Facial Aging: Explained

As we age, our faces undergo many changes—some subtle, some more noticeable. While this process is inevitable, understanding what happens as we age can help us make informed choices about treatment options that can slow or even reverse some of the effects.

The Anatomy of Facial Aging

Facial aging isn’t just about wrinkles. It’s a complex process involving skin, fat, muscles, and bones. Each component ages at a different rate and contributes to how we look as we grow older.

Aging Skin: Texture, Tone, and Elasticity

The skin is the most visible sign of aging, and it’s where we notice changes first. As we age, the skin produces less collagen and elastin—two proteins that are essential for keeping skin firm, smooth, and elastic.

Collagen loss

Collagen is the structural protein in the skin responsible for keeping it plump and firm. As we age, collagen production slows down, making thinner, more fragile skin prone to wrinkles and sagging.

Elastin reduction

Elastin is what gives skin the ability to bounce back. With age, the skin’s elasticity decreases, making it harder to recover from expressions, gravity, and environmental damage.

Dehydration and dullness

Aging skin loses its ability to retain moisture, resulting in dryness and a dull, lackluster appearance. The skin’s natural glow fades, leaving behind a more tired look.

Pigmentation and age spots

Years of sun exposure accumulate over time, often leading to sun spots, uneven pigmentation, and a rough texture.

Fat Pads and Volume Loss

Beneath the skin, the face is supported by a network of fat pads. These pads give our faces youthful volume, but as we age, they shrink and shift, contributing to sagging and hollowing in some regions of the face.

Volume loss: One of the hallmarks of facial aging is the loss of fat in critical areas, such as the cheeks, temples, and under the eyes. The loss of natural fat can lead to hollowing in the midface and a sunken appearance around the eyes.
Fat redistribution: While some areas lose volume, others may accumulate fat, such as under the chin or along the jawline, leading to jowls or a double chin.

Muscle Changes: Laxity and Wrinkling

The muscles responsible for facial expressions also change as we age. Over time, these muscles weaken, contributing to sagging skin, and the repetitive use of these muscles can create wrinkles.

Dynamic wrinkles: These are the wrinkles that form from repeated muscle movements—think of crow’s feet from squinting or frown lines from furrowing your brow. Over time, these dynamic wrinkles can become etched into the skin.
Muscle laxity: As facial muscles weaken, they can’t support the skin and tissues as effectively, leading to sagging, especially in the lower face and neck.

Bone Structure: The Foundation of Your Face

Even the bones of the face change as we age. This is a lesser-known aspect of aging, but it plays a critical role in the face’s overall appearance.

Bone resorption: The bones of the face, particularly around the eyes, cheeks, and jaw, start to recede with age. This can exacerbate the appearance of hollowness under the eyes and contribute to the sagging of the midface and jawline. The upper jaw loses bone, and as it recedes, it shifts the tip of the nose downward, appearing to lengthen the upper lip, and the under-eye area appears to lengthen, with hollows appearing beneath the eyes.
Jawline changes: A weakened or receding jawline is a common complaint as people age. This can lead to jowls and loss of definition in the lower face.

The Causes of Facial Aging

Several factors contribute to how—and how quickly—our faces age:

Genetics

Your genetic makeup plays a significant role in how your face ages. If your parents looked younger than their years, chances are you will too. If your background includes early wrinkling, a double chin, or hyperpigmentation, you could inherit those traits.

Sun exposure

Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun are one of the leading causes of premature skin aging. Years of unprotected sun exposure can lead to wrinkles, sun spots, and other signs of aging.

Environmental factors

Pollution, smoking, and other environmental factors can accelerate the aging process by creating oxidative stress, which damages skin cells and depletes collagen.

Lifestyle choices

Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and poor nutrition can all take a toll on your skin. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can slow aging and keep your skin looking its best.

Treating the Signs of Facial Aging

The good news is that many treatments are available to slow down, reverse, or prevent the signs of aging. Whether you’re looking for non-invasive options or surgical interventions, various treatments can help rejuvenate your appearance.

Skincare and Topical Treatments

Starting with a good skin care regimen is essential for maintaining youthful skin. Medical-grade products that include retinoids, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidants can help boost collagen production, protect against environmental damage, and hydrate the skin.

Retinoids: Vitamin A derivatives that encourage cell turnover and collagen production.
Hyaluronic acid: A hydrating molecule that helps retain moisture, giving skin a plumper, smoother appearance.
Antioxidants: Protect the skin from free radicals and environmental damage that accelerates aging.

Non-Surgical Treatments

Non-invasive treatments are popular for addressing early signs of aging and maintaining a youthful appearance without surgery.

Injectables

BOTOX and dermal fillers can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, restore volume, and contour the face. Fillers are particularly effective for addressing hollowness in the cheeks, temples, and under the eyes.

Microneedling

A treatment that uses tiny needles to create controlled micro-injuries, stimulating collagen production for smoother, firmer skin. When coupled with RF energy, cell regeneration is stimulated even more.

Laser treatments

Laser resurfacing and BroadBand Light (BBL™) therapy can treat pigmentation issues, improve skin texture, and stimulate collagen production.

Chemical peels

These treatments exfoliate the top layers of skin, revealing a smoother, more even complexion.

Minimally Invasive Procedures

For those looking to address more advanced signs of aging without going under the knife, minimally invasive procedures offer excellent results with minimal downtime. At W Cosmetic Surgery™, we offer a variety of minimally invasive treatments that effectively rejuvenate your skin without the need for surgery or significant downtime.

3D Miracle™ Complexion Perfection

This quick “lunchtime” peel uses UltraClear™ cold fiber laser technology to gently resurface the skin, stimulating collagen and improving tone and texture with no pain or downtime.

BroadBand Light (BBL™) / IPL

BBL™ targets sun damage, age spots, and redness using light therapy to improve pigmentation and boost collagen production, leaving your skin clearer and more radiant.

Clear + Brilliant® Laser

A gentle laser treatment that helps prevent early signs of aging by creating micro-treatment zones, improving skin tone and texture with minimal downtime.

Morpheus8

Combining microneedling with radiofrequency energy, Morpheus8 tightens and remodels skin on the face and body, reducing wrinkles and improving elasticity without surgery.

These treatments offer effective solutions to common signs of aging with minimal recovery, making them ideal for those seeking non-surgical skin rejuvenation.

Surgical Solutions

For patients with significant facial aging, surgical procedures can provide dramatic and long-lasting results.

Facelift: A facelift addresses sagging skin, muscle laxity, and fat redistribution by tightening the facial tissues and removing excess skin. The surgical techniques employed by Dr. Wulc produce a result that looks like you—just younger.
Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty): This surgery removes excess skin and fat from the upper and lower eyelids, reducing the appearance of bags and drooping.
Neck lift: A neck lift tightens the skin and muscles in the neck, reducing the appearance of jowls and creating a more defined jawline.

Aging Gracefully: Take Control of the Aging Process

While aging is natural, you don’t have to let it define how you look and feel. By understanding the factors contributing to facial aging, you can take proactive steps to maintain your youthful appearance. Whether through skincare, non-surgical treatments, or more advanced procedures, there are countless ways to slow, prevent, or even reverse the signs of aging.

At W Cosmetic Surgery™, we’re here to help you look and feel your best at every stage of life. Schedule a consultation to learn more about the treatments available and how we can create a personalized plan to help you age gracefully with confidence.