Creams, Botox, Laser: Medicine offers several options against wrinkles. After all, many people want to look young, pretty, and smooth. But some methods against the signs of time can even be dangerous.
Year after year, Germans spend millions of Euros to eliminate the signs of aging. They apply creams and peels, get injections, undergo laser treatments, or even opt for cosmetic surgery to look younger for longer.
However, the highly advertised anti-aging creams show that there is no such thing as a miracle cure against wrinkles. Most substances meant to smooth the face do not penetrate the deep layers of the skin where wrinkles form. They only reach the epidermis, and some, the dermis beneath. At best, they can make the face look temporarily smoother and fuller.
Many creams promise more than they deliver Hyaluronic acid, for example, creates an air-permeable layer on the skin that binds moisture. This causes the skin to swell slightly and appear smoother. Collagen also covers the skin’s surface with a film that can temporarily tighten small wrinkles when it dries. In addition, collagen makes the skin appear smoother.
Experts believe that skincare products can at best delay skin aging – but they can hardly eliminate existing wrinkles. And skincare alone cannot prevent wrinkles. A healthy lifestyle is especially important. This includes a vitamin-rich diet and sufficient sleep, little alcohol and stressful stress – and certainly no excessive sunbathing and smoking.
The real reason for skin aging was long misunderstood: Today, researchers assume that up to 80 percent of age signs on the face are caused by sunlight. Its UV-B rays are responsible for sunburns; the UV-A rays of light penetrate to the connective tissue and damage the cells that produce collagen. This substance gives the skin firmness.
UV-A rays cause the body to break down collagen more. The elastic fibers wither and clump quickly, and the skin loses its elasticity. Deep furrows form. Of all the ingredients manufacturers mix into skincare creams, UV protection is therefore the most effective means of preventing wrinkles.
Creams For many additives in skincare creams, there is still no scientific evidence that they actually help against wrinkles. However, some substances are quite well researched, and scientists could prove that they really make the skin look plumper. The most important ingredients include:
Vitamin A Vitamin A – also known as retinol – evens out wrinkles and makes the skin more elastic. Retinol stimulates collagen formation and inhibits collagen breakdown. This makes the skin thicker. Make sure that day creams with vitamin A also contain a UV filter. Because UV rays otherwise block the effect of vitamin A. Antioxidants The most important antioxidants include vitamins C and E and the coenzyme Q10. They can neutralize aggressive oxygen particles, so-called free radicals, and prevent these particles from making cells and tissue age faster. Free radicals arise in the body during metabolism but also due to the sun and smoking. Vitamin C also ensures that collagen and elastin in the skin function properly and allows the cells in the epidermis to grow faster. Vitamin E inhibits the breakdown of collagen and helps the skin retain moisture. It can penetrate deep into the skin and smooth small wrinkles. Coenzyme Q10 supports the metabolism of cells. Omega-6 Fatty Acids These fatty acids help the skin build a protective barrier. This preserves the skin from drying out and keeps it elastic. Injections There are various substances that specialized dermatologists use to inject wrinkles. Generally: After each injection, the injection site can redden and swell. Sometimes a bruise can also form. And some substances can cause allergies. The most common active ingredients are:
Botox No other smoother is as well-known as botulinum toxin, briefly called Botox. The poison of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum has been used in medicine for over 20 years, for example, to treat strabismus or eyelid cramps. As a wrinkle killer, doctors inject botulinum toxin into facial muscles to immobilize them. The muscles can then no longer contract. This smooths wrinkles. Often, this softens the so-called frown lines above the nose and the laugh lines at the corners of the eyes. The full effect occurs after two to twelve days and lasts three and a half to seven months. In Germany, botulinum toxin is approved for certain nervous system diseases and for treating the glabellar fold between the eyebrows. For other wrinkles, a doctor may only inject Botox if he informs you about this fact. Side effects are rare. The injection site may redden and show small bruises after the injection. In rare cases, there may be temporary mild headaches. If the doctor misplaces the Botox injection or overdoses the botulinum toxin, he can also paralyze neighboring muscles. Possible consequences are, for example, drooping eyelids or slightly sagging eyebrows. These side effects only subside when the botulinum toxin loses its effect. So only let an experienced doctor inject you with Botox. Hyaluronic Acid Hyaluronic acid is a natural component of connective tissue. For injections, it is artificially produced. It is well-suited to eliminate superficial wrinkles. Allergies are rare. The effect lasts two to four months. Collagen This protein occurs in humans and animals. For cosmetic treatments, it is extracted from bovine collagen. It is well-suited for superficial wrinkles. Allergies are common, so it is better to test beforehand whether you tolerate it. The effect lasts three and a half to seven months. Polylactic Acid Polylactic acid is a synthetically produced body-own substance. Doctors often use it to soften marionette lines and nasolabial folds, running from the nostril to the mouth, and to plump cheeks. Allergies are not known. Polylactic acid should be injected twice at intervals of one to two months – and then smooths for about twelve months. Autologous Fat The treatment with autologous fat is a complex procedure because a doctor must first suction fat from you. This operation is done under local anesthesia. Allergic reactions to autologous fat are not known. It is often used against rings under the eyes and a sunken forehead. The effect of autologous fat lasts three and a half to seven months. Doctors Warn Against Permanent Wrinkle Fillers Some substances injected against wrinkles cannot be broken down by the body. These include, above all, silicone, acrylates, and polyurethane. Once injected, they remain in the skin forever. Since these so-called permanent implants can shift, cause allergies, or form knots, the Society for Aesthetic Surgery Germany (GÄCD) advises against these wrinkle fillers. And there is another reason against permanent filling material: The subcutaneous fat tissue loses fat over the years. This changes the appearance of the face. Permanent wrinkle fillers, however, do not adapt to the changed facial features. Therefore, they can become noticeable after some time and protrude from the face, for example.
Laser and Chemical Peelings In so-called laser skin resurfacing, a wrinkle treatment with a laser, the energy beam vaporizes the upper layers of the skin. This tightens the skin because it stimulates the cells to form new collagen. In addition, the skin can retain more water.
