Facial wrinkling is a natural and inescapable part of the normal aging process. As people grow older, the skin and its underlying collagen layer gradually lose their integrity. Although eating well, moisturizing regularly, and using good sun protection can delay certain age-related developments, many people eventually turn to invasive or non-invasive skin renewing procedures. Learning how to interpret what different changes mean makes it easier to determine which treatments will provide the best results. There are two distinct types of facial wrinkling that people experience.
These are dynamic wrinkling and static wrinkling. Dynamic wrinkles are superficial facial creases that occur in the areas of greatest movement. They are among the first lines to appear on the visage and they’re usually found at the corner’s of the eyes, across the brow, and at the lips. Crow’s feet, frown lines, and peri-oral wrinkles or wrinkles that radiate outward around the mouth are all dynamic wrinkles. Dynamic wrinkles can be distinguished from static wrinkles in that they are only visible when the facial muscles are actively engaged. Static wrinkles represent a more advanced form of facial creasing. These are lines that are visible all of the time, even when the facial muscles are completely at rest.
They’re indication of lost facial volume and of a general breakdown in the skin’s integrity. Age-related decreases in facial volume common cause hollows at the cheeks, sagging skin along the jawline, and deep creases at the nasolabial folds. When facial aging becomes more advanced, static wrinkles can additionally develop at the brows, along with loose, sagging skin that may hang over the eyes.
Why Dynamic and Static Wrinkles Form and How to Correct Them
While static wrinkling can be attributed to age-related volume loss, dynamic wrinkling is related to the health and integrity of the skin’s collagen layer. This smooth layer of collagen both supports and defines the skin. As long as it remains unblemished and intact, your facial skin will remain smooth and line-free. Unfortunately, as time passes, old collagen is less likely to be repaired and diminished collagen is less likely to be replenished. Moreover, rather than being supple, malleable, and resilient, aging collagen becomes brittle and prone to cracking. Repeated movement of the facial muscles causes this cracking. Whether you smile a lot, frown often, or scrunch your lips while using a straw, these movements will eventually damage the collagen just beneath the expressive muscles that are moving. Once the damage is done, cracks in the supporting collagen layer will manifest at the surface of the skin as wrinkles. This happens whenever the facial movements that have caused these cracks are repeated. This is why smiling reveals crow’s feet, pursing your lips reveals peri-oral wrinkles, and furrowing your brow reveals frown lines.
Understanding the difference between dynamic and static wrinkling is helpful when choosing non-invasive cosmetic procedures. For instance, if you have crow’s feet or frown lines, you can temporarily release these and other movement-related creases by using an injectable neurotoxin. Injectable neurotoxins temporarily immobilize select muscles so that cracked collagen isn’t revealed when specific facial movements are made. Although people who have used these products can still laugh, smile, frown, and make all other facial expressions post-treatment, their facial movements will not cause their dynamic wrinkles to appear.
Micro-needling or collagen induction therapy offers a more progressive way to address dynamic wrinkling. Micro-needling targets dynamic wrinkles at their source by remodeling the collagen that’s been cracked, and by inciting the development of new collagen stores. When dynamic wrinkling is severe, micro-needling and injectable neurotoxins can even be used together. Injectable fillers or dermal fillers are frequently used to replace lost facial volume. When static wrinkling exists, these products fill loose, sagging skin in. They also eliminate facial hollows and reverse “jowling” or hanging skin along the jawline. In some instances, advanced static wrinkling can also be minimized with treatments like micro-needling that restore damaged collagen, promote increases in facial fullness, and revitalize the treatment area overall by reversing skin laxity. If you have dynamic wrinkles, you’re likely a very expressive person. Maybe you laugh and smile a lot, or maybe you spend a lot of time furrowing your brow.
Dynamic wrinkling may even be something that you’re more genetically pre-disposed to experiencing if you have immediate family members who’ve developed crow’s feet and frown lines early-on. Peri-oral wrinkles tend to be most common among smokers. In fact, they are often referred to as “smokers’ lines”. They come from constantly pursing the lips and are further incited by the destructive effects that long-term tobacco use has on collagen. At times, both static wrinkling and dynamic wrinkling can be attributed to deficiencies in the diet. Foods that are rich in phyto-nutrients, antioxidants, and other skin-supporting substances may help delay these age-related developments. However, the best way to determine what your wrinkles reveal about you is by scheduling a consultation appointment with a licensed dermatologist or esthetician. If you want to learn more about your skin health or if you’re looking for the right treatment for your age-related cosmetic concerns, we’ve got you covered. Call us now at 205-352-9141.
