How Do We Age… and Is There Hope?

There are several key factors that are involved in the structural appearance of the face and neck as it changes with age.

SKIN
The skin loses its elasticity and collagen, thereby developing wrinkles. In addition, there also may be an increase in the number, size, and color of pigmented spots on the face, which is largely due to sun exposure.

MUSCLE
Muscle tone may be lost, causing a flabby or droopy appearance. Around the eyes, the loss of muscle tone leads to more visible conjunctiva, or the pink, inner surface of the lower eyelids. In addition, because your facial muscles have been contracting and making thousands of expressions daily, deeper wrinkles develop. Upper eyelids tend to droop, often obstructing vision, especially peripheral vision.

FAT

There are several deeper fat compartments of the face; not the kind of fat that makes the face appear round, but DEEP compartments that give the face youth. These are typically located in the midface, around the nose and cheekbones, as well as surrounding the eyes.

BONE
Loss of teeth can make the lips look shrunken. The area in the midface, especially at the base of the nose loses bone, causing “laugh lines” to look more prominent. The jawbone loses bone material, reducing the size of the lower face. The forehead, nose, and mouth thus look more pronounced.

THERE IS HOPE!
Over the past decade, we have correctly learned how the face ages. Long gone are the days where the “windblown” appearance after a facelift is deemed acceptable. Now, a full facelift is done through smaller incisions, fat compartments are refilled to their youthful state, aging skin is resurfaced with state-of-the-art lasers, and muscle laxity is tightened to give the appearance of energized youth!

If you are considering facial rejuvenation, please contact us at the Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group for a consultation, and achieve a natural, more youthful appearance!