Treating skin wrinkles without surgery won't give you the same dramatic and long-lasting results as a surgical face lift, but it can refresh and renew your skin, making you look younger. Skin resurfacing treatments come in many different forms -- and at a wide range of costs -- from inexpensive over-the-counter wrinkle-treatment creams through at-home peels to expensive treatments that must be done at a salon or by a dermatologist. Whichever non-invasive wrinkle treatment you choose, make sure to follow the directions and after-care instructions so you don't damage your skin.
Wrinkle Facts
Wrinkles are the natural consequence of aging. As you grow older, production of natural oils slows down. When you express emotions, the muscles beneath your skin crease. Your aging skin is less elastic, so it can't spring back the way it did when you were younger. Also, according to MayoClinic.com, the layer of fat beneath your skin thins out, which is what causes sagging. Genetics play a large part of how and when your skin starts to wrinkle, but there are several non-invasive options for looking younger.
Topical Treatments
The gentlest topical wrinkle treatments are nonprescription lotions and creams containing alpha hydroxy acids, antioxidants, coenzyme Q10, copper peptides or kinetin. Results are less dramatic than with prescription creams because the concentrations of active ingredients are much weaker. Results are typically not as long lasting. Prescription creams are generally retinoids that are made from vitamin A. They are stronger than non-prescription creams and are used in conjunction with a skin care regimen and sun block. Using retinoids incorrectly can damage your skin.
Resurfacing Treatments
Chemical peels are available in many forms and strengths from moisturizers containing only 5 percent glycolic acid to home-peel kits available at strengths up to 30 percent, which should be used by professionals only. These peels remove the top layer of dead skin cells, refreshing and tightening your skin. Dermabrasion cannot be done at home, because it involves removing the top layers of skin with a rotating brush that works much the same way sandpaper works on wood. Scabbing and redness can last for weeks, and it can take a few months before seeing the results you want. Microdermabrasion is a gentler form of dermabrasion, which uses tiny crystal beads to resurface the skin. This can be done on your lunch hour and requires no convalescence.
Injections
While it is understandable to feel that injections are invasive, UCLA's Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery lists injections on their roster of non-invasive wrinkle treatments. Botox, which is derived from botulism, is injected to paralyze the fine muscles of the face. Fillers, like Restylane, Juvederm and Perlane, are often used in conjunction with Botox. These are derived from hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance.
Light, Electricity and Radio Waves
Laser resurfacing is like a science-fiction version of dermabrasion. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, laser resurfacing can make you look between 10 and 20 years younger, and the results can last up to 10 years. During this treatment, lasers vaporize the water in your skin, along with dead skin cells, allowing new cells to grow. Cold ablation uses saline and mild electrical charges to vaporize the topmost layer of your skin. Radio frequency resurfacing uses radio waves; preliminary studies suggest that one form is as effective as laser resurfacing, but with much less damage and a shorter recovery time.
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