Wrinkles

Not All Wrinkles Were Created Equal

Wrinkles are the most common sign of aging. We all get them...and we all want to get rid of them. Unfortunately, there is no simple solution when it comes to wrinkle removal. That's because there are actually three different types of wrinkles, and each has specific treatments designed to treat them. The three types of wrinkles are dynamic wrinkles, fine wrinkles, and skin fold wrinkles.

Dynamic Wrinkles

The wrinkles commonly known as the smile lines and frown lines, including crow's feet, scowl lines, forehead creases and lip wrinkles are actually called Dynamic Wrinkles by doctors. No matter what you call them, they are the most troublesome of all wrinkles and often are the most difficult to treat. They develop because each time we smile, laugh, or frown, our skin creases or folds in the same way. After making the same expressions time after time, our skin "remembers" these creases even when they are not there. These wrinkles can be improved through laser resurfacing, dermabrasion, deep peels, Botox, Thermage, and fillers such as Collagen . However, even if these treatments could eliminate your dynamic wrinkles, your dynamic wrinkles will return, because you will continue to make the same facial expressions that caused them in the first place. Interestingly, if you have ever seen anyone who has had one half of their face paralyzed, you may have noticed that the paralyzed side appears younger. This is because they do not move that side of the face, so there are no dynamic wrinkles.

Fine Wrinkles

Fine wrinkles are seen on dry crepe paper skin (usually on the cheeks). These wrinkles are superficial and their removal is relatively easy through skin care, micropeels, and other simple treatments. (See table).

Skin Fold Wrinkles

Skin fold wrinkles are the wrinkles that go from the corner of our noses, around our mouths, and down to our chins. They look like big parentheses around our mouths. They develop within the skin fold (called nasolabial fold by doctors), which is due to sagging cheeks. Because these wrinkles are due to sagging skin, the only way to treat them is by tightening the skin...through a facelift. Just look in the mirror while you are pulling your cheek skin back toward your ears. You will see a dramatic improvement in your nasolabial folds, as well as the skin fold wrinkles. (No more will be said of skin fold wrinkles on this page, because the treatments on this page do not help skin fold wrinkles).

How Wrinkle Treatments Work

Chemical peels, laser, dermabrasion, and skin care are all guided by the same principles. To understand them, you first must know a little something about your skin.

Your skin is made up of damaged superficial cells and healthier deep cells. Every day, your old superficial cells die, shed, and are replaced by younger cells. When you are born, the process of shedding a new skin cell takes about 30 days. By the time you are 60, the process takes about 60 days. Thus, as you get older, your complexion becomes dull and lifeless because the cells on your skin's surface are, in fact, older.

Each treatment mentioned above causes uniform destruction and shedding of your old damaged superficial skin cells. This allows healthier deep cells to surface while they are still young and fresh. Each of these treatments organizes and expedites the process of skin turnover and helps you reclaim the skin of your youth. As a result, you will see improvement in some or all of the following skin problems: large pore size, loss of skin vitality, roughness, discoloration, fine wrinkles, acne scars, dynamic wrinkles, and loss of skin tone. (Fillers and Botox are guided by other principles).

Despite their similarities, each treatment works slightly differently and therefore yields a different degree of improvement. No one treatment solves all problems. In general, deeper treatments yield greater improvement but impose longer recovery. To optimize their results, many people employ two treatment options that complement one another, such as laser resurfacing and Botox injections.

The table below lists all treatments that address skin color, texture, tone, complexion, and wrinkles. Each treatment is evaluated for its effectiveness in each area. As you can see, no one treatment does everything. Also, the more effective the treatment, often the longer the recovery tends to be. Your plastic surgeon should tailor a treatment plan that addresses your concerns, while also allowing you recover within a time frame that is suitable for your lifestyle. Visit the links below to find out more about each procedure.

0 - Treatment does not affect the given skin quality

+ - Treatment affects the given skin quality a little

++ - Treatment affects the given skin quality more

+++ - Treatment affects the given skin quality even more

++++ - Treatment affects the given skin quality dramatically

	Fillers	Botox	Skin Care	Micro Peel	Medium Peel
Shrinks Pores	0	0	++	+++	+++
Increases Vitality	0	0	++	+++	+++
Smooths Skin Texture			++	+++	+++
Reduces Fine Wrinkles	0	0	+	+	++
Reduces Discoloration	0	0	+	+	++
Tightens Skin	0	0	0	0	0
Improves Acne Scars	0	0	0	0	+
Reduces Dynamic Wrinkles	++	++++	0	0	0
Recovery (Days)	0	0	0	0	5-7

	Erbium Laser	N Lite Laser	Derm- abrasion	CO2 Laser	Deep Peel
Shrinks Pores	+	+	+	+	+
Increases Vitality	+	+	+	+	0
Smooths Skin	+++	+	+++	+++	+++
Reduces Fine Wrinkles	+++	+	+++	++++	++++
Reduces Discoloration	++	+/-	++	++	+++
Tightens Skin	0	0	+	++	++
Improves Acne Scars	+	++	+	+	+
Reduces Dynamic Wrinkles	++	+	++	+++	++++
Recovery (Days)	4-7	0	7-10	10-14	10-14

Questions to Ask Your Plastic Surgeon

What Treatment do you recommend and why?

Will the treatment you recommend need to be repeated?

How long will my results last?
How many treatments will I need?

What recovery should I anticipate?

Dr. Loftus is the highly acclaimed plastic surgeon who authored The Smart Woman's Guide to Plastic Surgery, which is the #1 Best-selling book on plastic surgery in the United States. She has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, THE TODAY SHOW and THE VIEW, discussing all facets of plastic surgery. People from all over the world travel to Cincinnati to seek her care.

Loftus Plastic Surgery Center
Cincinnati, Ohio: 513-793-4000
Northern Kentucky (A suburb of Cincinnati):
859-426-5000

The Cincinnati office is located within 45 minutes of Dayton, Ohio
The Kentucky office is located within 45 minutes of Lexington, Kentucky.

This web site is for information only.
Do not use the information herein to diagnose or treat your plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery problems. You should contact your plastic surgeon with all questions and concerns.

Information for this website is provided by Dr. Jean M. Loftus, a nationally respected female plastic surgeon, who practices cosmetic plastic surgery in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area.