinkle to form. These treatments are available after a successful free consultation. To tackle skin pigmentation, we use microneedling with de-pigmenting serum. For more minor pigmentation changes chemical peels are great solutions.
Both microneedling and chemical peels can be used for surface level changes
With ageing, changes occur on all three levels. Unless the treatment involved addresses issues across all three levels, then the treatment outcome is a compromise.
As such the ideal treatment to combat ageing would include a dermal filler to replace the lost deep and sub-level tissue, combined with microneedling and anti-wrinkle injectables.
If you would like to find out any more information, then please contact us to arrange a free face to face consultation. Our clinic is on North Street, Dudley, West Midlands.
