How to Get Rid of Wrinkles on the Nose

How to Get Rid of Wrinkles on the Nose
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Wrinkles are a natural phenomenon that occur when important proteins, called elastin and collagen, break down in the skin. One common place for wrinkle formation is on the nose, such as upper nose bridge wrinkles referred to as "bunny lines" or the wrinkles that run from the nose to the mouth called "nasolabial folds." When it comes to relieving wrinkles on the nose, there are several treatment options available.

Step 1

Apply an anti-wrinkle cream. According to the Mayo Clinic, active ingredients in wrinkle creams, such as copper peptide, kinetin, coenzyme Q-10, retinol or hydroxy acids, may protect and renew skin cells, which can help lessen the signs of wrinkles.

Step 2

Get a chemical peel. During a chemical peel, specialized acids (such as lactic acid, glycolic acid or trichloroacetic acid) are placed on the face. The acid reacts with the skin, causing the outer most layer of tissue to peel off. Depending on how deep the wrinkles are, different strengths of acid can be used to penetrate deeper layers of skin. While basic peels may be done by a cosmetologist, deeper peels require the service of a dermatologist or cosmetic physician. At-home chemical peels may also be used, but will not provide the same wrinkle-fighting effects that a professional peel will.

Step 3

Talk to your dermatologist about collagen injections. Collagen injections can be human-based (Cosmoplast or Cosmoderm) and bovine-based (Zyplast or Zyderm). When injected into the nose wrinkle, collagen fills the open space left by collagen and elastin that has broken down, forcing the wrinkled skin to become even with the surrounding tissue. For bovine-based collagen products, an allergy test is often performed to protect against severe allergic reaction. No test is needed for human-based products.

Step 4

Inject a dermal filler beneath the wrinkle. Like collagen, dermal fillers are injected into the skin by a dermatologist to fill in the space beneath wrinkles, causing the wrinkled skin to plump up and become even with the surrounding tissue. Common dermal fillers include hyaluronic acid (Restylane and Hylaform) and calcium hydroxylapetite (Radiesse).

Step 5

Experiment with botox injections. Botox is one of the most common non-surgical means of treating wrinkles on the body. During this treatment the botulinum neurotoxin is injected into the muscles beneath the nose wrinkles by a dermatologist. The toxin blocks an important neurotransmitter needed to contract the muscle called acetylcholine. Accodring to the Mayo Clinic, with acetylcholine blocked, the muscles relax, causing the skin above the muscle to become smooth, reducing wrinkles.

References

Article reviewed by Julie Mendenhall Last updated on: May 4, 2011

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