About Anti-Aging Facial Treatments

As you age, your skin thins out, loosens and gradually loses fat, which ultimately causes sagging and wrinkles, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. If you feel as though your skin looks older than it should, various anti-aging facial treatments are available to help tighten skin and diminish the appearance of lines, creases and wrinkles.

Peels

Chemical peels are chemical solutions applied to the skin which cause the top skin layers to peel off; the end result is fresher skin, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. They can help reduce fine lines, even out skin tone by reducing the appearance of age spots and rejuvenate your skin texture, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Laser and Light Treatments

Laser and light treatments come in a variety of intensities. Ablative laser resurfacing is a technique that destroys the whole outer skin layer and warms up the skin layer beneath it, causing the skin to produce more collagen fibers and appear younger, according to MayoClinic.com. A less invasive and subtler laser treatment -- nonablative -- only heats the under layer of skin and causes the production of new collagen and elastin, which helps refresh and tighten the skin after a series of treatments, says MayoClinic.com.

Injections

Injections of soft tissue fillers, including collagen, fat and hyaluronic acid, can volumize your skin, smoothing out crevices and wrinkles, according to MayoClinic.com. Botox injections can cause skin to flatten out and appear less wrinkled by blocking signals that instruct muscles to contract. Both types of injections last only a few months, according to MayoClinic.com, so you would need to receive repeated injections if you want to maintain a youthful appearance.

Dermabrasion

A dermabrasion procedure sands down your skin's top layer with a rotating brush, allowing fresher skin to grow in, according to MayoClinic.com. Microdermabrasion, a technique that is like a mini-version of dermabrasion, removes a thin layer of skin with the use of a suctioning device and sanding crystals. While dermabrasion offers more dramatic results, it also causes redness, swelling and scabs that typically last weeks, whereas microdermabrasion only causes minor skin redness, says MayoClinic.com.

Surgery

Blepharoplasty is a type of surgery that can help firm and refresh the area surrounding your eyes by taking away excess muscle, skin and fat from your eyelids, according to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. A face lift surgery can offer results on a larger portion of your face by taking excess fat and skin from your neck and the lower portion of your face to tighten the underlying muscle and tissues, according to MayoClinic.com. Keep in mind that surgery involves more risks -- including the potential for infection and nerve damage -- and longer healing time.

Considerations

No two treatments offer the same results for all people. The location and depth of your wrinkles comes into play, says MayoClinic.com. Also, no treatment offers permanent youth. You would need to repeat treatments regularly, which can get expensive.

References

Article reviewed by Ed Garcia Last updated on: Sep 26, 2010

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