Sagging cheeks and wrinkly neck skin is not something you want to see when you look into a mirror. But unfortunately, as our bodies age, the production of collagen and elastin—the two most important elements responsible for firm, elastic skin—decreases dramatically.
However, there’s a wealth of knowledge and history behind strategies to combat aging. The ancient Egyptians even knew that there were magical effects in aloe vera, which they used to present to pharaohs as burial gifts to signify eternal youth. Now, over 4,000 years later, the medicine has moved forward a couple of steps, and we have more than just aloe leaves to preserve our skin. There are non-invasive treatments such as radiofrequency, ultherapy, laser resurfacing, and chemical peels, and also surgical treatments that include injections and facelifts. These have all come to the forefront as top-of-the-line weapons in the fight against time and gravity. But first…
What Causes Facial Skin To Sag?
The myths surrounding skin elasticity in the facial area are many, and include misconceptions such as:
- Sleeping on your stomach causes facial skin to sag
- Jogging or intensive cardio causes skin to sag
- Certain products and diets cause skin to sag
But the truth is sagging skin is something that occurs naturally with age. There are many factors that determine how well your skin “fits” on your face, but all of us will experience some form of skin sagging along our way. The real truth behind why skin sags comes down to collagen! One of the more common types of proteins found in our bodies: in bones, muscles, tendons, and skin. In skin, collagen is responsible for replacing and restoring dead cells in the middle layer of the skin, known as the dermis. When collagen is lost, skin renewal slows down which leads to sagging. The slowing of collagen production is inevitable just from living, but there are many particular factors that affect the speed and magnitude of this degradation including:
- Age. As we get older, our bodies produce less collagen. Women especially experience dramatic reductions in collagen after going through menopause. After the age of 60, it’s normal to see significant reductions in collagen production.
- Smoking. Clinical results have shown that smoking causes significant reductions in collagen levels in the skin, due to the chemicals contained in the tobacco smoke. They damage the collagen and elastin cells responsible for skin renewal and elasticity. But in addition to that, the nicotine forces the blood vessels beneath the skin to narrow which slows down the supply of oxygen and nutrients into the dermis.
- Sunlight. Summer tans can look great, and one of the reasons why that radiant glow is so attractive is because the ultraviolet rays in the sunlight cause collagen cells to break down faster, producing extra elastin. While this can boost your skin elasticity in the short run, there’s a high chance that the damaged collagen in the dermis will restore incorrectly, causing wrinkles and sagging skin.
- High sugar consumption. Excess sugar consumption is problematic for many reasons. Diets that are high in sugar speed up the glycation process in which certain molecules called advanced glycation end products (appropriately acronymed “AGEs”) are produced. AGEs suppress and damage nearby proteins, including collagen.
- Genetics. How well your body produces collagen is determined by genetic factors. Genetics affect the extracellular matrix, which dictates how much collagen the body produces as well as the quality of the collagen that’s produced.
- Sudden weight changes. A dramatic loss of weight or putting on excess pounds can lead to the sagging of skin. This is because both actions cause the skin to stretch out, creating loose folds when a normal weight is reached. As we age, we also tend to lose facial fat which creates another source of “excess” skin.
- Facial muscle degradation. With age, facial muscles become weaker and smaller, resulting in less “area” for facial skin to cover. This can create an appearance of sagging skin.
Restoring Facial Skin Elasticity—You Have Options!
If the wrinkles and sagging skin you’re beginning to notice are just too much to bear, fear not, there are many ways that you can restore the facial elasticity you had before including natural and surgical options!
Natural Remedy, Exercise, and Diet Options
Adjusting everyday habits and diet regimes can be very hard for a lot of patients, but incorporating some of these into your daily routine is perhaps the simplest, most cost-effective aging treatment. In general, natural remedies and tactics work best for patients who:
- Are relatively satisfied with their current facial skin, and are not looking for dramatic change.
- Are looking for preventative measures rather than a skin restoration.
- Are highly allergic to synthetic treatments and/or cannot undergo a surgery.
- Are confident in their ability to change their habits and stick to those changes.
Let’s look at several natural remedies:
Aloe Vera
There are few options that compare to aloe vera. Aloe vera has been used for medicinal purposes for over 6,000 years. A number of ancient Egyptian cave paintings were discovered that portray the leaf and its healing properties. It played such an important role that it was given the title “the plant of immortality” and presented to pharaohs as a burial gift. Today, aloe vera is still used casually and professionally in many areas of medicine. Many modern skin-tightening remedies include the use of aloe vera which has been clinically and scientifically shown to:
- Significantly reduce facial wrinkles
- Improve facial skin elasticity
- Increase collagen levels in all patient groups through cream formulations
Here are a couple of ways to apply aloe vera to your face to keep skin looking young and healthy:
- Pure aloe vera treatment: Break the aloe vera leaf in several places to extract a healthy dose of the juice. Apply the liquid to your face and neck. Keep the “mask” on for 15-20 minutes. Wash it off with water. Repeat the procedure several times a week.
- Mixed aloe vera treatment: Mix aloe vera juice with mayonnaise and honey (1 tablespoon of aloe vera, 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of honey). Apply the mixture to your face and neck. Keep the “mask” on for 15-20 minutes. Again, repeat this several times a week or however often you feel you need to see a difference.
Lemon
Vitamin C, especially from fruit, has been shown to be instrumental in keeping your skin healthy, youthful, and elastic. In fact, most of the skin-related problems of dryness, sagginess, and poor wound healing have been associated with depleted levels of Vitamin C. Vitamin C has been shown to directly affect:
- Skin aging. The most direct link between vitamin C and skin health is in preventing early signs of scurvy, as for example skin fragility, corkscrew hairs, and poor wound healing.
- UV and radiation defense. Vitamins E and C have been shown to repair the skin’s natural defenses against UV rays and radiation.
- Dry skin. Vitamin C is considered instrumental in specific cellular processes that ultimately affect the skin’s ability to retain liquids.
Here are a couple of ways to use lemon to reduce the sagging effects of skin:
- Using the lemon: Take a slice of a lemon. Start rubbing the slice on your face and neck. Squeeze the lemon during the process to make sure there’s enough juice. Do this for 5-10 minutes. Let the juice dry out on your face. Repeat 1-3 times a day.
- Using lemon juice: Squeeze the juice out of a half of a lemon. Pour the juice into a cup of chilled water. Splash the mixture onto your face. Let it air-dry during the next 5-10 minutes. Repeat 1-2 times a day.
Healthy Habits
Changes you can make every day to your diet and in your habits can have a lasting impact on your skin’s elasticity and health in addition to applying natural mixtures to your face. One of the most important things you can do is change your diet. There are certain foods that have been proven to help your body produce more collagen. Here are some great, healthy options:
- Kiwi. Rich in vitamin C, an important element in collagen production.
- Berries. Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which help prevent the breakdown of collagen.
- Almonds. Rich in vitamin E, they’re essential to neutralize free radicals that can damage collagen cells.
- Avocados. A good source of vitamin E and antioxidants.
- Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Apricots, Cantaloupe, and Mangos. Rich in vitamin A, which helps restore and renew collagen in damaged skin.
- Spinach, Kale, Green Beans, and Broccoli. These are all rich sources of vitamins A, C, and E.
- Garlic. Rich in sulfur, which helps prevent the breakdown of collagen cells.
- Oysters. Rich in zinc, which is an essential trace mineral that stimulates collagen synthesis.
- Tomatoes. Rich in lycopene, and amino acid that protects the skin from UV exposure.
In addition to incorporating greens, nuts, and fruits in your diet, there are physical facial exercises you can do to prevent sagging skin:
- The “Lion Face”. This is a “facial yoga” exercise that helps tighten facial muscles and improve facial muscle tone. Here’s what you do: close your eyes and inhale slowly. Scrunch your face, as if you’re concentrating. Stick your tongue out as far as possible while exhaling. Open your eyes wide and raise your eyebrows as far up as you can.
- The “Forehead Stretch”. In a facelift, some excess skin is removed behind your ears and the whole face is “pulled” backwards. This is essentially what you’re doing in this exercise. Here’s how: place your hands near your temples. Spread your fingers a little wide, pressuring your hairline. Pull the skin backwards until it is fully stretched. Raise your eyebrows as far up as you can. Hold this position for 5 seconds and repeat 5 times.
- The “Cheek Stretch”. To help tone cheek muscles, this exercise stimulates your cheek muscles using your fingers. Here’s how to do it: place your index fingers in the middle of each cheek. Press firmly down on your skin and make small circles using your index fingers. Push your lips outward into an “O” shape, then pull your lips back to make a wide smile.
Non-Invasive Treatment Options
At Aristocrat Plastic Surgery, natural remedies and healthy habits top our list for maintaining healthy facial skin. It’s all about prevention. But if you’re feeling like it’s “too late” for the natural route, and you need something more immediate, we have a range of treatments that are non-invasive and get the job done effectively. Their main benefits include:
- Little-to-no recovery downtime. While laser resurfacing and chemical peels may require a week or two of “social downtime,” options like radiofrequency (RF) therapy enable you to get treated and leave our office looking as if nothing happened!
- No complications. There are certain risks involved with any surgical procedure. Of course when you’re at Aristocrat, you can be assured you’re in good hands, but if you’re feeling skittish about going under the knife, you may be better off sticking to non-invasive procedures.
- Quick and easy turnaround. Most non-invasive procedures can be performed in about an hour. And because no anesthesia is used, you’re able to drive home right after you’re done. So even if you don’t return to the office or keep that evening date, non-invasive procedures require a lot less time commitment from you.
Some non-invasive skin tightening technologies available to you at Aristocrat include:
- Radiofrequency (RF) therapy – which uses radio-frequency wave lengths to heat deeper layers of skin to stimulate collagen production.
- Ultherapy – which is similar to radiofrequency technology, only it uses a different type of wavelength to achieve results.
- Microneedling – which is a new skin tightening technique that uses a minuscule needle inserted into the skin multiple times, creating small “injuries” that stimulate the skin’s natural healing processes, leading to smoother, healthier skin.
Facelifts and Threadlifts Options
For patients with the most skin sagging conditions, prevention and non-invasive options may not be enough. Fortunately, there are other options that give you the dramatic changes you’re looking for.
- The Facelift. This is an extensive procedure, where facial skin is surgically removed to create a tighter, smoother appearance. Some facts to keep in mind:
- Facelifts are often combined with neck-lifts
- Whether you’re undergoing a mini or full facelift, the procedure’s scope can be tailored to your specific needs
- Facelift scars are typically “hidden” behind the ears
- It can take about 2 weeks for swelling and bruising to clear up before you can go back to your normal routine
- The Threadlift. Threadlifts produce a subtle but visible “lift” in the skin. Instead of removing the patient’s loose facial skin surgically, one of our surgeons simply suspends it by stitching up portions of it with special absorbable sutures..
- The procedures can usually take up to 30 minutes
- The results last up to 2 years.
- Threads stimulate body’s natural collagen and elastin production
- The procedure is done under local anesthesia,. and the downtime is minimal.
Visit Aristocrat for the Best Options
If your skin has started to give in to gravity and age, there are many things you can do. But, if you find waiting for creams, gels, and other methods are just too cumbersome and time-consuming, you’ve got some great options to consider at Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics. Give us a call today and set up a personal consultation!