Can Sagging Skin On The Face Be Tightened?

Gravity and aging are two of the enemies of your facial skin. Over time, both of these forces can act on your skin, resulting in sagging and wrinkled skin. Restoring your skin's elasticity can be accomplished using a combination of over-the-counter and medical treatments.

Causes

As you age, elastic and collagen fibers that once gave your skin its youthful appearance begin to break down. Because your body produces fewer hormones that make new fibers as you age, your skin begins to sag. Other factors, such as changes in weight, damage from the sun and genetics can cause your skin to sag further.

Over-the-Counter Treatments

Wear a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 15 or higher in order to prevent further sun damage to the skin. Sun exposure, one of the leading causes of skin sagging, should be minimized and protected against. Topical treatments to reduce sagging skin include vitamin-A containing creams, which also may be listed as retinol. Skin treatment creams that contain vitamin C serum, alpha hydroxy acids or beta hydroxy acids also may help encourage collagen cell growth. Because sagging skin can make your pores appear more pronounced, apply a pore minimizing solution, which fills in the larger "holes" created by elongated pores, according to "Good Housekeeping" magazine.

Physician Treatments

From noninvasive to invasive, treatment options are available to reduce skin sagging. Treatments designed to encourage cell turnover to reveal newer, firmer skin include dermabrasion, chemical peels and microdermabrasion, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Innovations including laser resurfacing and radiofrequency penetrate the skin's layers to encourage collagen production. Injectable fillers, such as botulinum toxin or hyaluronic acid, can be injected into the skin to plump areas of sagging, such as in smile lines or on the sides of the eyes. A facelift, an invasive surgical procedure, involves cutting the skin and stretching it more tightly across the face to eliminate sagging skin.

Expert Insight

If you do opt to have surgical treatment, over-the-counter anti-wrinkle products still may be necessary to reduce wrinkles, according to Dr. Vishal Banthia, a facial plastic surgeon writing on the website Real Self. "Noninvasive skin tightening options are also excellent adjunct modalities with which to maintain and enhance post-operative facelift results," says Banthia. "Ultimately, it is best to have a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced with both nonsurgical and surgical techniques to determine one's best options, which are dependent upon factors such as age, skin quality/type, facial/neck anatomy and expectations."

Misconception

While many creams and treatments are available to treat wrinkles, there is one wrinkle treatment method that actually may create more wrinkles: facial exercises, according to the site "Age Erasers for Women." These exercises are touted as a means to tone the muscles like you tone the muscles of your body. Because frequent facial expressions --- such as squinting the eyes in the sun or smiling --- lead to wrinkle development, facial exercises can have the same effect.