Not All Lines are Created Equal: Dynamic and Static Wrinkles

Wrinkles, both fine and pronounced, are the visible signs of how your face changes as you age. While we all want to age as gracefully as possible, wrinkles can often confound our ability to maintain a youthful appearance. Today, we’ll look at the two different categories of wrinkles, why they form, and what you can do about them.

What Are Dynamic Wrinkles?

Younger people’s skin returns to its original position after frowning, smiling, and squinting, but as we get older, wrinkles like the “eleven lines” between your brows and the nasolabial folds that bracket your mouth stay with us. These so-called dynamic wrinkles are gradually formed each time you make facial expressions. For example, people who work outdoors may need to squint in bright sunlight, causing the skin at the corners of their eyes to fold. Or, you might find yourself frowning in concentration during a meeting at work or when you are doing a complicated task.

What Are Static Wrinkles?

As we age, we experience a decline in the production of substances that naturally provide structure and volume in our skin, such as hyaluronic acid, collagen, and elastin. This decline leads to the gradual sagging and a loss of firmness in our skin. Eventually, we develop static wrinkles like brow furrows and crow’s feet, which remain visible on our faces even when we are at rest and making a neutral expression.

Your Options for Treating Dynamic and Static Wrinkles

Developing wrinkles is inevitable, but you may be looking for ways to reverse the pronounced effects of aging so you can look younger and more vibrant. The good news is that there are several minimally-invasive products you can use to achieve your anti-aging goals and reduce the appearance of both dynamic and static wrinkles.

The Solution to Dynamic Wrinkles

Botox® and Dysport are versatile products with a range of medical applications. When used for aesthetic reasons, Botox and Dysport can help smooth creases and wrinkles that form due to repetitive muscle movements. Both products use a purified form of botulinum toxin to create temporary paralysis in the small muscles around the eyes and between the eyebrows.

During the three to five months Botox and Dysport remain in effect, you will not be able to make the facial expressions that create dynamic wrinkles in the upper third of your face. Though it is an extreme stereotype that your face will appear “frozen” after getting Botox and Dysport injections, you will enjoy a reduction in the appearance of crow’s feet, worry lines, and brow furrows, thanks to these products’ ability to relax the muscles that create those wrinkles. Neuromodulators also help prevent new wrinkles from forming over time.

How to Correct Static Wrinkles

Injectable dermal fillers such as Juvederm® and Restylane® are top choices for smoothing static wrinkles. These products rely on hyaluronic acid to safely and effectively add volume to lips and cheeks, and fill in wrinkles such as the parentheses and marionette lines that form around your mouth.

With the right combination and amount of dermal fillers applied in targeted areas where you are experiencing noticeable lines and wrinkles, you can expect to see an immediate improvement with zero downtime and effects that last between six and 12 months. Combining dermal fillers and Botox or Dysport can give you complete rejuvenation of your entire face and make you look younger and more refreshed without the need for surgery, stitches, scars, or a long and painful recovery process.

How to Avoid Wrinkles and Maintain Your Results

Though some degree of wrinkling is unavoidable, static wrinkles can be prevented through the use of the right cleanser and moisturizer for your skin type. Additionally,  not smoking, drinking plenty of water, and staying out of the sun will help to maintain a wrinkle-free face. Meanwhile, the only way to avoid the formation of dynamic wrinkles is to limit the facial expressions you make, which can be challenging because we often frown, smile, or squint unconsciously.

Fight Back Against Wrinkles

In addition to injectable neuromodulators and fillers, Dr. Seth Matarasso also offers people in the San Francisco area other non-surgical ways to address the signs of aging and provide a more youthful appearance, such as Ultherapy®, microdermabrasion, intense pulsed light treatments, and Fraxel laser skin resurfacing. An in-person consultation can help you decide which procedure, or combination of procedures, is the best option for you. Schedule your appointment today and achieve a smoother, more youthful appearance.