treAtment guide |


treatment guide Fine lines & wrinkles


Rosalind Hill introduces this month’s treatment guide with a review of ageing of the skin and the treatment options available to help retain a youthful look


A


geing is perhAps most prevalent when it comes to the face. Fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, mouth or on the glabella can


give tell-tale signs as to the patients age; and sometimes even make someone look older owing to stress lines or sun damage, for example. However, it has perhaps never been so


easy to treat these signs of ageing — botulinum toxins are more advanced; fillers have moved beyond simply collagen; and now laser systems can be used to correct even the most minor of ‘flaws’.


Ageing skin Fine lines and wrinkles are signs of intrinsic or chronological ageing — there is no way to entirely avoid them. As the skin ages, the supportive components of the skin are gradually destroyed. The elastic fibres break down and are lost; collagen fibres degrade and their function is destroyed;. and there is also a gradual loss of hyaluronic acid. As a result, the skin becomes stiffer, thinner, and sags. Between the ages of 30 and 35 years,


the first signs of static wrinkles usually begin to appear. Facial lines and wrinkles may form as the result of a number of factors: ■ Ageing processes ■ Sun damage ■ Muscle movement ■ Gravity ■ Injury ■ Surgery


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■ Acne ■ Smoking. While many of these factors can be


controlled (e.g. smoking, sun exposure), often the case may be a result of genetic disposition (although the evidence to support this is limited). The type or grade of wrinkling,


especially around the eyes and mouth, is often defined using the Fitzpatrick classification: ■ Class I: fine wrinkles ■ Class II: fine to moderately deep wrinkles and moderate number of lines ■ Class III: fine to deep wrinkles, numerous lines, and possibly redundant folds. While wrinkles and fine lines can be


kept at bay through diet and good skin care regimens, they are inevitable. Thankfully, however, a range of treatment protocols can help to minimise the effect.


Treatment options There are a number of treatment options available to delay the progression of fine lines, each with a varied recovery time and result. Most commonly, patients will opt for


injectable treatments, which are the mainstay in this area. However, a range of further options are available, including dermabrasion and microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser skin resurfacing. Remarkable changes in facial appearance can be obtained, giving a younger appearance and improving complexion. Often combinations of different cosmetic


October 2011 | prime-journal.com remarkable changes in facial


appearance can be obtained, giving a younger appearance and improving complexion.


procedures are required for the best results. Despite this, according to statistics


from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, botulinum toxin injections increased by 50% from 2002 to 2010, and hyaluronic acid injections are now second in popularity to botulinum toxin.


Conclusions The treatment of fine lines and wrinkles is doubtless one of the most sought after treatments in the field of aesthetic and anti-ageing medicine. This field will no doubt continue to flourish, especially with the development of new treatment options appearing on the horizon.


Rosalind Hill is a healthcare journalist and Managing Editor of PRIME


MONTH IN PRIME Treating acne


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