Wrinkle Surgery

Wrinkle surgery is a colloquial term for plastic reconstructive surgery, a technique utilized by cosmetic surgeons to reduce or eliminate wrinkles on the skin, typically brought on by the normal aging process. These wrinkles form on the cheeks, forehead, neck, and around the eyes and are often highlighted by the process of smiling. A variety of different procedures exist to minimize these signs of natural aging.

Dynamic Wrinkles

• Three types of wrinkles exist: dynamic wrinkles, static wrinkles and wrinkle folds. According to Dr. Jonathan Hoenig, a plastic surgeon in Los Angeles, dynamic wrinkles are caused by contraction of muscles--when you make various facial expressions. The most common locations for dynamic wrinkles are between the eyebrows, across the forehead and on the cheeks near the outer corners of the eyes--sometimes called "crow's feet."

Wrinkle Types

• Static wrinkles are brought on by a loss of elasticity in the skin, usually caused by environmental variables like excessive exposure to sunlight, smoking, or family genetics. Unlike dynamic wrinkles which exhibit themselves during facial movement, static wrinkles remain visible even when facial muscles are not contracting. Meanwhile, a sagging of the facial structure causes wrinkle folds, such as the grooves between the nose and mouth, technically referred to as naso-labial grooves.

Facelift

• Wrinkle surgery is often confined to specific areas, such as removal of wrinkles from the forehead, eyelids, face or neck. The phrase "facelift" is commonly used to refer to any of these procedures, but this is something of a misnomer. A facelift tightens the tissues of the lower half of the face and the neck, according to Jean M. Loftus in her book "The Smart Woman's Guide to Plastic Surgery." A facelift removes excess skin and tightens the remaining facial tissues, but does nothing to improve the appearance of the forehead or eyelids.

Eyelids

• Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) shears away excessive or sagging skin, in addition to fat and sometimes muscle, from the eyelids and bags under the eyes. It typically provides a more youthful, rested appearance. An outpatient procedure, eyelid surgery normally requires approximately 90 minutes, with sutures removed in five to seven days. A chemical peel or laser skin resurfacing are non-surgical options for those with only a moderate amount of excess skin under the eyes.

Forehead

• The endoscopic brow lift or forehead lift adjusts positioning of the eyebrows and smooths wrinkles from the forehead. This endoscopic surgery utilizes a tiny camera inserted through an incision in the scalp or just above the eyebrows. Local anesthesia is used on an outpatient basis, with sutures removed in seven to 10 days, and the ability to return to work in the same period of time. A non-surgical alternative to this procedure is the injection of Botox into the forehead area. However, the effect of Botox is temporary, normally lasting only two to three months.