Wrinkles

Medical Author: Alan Rockoff, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, MD, FACP, FACR

• Introduction
• What factors promote wrinkles?
• What treatments are available for wrinkles?
  • Medical treatments
  • Cosmetic procedures
• Wrinkles At A Glance

Introduction

Although wrinkles can signify wisdom, most people nowadays would rather not have them.

Many products and procedures promise to reduce wrinkles. Some do little or nothing (like the products that claim they reduce "the appearance of fine lines," which means that they don't reduce the lines themselves). Others can achieve a fair amount of success.

Skin ages all over the body, but much more so where there has been sun exposure. Changes brought on by sun damage (photoaging) include "dryness" (really roughness), sagginess, skin growths like keratoses ("liver spots"), and wrinkles.

Most wrinkles appear on the parts of the body where sun exposure is greatest. These especially include the face, neck, the backs of the hands, and the tops of the forearms. Wrinkles come in two categories: fine surface lines and deep furrows. Wrinkle treatments are in general much more effective for fine lines. Deeper creases may require more aggressive techniques, such injection of fillers or plastic surgery.

What factors promote wrinkles?

Factors that promote wrinkling include:

• Smoking
• Light skin type (people with blue eyes and easily burned skin are more prone to sun damage)
• Heredity (some families wrinkle more)
• Hairstyle (some styles provide cover and protection against sun damage)
• Dress (hats, long sleeves, etc.)
• Occupational and recreational habits (farming, sailing, golfing, using tanning booths, and so forth)

Some of these factors are beyond our control. The main preventive measures we can take are to minimize sun exposure and not smoke.

SPF numbers on sunscreen labels refer to protection against UVB radiation (shortwave ultraviolet light, the "sunburn rays"). More and more sunscreens offer protection against UVA radiation (longer-wave ultraviolet light) as well. UVA rays are the ones you get in tanning salons; they may not cause immediate sunburn but do promote sun damage and skin cancer risk over time. (Sorry, but there is no such thing as a "safe tan.") Sunscreens that block UVA indicate this on the label and include such ingredients as Parsol 1789. The FDA has recently approved Mexoryl, another UVA-blocking ingredient, which has been available in Europe for some time. For more, please read the articles, Sunburn and Sun Sensitizing Drugs and Sun Protection and Sunscreens.

From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com

tretinoin, Retin A, Atralin, Renova, Avita, Altinac - Learn about tretinoin (Retin-A, Atralin, Renova, Avita, Altinac) a drug used to treat moderate acne, wrinkles, and sun damaged skin. Source:MedicineNet Chemical Peel - Chemical peels, also known as chemexfoliation or derma-peeling, are a technique used to improve the appearance of the skin. Source:WebMD Medical Reference from The Cleveland Clinic Dermabrasion - Dermabrasion, or surgical skin planing, is a procedure in which the skin is frozen and then a specialized instrument is used to "sand" the skin. This abrasive or planing action improves skin contour as a new layer of skin replaces the treated skin. The new skin generally has a smoother appearance. Source:WebMD Medical Reference from The Cleveland Clinic Read 76 more Wrinkles related articles ... Health Tip: Is Your Baby in Pain? Botox Works on Muscle Disorders But Not Migraines Seniors No Strangers to Happiness Vitamin C May Slow Skin Wrinkling Banishing Wrinkles With Fillers Retinol May Smooth Aging Skin FDA OKs New Wrinkle Filler Perlane Botox Could Treat Enlarged Prostate Skin Aging Reversed in Lab Test Low-Energy Plasma Zaps Wrinkles