A variety of options are available to treat, remove or reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. People have different skin needs, so no one solution fits everyone. Wrinkle creams and fillers are reasonable and do not have any down time. Chemical peels, non-ablative lasers and plastic surgery offer more dramatic results, but with a bigger investment in money and recovery time. A good start to any antiaging treatment is a good skin regimen of cleansing, moisturizing and protecting the skin against UVA and UVB rays.
Antiaging Skin Creams
The best antiaging skin creams contain proven wrinkle reduction ingredients. The Mayo Clinic suggests using creams containing coenzyme Q10, copper peptides, kinetin, vitamin C and tea extracts for their antiaging benefits.
Other proven wrinkle creams contain retinol, a vitamin A compound. Natural retinols are available in over-the-counter products. Vitamin A derivatives, such as Tretinoin, are available by prescription only. Tretinoin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a wrinkle treatment.
Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion removes the surface layer of the skin by sanding the skin with a rotary instrument. This is a surgical procedure performed by a dermatologist. The surface of the skin is removed and takes about a week or more to heal.
Microdermabrasion is a mild treatment that is used for minor skin problems. This treatment is popular with estheticians.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are an effective treatment for wrinkles and skin discoloration. A chemical solution is applied to the skin. It removes the surface of the skin and stimulates cellular turnover. This reveals smooth, less-wrinkled and more even-toned skin. The skin has to heal after a peel. Depending on the type of the peel, healing time can run from three days to a couple of weeks.
Fillers
Fillers can get expensive as they are temporary and need to be continually renewed. There are different fillers for different types of wrinkles. Many people in their 30s use Botox to reduce fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes and forehead. For deeper creases, such as the naso-labial fold around the cheeks and mouth area, stronger filler is needed. Fillers include fat transfer, collagen, polymer implants, hyaluronic acid, hydroxyapatite; polymethylmethacrylate and purified collagen gel are used to plump the deeper furrows and folds of the face, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Lasers
Lasers are used to resurface the skin. They are an effective wrinkle treatment, as they help to reduce the depth of scars, even skin coloration, tighten sagging skin and stimulate new collagen growth. They have a more dramatic and longer-lasting effect than fillers, peels or dermabrasion. Some laser treatments are extremely painful and can take up to a month to heal.
Non-ablative lasers resurface the skin, removing wrinkles and tightening the skin. The procedure leaves the skin with a little redness, but this is gone within a day.
Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery is the most expensive of the treatments, and has the most dramatic effect. Face-lift results can last up to 10 years. There is considerable down time with a face-lift. The skin around the face and neck usually has bruising and swelling for weeks after surgery.
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