Facial lines and wrinkles

As we get older we develop lines and wrinkles that were not present when we were younger. Many people do not welcome this development, although some people feel they have "earned" their lines. The most common cause for the development is the frequent folding of the skin by muscle movement. Other causes include sun exposure, resulting in a loss of skin elasticity, and the loss of deeper tissue depriving the skin of its "filler" and causing it to sag and fold.

For lines that are caused by muscle movement, a product such as Botox, which prevents muscle movement, can be helpful. The Botox has to be placed in the correct location and used in the correct dosage to get optimal results. A few years ago there were a series of photos, of a pair of identical twins, presented at the annual meeting of The American Academy of Dermatology. One twin had received Botox regularly for a period of 12 years. The second twin had gotten only occasional Botox over the 12 year period. Neither twin had received any Botox for 4 months before the photos were taken. The twin who had gotten Botox regularly had no lines on her forehead at rest, while her sister had visible lines at rest. When they both lifted their eyebrows, the regularly treated twin had much shallower folds than her sister. The Botox had resulted in smaller muscles. A similar effect, but not quite as marked, was seen in the crow's feet.
Clearly Botox can prevent lines, as well as improve them. However, there are certain areas, such as the lips, where significantly weakening muscle action can produce additional problems. I'll deal with removal of lip lines in my next post.

Gerald N. Bock MD, Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology
Stockton, CA

For more information see: California Skin Laser Home Page ,Botox Page: California Skin Laser Center