It’s no secret that, as we age, the shape and structure of our faces change. Many of us long for the days when we took our “baby fat,” in the form of round, full cheeks, and pouty lips, for granted.
Studies have shown that by the age of 35, the natural aging process causes us to lose about 10% of the fat in our faces, and we lose an additional 5-10% of your facial volume every 5-10 years thereafter. This means that by the age of 55 you may have lost 40% of your facial fat, causing your cheeks to flatten and skin to droop and sag. But that’s not all! Due to hormonal and environmental influences, our skin becomes thinner and rougher, our pores enlarge, and years of sun damage finally starts to haunt us, leaving many looking tired, sunken, and haggard.
Aging is not the only reason our faces begin to change. A few of these factors, such as genetics or hormonal changes in the form of decreased estrogen production, are often beyond our control. However, there are many lifestyle choices we make that can cause us to lose volume in our faces. Fortunately, there are several facial volume treatments available at Gold Skin Care Center in Nashville to counter this process.
What Causes Loss of Volume in the Face?
Yo-Yo Diet and Exercise
One of the factors that contribute to a gaunt, haggard appearance is extreme diet and exercise. If you have not learned this by now, it is impossible to “spot reduce” fat with only diet and exercise (thankfully, that’s what Ultrashape Power and Zeltiq CoolSculpting are for!), and often what we refer to as “yo-yo” dieting can do more harm than good, both from a medical and aesthetic standpoint. This recurrent up and down in diet and exercise causes a loss of not only facial volume loss but also elasticity in our skin.
As we know, loss of collagen and elasticity causes our faces to appear gaunt and the lines in our skin, often around our mouths and eyes, to become more pronounced. All of this contributes to an overall older appearance.
Low Body Fat
Even if you do not engage in unhealthy “yo-yo” dieting, there is such a thing as being “too thin.” A common complaint among marathon athletes is that they believe they look like a “skeleton covered in skin.” Maybe you aren’t a distance runner, but you are naturally thin; a naturally thin frame has less fat to begin with, so it’s understandable that over the years, a person with a thinner face will show signs of aging at a much more rapid pace.
Sun Damage
Another contributing factor to facial aging, although not a direct contributor to volume loss, is excessive exposure to the sun and other UV rays, such as indoor tanning booths. This is why dermatologists and other healthcare professionals stress the importance of wearing SPF every day. UV rays not only damage our skin at a cellular level, but they also accelerate the breakdown of the skin’s collagen and elastin fiber network, accentuating the loss of fat in the face. This is often why someone in Nashville who has worshiped the sun or spent most of their time in a warm climate, unprotected, looks much older than a person of the same age who took precautions against the damaging rays of the sun.
Regain Plump, Youthful Skin
Now that we have addressed why we lose facial volume, let’s talk about how we can restore it. Most commonly, your facial volume can be replaced with injectable dermal fillers. Many of the most popular and effective fillers, such as Juvederm Voluma and Restylane Lyft, are made of a substance called hyaluronic acid, which is naturally produced by the human body and provides moisture and buoyancy to the skin. Radiesse, a product comprised of a substance called calcium hydroxylapatite, also works beautifully to restore lost volume in the face, as well as the hands. Radiesse is one of the heaviest dermal fillers, which makes it ideal for moderate to severe facial lines and folds.
Most dermal fillers typically last between 1-2 years and have an added benefit of providing nearly immediate results. For someone seeking overall facial rejuvenation, Sculptra is another great filler option. Since Sculptra is comprised of poly-L-lactic acid particles, which stimulate our body to create new collagen fibers, the results will happen gradually; however, the effects will often last longer than treatment with hyaluronic acid fillers.
Learn more about poly-L-lactic acid as an FDA-approved injectable, visit SculptraAesthetic.com.
Restore Your Youthful Appearance with a Dermatology Appointment in Nashville
If you are interested in reversing the signs of facial aging, please contact the Laser and Rejuvenation Center at Gold Skin Care Center in Nashville, where we would be more than happy to provide you with a thorough consultation to discuss which treatment option may be best for you. Contact us online or call (615) 645-2314 today.
Next, read How Superficial Radiation Therapy is Revolutionizing Skin Cancer Treatment
