Crow’s feet, worry lines, laugh lines—whatever you call them, wrinkles and fine lines are inevitable signs of aging. While they can’t be avoided, there are ways to slow their appearance by avoiding certain stimuli, and even ways to help reduce the appearance of those that already exist. However, let’s look at what causes them.

What Causes Fine Lines and Wrinkles?

There are three layers to our precious skin—the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous tissue. These layers contain collagen and elastin proteins that keep our skin tight and toned. Our skin loses its ability to snap back into shape as we age, because the collagen begins to break down. As a result of this loss of moisture, wrinkles and fine lines appear. We can’t control this part, but there are other factors that speed up the process.

• Sun Exposure: A huge culprit, the sun can be both a friend and a foe. The sun is great for promoting the production of vitamin D4, but not when it comes to spending hours in the sun. When the skin is exposed to UV rays for a prolonged period of time, it can lose its elasticity and become more wrinkled.
• Lifestyle: It’s important to live a healthy life, so smoking is a no-no. Nicotine in cigarettes narrows blood vessels in the skin. If your blood flow is reduced, your skin will receive less oxygen and other nutrients needed to maintain its elasticity.
• Diet: When it comes to your skin’s health, it’s always a smart idea to eat a balanced diet. Foods rich in the antioxidant vitamin C also help remove free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules that damage collagen) from the skin.
• Exercise: When it comes to your skin, regular exercise gets the blood flowing. Blood flow increases oxygen levels, which is crucial for the health of the skin.

What Is the Difference Between Fine Lines and Wrinkles?

There is a difference in severity between fine lines and wrinkles, although they are often considered synonymous.

As the first signs of aging and/or sun damage, fine lines are usually considered to be the starting point for deeper wrinkles.

Skin wrinkles are caused by muscle contractions under the skin and appear when you make facial expressions like frowning, squinting, or smiling. Our bodies create wrinkles over time as a result of repeated movements.

There are two types of wrinkles within the wrinkle category: dynamic and static. A dynamic wrinkle appears only when there is movement, such as when you smile, little wrinkles (or “crow’s feet”) appear on the outer edges of the eyes. When crow’s feet persist after you stop smiling (and your face is resting), they are considered static wrinkles.

The Prevention of Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Keeping your body healthy and happy is the best way to prevent wrinkles and fine lines. Smoking should be avoided, exercise should be performed, and a healthy diet should be followed. In addition, if you want to enjoy the great outdoors with minimal wrinkle risk, always carry sunscreen with you. Sunglasses, hats, and protective clothing are also recommended.

The battle against aging may seem like a never-ending one, but with advances in science and technology, you have more resources at your disposal. Learn how we can help you fight the signs of aging by contacting our facial cosmetics office today.

Do you get enough water each day? Or have you been drinking far more than is necessary?

The adult human body is 60% water, and your blood is 90% water. Water is beneficial to the entire body in a variety of ways. Water can be the most cost-effective solution for skin problems, from flushing out toxins to preventing acne. It can give you healthy, glowing skin. As a result, it is safe to say that water is a miraculous drink!

Let’s look at the 10 amazing benefits shared by our Chicago facial aesthetics doctor that water has to offer for your skin and how much water you need to drink to stay hydrated.

What Effect Does Drinking Enough Water Have on Your Skin?

When you drink enough water, your blood hydrates the cells in every part of your body. The skin, as the body’s largest organ, is also hydrated, even as impurities and toxins are flushed out at the cellular level. 

Here are all of the skin benefits of drinking water:

Skin Tone Enhancement

Drinking plenty of water helps the body flush out toxins and promotes healthier skin. According to studies, drinking just two cups of water can increase blood flow to the skin, giving it an even tone.

Preventing Early Aging

Staying hydrated helps the skin retain moisture for longer, which increases elasticity. Increased skin elasticity means delayed sagging and the premature appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Healing Time is Shortened

If you’ve been out in the sun and been sunburned, drinking water can help you heal faster. Applying aloe vera to sunburned areas is also extremely soothing.

Puffiness is reduced.

When your skin appears puffy, it is actually retaining water to keep you hydrated. This happens if you don’t drink enough water. Staying hydrated will help to reduce facial swelling and puffiness.

Acne prevention

Drinking plenty of water helps to balance the oil and water content of your skin. This reduces excess oil and sebum secretion, resulting in fewer clogged pores and acne.

Adult acne is getting more common these days due to busy lifestyles and lack of hydration. A study revealed that 4-6 people out of 100 in the age range of 20–40 have adult acne.

There will be no more itchiness on the face.

Dry skin is prone to itching. Due to a lack of moisture, it can even develop dry flakes and crack. Drinking enough water keeps your skin from becoming dry and itchy.

Skin Tightening

Skin can sag as a result of rapid weight loss. Drinking water helps to prevent sagging and tighten the skin in areas where sagging is visible, such as the upper arms, thighs, waist, and jawline, by revitalizing the skin’s elasticity.

Maintains pH Balance

Water can restore sensitive, acne-prone, or problematic skin to a healthy state. If you drink enough water to help balance your body’s pH levels, your skin will glow and be free of blemishes.

It prevents skin eruptions caused by heat.

Water keeps your body temperature normal and prevents it from overheating. When your body heats up due to the weather or physical activity, drinking plenty of water keeps heat rashes at bay.

It promotes gut health, which means clear skin.

Water consumption improves gut health and digestion. It controls your bowel movements and removes toxins from your body via urine and feces. Only when this process is smooth and your gut is healthy will your skin remain clear and problem-free.

If you’re having skin problems and don’t know where to turn, our facial cosmetics team in Chicago is here to help. Please contact our Chicago, IL facial aesthetics office today to schedule an appointment.

With laser skin resurfacing, wrinkles, age spots, acne scars, and other blemishes can be reduced, and skin can be tightened. Because lasers can accomplish so much and vary so widely in their effects on your skin, it can be difficult to know where to begin when researching treatment options-even a cursory internet search reveals a myriad of competing devices and technologies. Here are some important things you need to know about laser resurfacing shared by our facial aesthetics doctor in Chicago.

What is the best time to have laser skin resurfacing?

Do you know that autumn is known as the “laser season”? Since laser-treated skin may be hypersensitive to sunlight for up to one year following certain procedures, many cosmetic surgeons suggest undergoing laser resurfacing in the autumn or winter months when daytime hours are shorter and you spend most of your time indoors.

Regardless of the time of year in which you have your laser procedure, make sure you wear a broad-spectrum, high-SPF sunscreen daily. This not only keeps your results looking their best but also helps prevent skin cancer and premature aging.

Some treatments may cause discomfort, while others may not.

Doctors and patients often compare the sensation felt during laser treatments to a rubber band snapping against the skin. Depending on the laser, the depth and area of treatment, and an individual’s tolerance for pain, laser resurfacing may feel different.

To keep a patient comfortable during deeper ablative (where some outer layers of the skin are removed) laser treatments, local anesthetic injections or intravenous sedation may be needed. The CO2 laser and the Erbium YAG laser are examples of ablative lasers.

Many non-ablative laser treatments (in which the laser passes through the skin without removing layers) are relatively painless and require only topical anesthesia. There may be some tenderness in the treated area following the procedure. If necessary, your provider will recommend safe ways to control discomfort after laser resurfacing.

You can still undergo laser resurfacing if you have dark skin.

It is a common misconception that laser resurfacing is only safe for light skin types. Even though certain lasers can cause cell damage or discoloration in darker skin, there are also safe and effective options available. Sometimes, erbium laser resurfacing can be a good option for African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians with lighter skin tones, posing a lower risk of discoloration. Patients with darker brown or black skin may need to explore other skin resurfacing options, such as radio-frequency treatments or micro-needling.

Laser treatment is affected by certain medications or conditions.

Your medical history and any medications or supplements you are taking should always be disclosed to your provider. For instance, if you tend to get cold sores or fever blisters, laser treatments can cause breakouts. The use of acne medication containing isotretinoin (i.e., Accutane) can lead to poor healing or scarring from laser resurfacing, while over-the-counter products like aspirin can cause bleeding after surgery.

Additionally, diabetes and other chronic conditions may affect the safety and results of laser resurfacing. To provide your body with the best chance for optimal results, you should also give up smoking at least 2 weeks before and after laser treatments.

You may need some downtime after laser treatment.

Despite laser treatments generally being considered non-surgical, not all are downtime-free. Depending on the type of laser used and an individual’s health and healing rate, laser resurfacing recovery times will vary.

Non-ablative lasers usually require no downtime, whereas ablative lasers can require 2 to 3 weeks of healing before the new skin is healed completely and a final result is apparent.

This does not mean you need to stay at home for a month; it just means your skin will be raw, red, and scabbed over while it heals. You may not feel comfortable in certain social situations, and you will need to modify your activities to avoid situations where infection might occur (such as swimming, working out in the gym, etc.).

We invite you to schedule an appointment with our facial aesthetics office in Chicago, IL if you are considering laser treatments to improve your skin.

Does age matter when considering cosmetic treatments? A common question is “when should I start?” The aging process affects everyone differently. Several factors, including genetics, diet, exercise, rest, and sun exposure, can influence the way our skin ages. There is no “one size fits all” answer to the question “when should I start?”, and there is no right or wrong age to start.

Many facial cosmetics offices offer Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin, which are all botulinum toxins. A botulinum toxin blocks nerve signals to the muscle where it is injected. It is used to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. In adults, these products temporarily reduce moderate to severe frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead lines.

Our faces get lines and wrinkles due to the natural expressions we make using the muscles beneath our skin. The earlier you begin these treatments, the better the results will be. People start forming lines on their faces in their twenties or thirties, which is why it is a good idea to start Botox and fillers at a young age. It will both prevent new lines from forming and keep existing lines from worsening. If you decide to begin treatment later in life, treatment can still reduce your lines and prevent them from becoming worse.

As we age, our faces lose volume and our soft tissues move downward. In addition to lifting and volumizing the aging face, fillers also reduce deeper lines. Many people find fillers helpful in their thirties or forties, but younger people may benefit from them if they are used to accentuate their youthful features. Fillers can be highly effective at any age. Older individuals may benefit more from fillers under the eyes and around the mouth, or where there is more volume loss due to aging.

Whenever you notice fine lines starting to appear, it’s time to start your treatments. A preventative Botox treatment can eliminate those earliest fine lines before they become wrinkles. When people wait for wrinkles to appear before they seek treatment, they miss the opportunity to prevent them. Almost all experts agree that patients in their late twenties and early thirties are a great age to begin treatment. Injecting the muscles around the mouth, eyes, and eyebrows before they develop wrinkles prevents them from occurring.

There is no such thing as the right time to begin Botox or fillers. Starting earlier than in your mid-twenties may be too early. Certain wrinkles are genetic, so if you notice fine lines or wrinkles in your older relatives, you may want to start treatment sooner rather than later. When you begin early, you keep the muscles weak, so you won’t need as many treatments when you get older. Even if you are already older, you can still benefit! Contact our facial cosmetics office today for your next cosmetic appointment.