The Face Watch: Why Do We Age and How to Take Care of Ourselves?

 Over the years, our body accumulates not only wisdom and experiences, but also visible transformations. While aging affects every corner of our being, changes in the face are usually the most obvious and often the ones that worry us the most. But what exactly happens to our skin and features? And most importantly, what can we do about it?

How Time Shapes Your Face

Facial aging is a complex process that goes beyond simple wrinkles. It involves dozens of changes, some subtle and some more pronounced:

Bone and cartilage changes: The forehead may appear wider as the hairline recedes. The ears tend to lengthen slightly due to the continuous growth of cartilage. The tip of the nose may droop a little due to weakening of the connective tissue.

Fat redistribution: In youth, facial fat is evenly distributed, creating volumes that enhance cheekbones, temples, and areas around the eyes and mouth. With age, this fat volume decreases, clumps together, and shifts downward. This causes previously plumped features to sag, and the skin loses its firmness, becoming saggy. Paradoxically, other areas, especially the lower half of the face, can accumulate fat, resulting in jowls and sagging cheeks.

Wrinkles and lines:

• Expression lines (forehead, between the eyebrows) are the result of the constant muscle movement that, over time, folds the skin.
• Other wrinkles are deepened by the aforementioned loss and displacement of fat.
• Fine wrinkles are mainly caused by sun damage, smoking, and the natural degeneration of the components of the skin that keep it dense and elastic.

Strategies for a Younger Face

While there are those who naturally embrace the changes of aging as a reflection of a full life, others prefer to attenuate their effects. Fortunately, there are a variety of options for a more youthful appearance.

A facelift is a procedure that removes excess tissue and tightens sagging skin on the lower face. Modern techniques have improved, offering more natural results. However, it is an expensive surgery and often requires complementary procedures.

Non-surgical alternatives: Most of today's rejuvenating treatments are either non-invasive or minimally invasive. Although they are not inexpensive, especially if we consider the need for repeated treatments, they offer significant results. Here are some of the most popular options:

• Sunscreen: The most effective measure to maintain youthful skin is constant sun protection. Use a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily, which protects against UVA and UVB rays. A wide-brimmed hat is an excellent complement.
• Creams and lotions:
• Moisturizers soothe dry skin and can temporarily fade wrinkles. They usually contain humectants such as glycerin, which attract and retain water in the skin.
• Exfoliating creams improve the appearance by removing dead cells that don't shed as easily on mature skin.
• There are FDA-approved prescription creams (such as Avita, Avage, Renova, Retin-A) that contain retinoids (vitamin A derivatives). These compounds stimulate collagen production and modify melanin, helping to reduce wrinkles and sun spots.

• Botulinum toxin injections: Commonly known as Botox, these injections are used to treat frown lines on the forehead and between the eyebrows. They work by partially immobilizing the muscles that cause them, softening the skin. Other approved brands include Myobloc and Dysport.
• Dermal fillers: They are used to treat lines and folds caused by the loss of collagen and fat. They are the second most popular cosmetic procedure after botulinum toxin. They are especially effective for nasolabial lines (from the nose to the corners of the mouth) and marionette lines (from the corners of the mouth to the chin). Hyaluronic acid is the most popular filler, lasts longer than collagen (up to six months) and its effects are prolonged with repeated injections.
• Laser treatments: Lasers are used to treat pigmented spots (freckles, sun spots), broken capillaries or for comprehensive skin rejuvenation. They remove the superficial layers of the skin to reduce wrinkles from sun damage and acne scars. Non-ablative lasers act on deeper layers of the skin to stimulate collagen formation. Recovery time varies depending on the type and intensity of treatment.