How the skin of the face ages

What changes over the years in the skin, the fat, the muscles and the bone of the face, and which treatments work on which layer? Explained by the doctors of ACLINIC.

A face does not age in one layer, but in several layers at the same time. The skin changes, the fat underneath shifts, the muscles cause wrinkles in the skin and even the bone changes shape. If you know those layers, you better understand why one treatment does something about fine lines and another about lost volume. In this article you will read what happens over the years and which treatment works on which layer.

What changes

You can look at the face as four layers.

Four layers of the face

1

The skin

The skin becomes thinner, drier and less elastic. Fine lines appear and the complexion becomes less even.
2

The fat

The fat pads in the face decrease in size and descend. Cheeks and temples lose volume.
3

The muscles

Repeated movements of the mimic muscles leave wrinkles behind, such as frown lines and crow's feet.
4

The bone

The skeleton of the face also changes. Jaw and eye sockets lose some support, as a result of which the soft tissues above them come to lie differently.

These changes reinforce each other. When the fat in the cheeks decreases, the skin above it loses support. When the jawline becomes less sharp, sagging in the neck stands out more.

The skin

From about the age of twenty five, the skin produces a little less collagen every year. Collagen gives the skin firmness, elastin gives resilience. The production of hyaluronic acid, which retains moisture in the skin, also decreases. As a result, the skin becomes thinner, drier and less resilient.

A laser treatment works on this layer. It stimulates the skin to produce new collagen, which can improve fine lines and the skin texture.

The fat

The face contains various fat pads, among others in the cheeks, around the eyes and at the temples. Over the years they decrease and descend. This results in hollowing, for example under the eyes, and a less full face. The fold that runs from the nostril to the corner of the mouth becomes deeper.

Fillers with hyaluronic acid work on this layer. They replenish lost volume. Your own fat can also be used to restore volume, this is called lipofilling.

The muscles

Every time you frown, laugh or raise your eyebrows, the skin above folds. At a young age that fold disappears again. Later it remains, also when the face is at rest. This is how frown lines, crow's feet and horizontal lines on the forehead arise.

Botulinum toxin works on this layer. It temporarily relaxes the muscles that cause these wrinkles. The effect lasts a few months.

The bone

The skeleton of the face also changes. The eye sockets become slightly larger, the jaw loses some height and the cheekbones some volume. These changes are small, but they give the skin and the fat above less support. They explain why a face changes shape over the years, also in someone who takes good care of their skin.

What you can do yourself

Part of skin ageing is fixed in your genes. Another part depends on your lifestyle. The most important factors are:

Sun. UV radiation breaks down collagen and elastin and causes pigment spots. Daily sun protection is the best substantiated measure to slow down skin ageing.
Smoking. Smoking reduces the blood flow to the skin and accelerates the breakdown of collagen.
Sleep, nutrition and fluids. They support the general condition of the skin.
Weight fluctuations. Large fluctuations stretch the skin and can increase sagging.

When a procedure comes up

Treatments without surgery usually only have an effect on one layer and have a limited reach. In the case of pronounced sagging of the skin in the neck or the lower half of the face, they are often no longer sufficient. A neck lift or facelift can then be discussed, in which the deeper layers are repositioned. A procedure can also be useful for the eyelids, when excess skin gives a tired impression or even obstructs vision.

Which treatment is useful depends on which layer changes most in your case. The doctor assesses this during the consultation. Sometimes the advice is also to do nothing.

Questions you can ask

Which layer changes most in my case? What can a treatment without surgery do in my situation, and what not? How long does the effect last, and what maintenance does it require? When is a procedure more useful? What can I do myself to support my skin?

During the consultation you will also hear what no treatment can change.

Moreover, skin ageing does not proceed at the same pace in everyone. Two people of the same age can have a completely different face, because of their genes, their skin type and the way they live. That is why the advice always starts from your own face.

Making an appointment

Are you considering a procedure and would you like to know what the recovery requires in your case? Then make an appointment for a consultation, a first conversation. You can reach us on 050 97 79 30. Our clinic is located at Gruuthuselaan 7, 8020 Oostkamp.

Make an appointment

This information is general in nature and does not replace a personal consultation.