Anatomy of a wrinkle: why facial lines form, and expert advice on how to prevent or minimize them - BeautyRx

Shape, March, 2004 by Jody Buffalo

It's a fact of life: As we age, our skin thins and gradually develops wrinkles--and then the search is on for anything that can slow down the process. We turned to dermatologist Richard Asarch, M.D., for help.

THE BASIC FACTS

Your skin is made up of three layers. The thin protective layer, or epidermis, consists of rows of cells that resemble bricks in a wall, with new cells produced at the base. The middle layer, or dermis, contains connective tissue, small blood vessels, sweat and oil glands, nerves, and cells that produce collagen, called fibroblasts. (Two fibers, collagen and elastin, weave through the dermis, giving skin flexibility and firmness.) The base, or subcutaneous layer, is composed of connective and fat tissues.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Typical wrinkle triggers:

* Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun injure the epidermis and dermis, causing their support structure to weaken.

* Free radicals, highly reactive molecules created by factors like smoking and UV rays, damage skin cells.

* Facial expressions trigger small temporary folds in the skin to form where our muscles move; with age, the underlying collagen develops a memory of each crease.

* Aging causes the epidermis to thin and the connective tissue to weaken.

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS

You can take preventive measures. Beauty Rx:

1. Be smart about skin care. Pick products with ingredients that have been scientifically proven to work, like tretinoin, retinol, amino acids and copper. A good bet is Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum with Amino-Peptide Complex ($19; at drugstores).

2. Soften muscle contractions. Botox, injected into the small muscles underlying visible furrows every three to six months, temporarily paralyzes the muscles, smoothing out the skin above. A less-invasive alternative is a topical cream that helps relax the muscles; try Lancome Resolution D-Contraxol ($68; lancome.com).

3. Boost collagen production. Nonablative lasers help stimulate collagen production in the dermis, plumping up skin without causing injury to the outer layer. Typically, a series of four treatments given at three-week intervals is needed, at $100-$300 per area treated.

RELATED ARTICLE: WHAT WORKS

"While sun protection is by far most important to prevent further damage to your skin, other things--like the newest lasers, skin creams with potent ingredients, a good diet full of vitamins and minerals, and exercise--can help," says Richard Asarch, M.D., who heads the Asarch Center for Dermatology and Laser in Englewood, Colo., and is the author of The Beautiful Skin Diet (2003) and Turn Back Your Face Years (2002), both from Ideal Publishing. According to Asarch, the most popular office treatments for wrinkles are nonablative, which means they don't injure the surface skin. In fact, he says, it's the noninvasive breakthroughs that have given women safer, easier options to eliminate wrinkles versus the traditional face-lift.