Thursday, December 21, 2006
Wrinkle Treatment and Prevention
Wrinkles are caused by the skin losing elasticity as the body ages and from the long-term effects of muscle contractions from smiling, frowning and laughing. But they are also worsened by sun damage, smoking and from the stressful lives that we lead. Today more and more people go in for wrinkle treatment with Botox cosmetic. Botox a sterile, purified protein produced from the bacteria, clostridium botulinum, is injected in small amounts into facial muscles binds to the nerve endings supplying the muscle and prevents nerve impulses from traveling to the muscle.
The resultant weakening or paralyzing effect on the facial muscle temporarily reduces or eliminates previous skin creasing and new skin creasing is avoided. Within three or four days of this wrinkle treatment, the patient can have a visibly smooth wrinkle-free face and the effect typically lasts for 3-6 months after which the treatment needs to be repeated. Most nagging reminders of age, the wrinkles like forehead creases, brow furrows or eye lines (crow's feet) can be effectively treated by injecting mild doses of Botox.
Collagen, that happens to be a fibrous protein substance that is part of all human and animal tissue, is also used to remove wrinkles from all areas of the face. In this anti-wrinkle treatment, collagen bovine (cow-derived) or human collagen is injected into the skin to fill out the skin and remove the wrinkles. Prominent facial creases and folds around the forehead, cheeks and chin can be treated as well with this material. Before collagen (wrinkle) treatment, a collagen allergy testing has to be performed, and the treatment needs to be repeated every 2-4 months.
Other wrinkle-treating methods commonly in use are dermabrasion, laser resurfacing, fat implants. In dermabrasion, the surface layer of the skin is removed by high-speed sanding. But this technique is not that successful in case of very prominent wrinkles, it is basically a way of facial skin rejuvenation, as it is very effective in removing and reducing acne and scars. Laser resurfacing, another wrinkle treatment method, works best on fine, shallow wrinkles caused by aging or sun damage. In case of fat implants, fat is taken from one area, usually belly, buttocks or thighs and deposited in laugh lines, frown lines, sunken chins, and hollow cheeks.
