Wrinkles are an unavoidable sign of aging that eventually everyone will experience. Wrinkles occur as a side effect of the natural breakdown of important proteins in your skin, called collagen and elastin. Just because you have wrinkles, however, does not mean you have to live with them. Due to advances in skin care technology, a trip to your dermatologist can open up a variety of treatment options to lessen the prominence of wrinkles on your skin.
Prescription Retinoids
Prescription retinoids are one of the least invasive ways your dermatologist can help you fight wrinkles. Retinoids, such as Differin (adapalene) and Retin-A (tretinoin), help accelerate the sloughing of dead skin cells on the face. As dead skin cells are removed, healthier and smoother skin cells are revealed, which lessens the signs of aging on the skin.
Chemical Peel
Chemical peels are also an option that can help reduce wrinkles on the skin. During a chemical peel treatment, your dermatologist will coat the affected areas with a chemical, such as alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids or phenol. These chemicals peel away the top layers of your skin. Your dermatologist can adjust the strength of your peel from light peels to treat superficial fine lines to stronger peels that can help reduce the prominence of deep wrinkles.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are another option your dermatologist may recommend for wrinkle treatment. Dermal fillers, such as collagen, fat, Restylane and Juvederm, are injected beneath wrinkles to replace the space lost by collagen and elastin that have broken down. This plumps the wrinkle up and makes it even with the surrounding skin tissue.
Botox
Botox is another common option that your dermatologist can provide for wrinkle treatment. Botox contains a potent neurotoxin called Botulinum A. Once injected into muscles beneath wrinkles on the skin, the toxin blocks the action of acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter needed for muscles to function. Without the ability to contract, these muscles relax, causing the skin above the muscle to lie flat, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles.
Laser Treatments
Laser treatments can also be used to help treat wrinkles. For example, laser resurfacing treatments use the light energy of the laser to remove the outermost layer of skin. Similar to a chemical peel, the removal of this layer of skin reveals newer, smoother skin cells, reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Nonablative lasers can also be used to penetrate deeper into the skin tissue, using the laser light energy to activate the production of collagen. The new collagen fills the space of lost collagen, which plumps out the wrinkle.
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