Ways to Fight the First Signs of Aging

It can seem to hit you all of the sudden, like a ton of bricks. You look in the mirror one day and instead of seeing a youthful reflection staring back, you realize that you just look “old.” For some people, identifying the first signs of aging can be difficult. Others remember the exact moment when they realized they looked older. They can also remember exactly what it was that made them look like they’d aged.

While noticing the first signs of aging is never a fun experience, the good news is that you can do something to minimize or fight them. Here are a few of the most common early signs of aging and what you can do about them.

Crow’s Feet and “11’s”

If you’re an expressive person, that is, if you regularly smile, frown, laugh or cry, you might notice lines forming between your eyebrows or at the corners of your eyes sooner rather than later. The lines that form between the eyebrows are often called frown lines or “11’s” because they are two small vertical lines that look like the number 11. Crow’s feet, which form at the corners of your eyes, get their name because they look like little crow footprints.

Since both crow’s feet and 11s are created by repeated muscle movements over time, one way to fix them or at least reduce their appearance is with Botox injections. Botox works by blocking certain nerve signals to certain muscles, so that you don’t make the movements responsible for creating the lines. Results usually last for about 3 months. Even better, if you start getting Botox as soon as you notice the signs of aging, you can help keep those lines from becoming deeply etched in your skin.

Under Eye Circles

Dark circles under the eyes are another early sign of aging. You might get dark circles under your eyes for a number of reasons, such as being dehydrated, having nasal congestion or having thinner skin in the under eye area. You also have a number of options for dealing with those circles. One option is to use an eye cream with retinol, which can help the skin in the area become thicker. Switching from sleeping on your side to sleeping on your back might also improve under eye circles. Other options include having a surgeon inject the area with a dermal filler such as Restylane, or having a Fraxel laser treatment in the eye area.

Dark or Sun Spots

Whether you spent a lot of time in the sun, are taking hormonal birth control or are pregnant, you might notice that dark spots have developed on certain areas of your face. An uneven skin tone can often add years to your appearance, even if it’s not specifically caused by the aging process.

If you have sun or dark spots that make you feel self-conscious, a Fraxel laser treatment can help to minimize the hyperpigmentation or fade the spots. Fraxel lasers aren’t ablative, so they don’t directly damage the top layer of skin. Instead, the laser causes small wounds beneath the surface of the skin, which encourages cell turnover and the production of new skin cells. As the older skin cells are sloughed off, the darker areas fade.

Nasolabial Folds

Smile lines, sometimes called nasolabial folds, are another early sign of aging. These lines usually appear between the corners of the nose and the mouth when people are in their 20. At first, the lines are very fine and subtle and are easily masked with moisturizer or serums. But as they become deeper, they become more difficult to hide with skincare products.

If you are feeling self-conscious about your nasolabial folds and want to do something to restore a more youthful look, one option is to have your surgeon use a dermal filler to minimize the appearance of those lines. Fillers made from hyaluronic acid, such as Juvederm, provide instant results that can last for up to one year. If your smile lines are deep or have become very well etched into your skin, you might want to try a filler made for deeper lines and creases, such as Radiesse.

Radiesse is a heavier filler compared to Juvederm. It works in two ways. First, it provides instant lift and volume, reducing the appearance of certain lines right away. Next, it helps to encourage the production of collagen in the dermis, so that you can continue to see results after the initial filler has worn off. Usually, results last for as long as 24 months.

If you’ve noticed the first signs of aging on your face, don’t panic. The best thing to do is schedule a consultation with an esthetician or surgeon at Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique in Houston, Texas. You can discuss your specific concerns and learn more about the most appropriate treatments for those concerns. To learn more, call 281-810-9083 today.