© United Shades of Skin 2024
After about the age of 25, our skin structure begins to change as the natural aging process begins. Not only do we stop producing collagen as abundantly as we once did, but in fact we start to lose collagen as it naturally breaks down, along with elastin fibres losing their ‘bounce’, which all leads to skin laxity or sagging skin.
The short answer? Time, age, gravity.
Sagging skin or skin laxity is a natural part of aging because the body begins to break down and lose collagen and elastin, causing a loss of volume and firmness. Add gravity to the mix and things start to go south. Literally.
Because the skin has lost its foundation, gravity is able to pull the weakened skin further down causing sagging and jowling, most prominently seen around the jawline and lower facial region (such as nasolabial fold and marionette lines).
Nasolabial folds are the deep wrinkles or lines that form from the bottom of the nose to the corners of the mouth. Marionette lines are long vertical lines that run lateral t0 the chin from the outer corners of the mouth.
The term “jowls” is often used to describe sagging skin below your chin or jawline. It happens because your skin becomes thinner and less elastic over time. Jowls may be less pronounced in people who have thicker skin, more fat, or more collagen in the area below the cheeks and chin
“Turkey neck” is a rather unglamorous term for wrinkled, sagging skin on the neck, which is a common side effect of aging. It occurs when your neck muscles begin weakening and your skin loses its elasticity, or ability to stretch and stay tight.
Sagging skin is a result of the natural aging process, so how long results last depends on how long you keep up with maintenance and caring for your skin daily. In some cases you may require 2-4 sessions on 4-6 week intervals, and then annual maintenance after that.
If you decide to stop treatment, the skin will carry on with the natural process and eventually return to the pre-treatment stage. This is why regular maintenance is important so that you are able to keep results achieved long term.
How you care for your skin on a daily basis will impact the appearance of overall skin quality, as well as help with prevention and correction. Using UniverSkin we are able to tailor corrective skincare to exactly what your skin needs.
Ultimately, wrinkles, fine lines, and folds are a sign of the natural biological aging process. While treatments and skincare are the best solution to reverse what you may see, another approach is to work from the inside out to slow the aging process and allow for the skin to age with grace. IV therapy can include powerhouse anti-agers such as glutathione, Iron, NAD, and Vitamin C to name a few and can be customized to your unique needs.
Overall volume loss in areas like the mid-face can contribute to sagging skin in the lower face region. Dermal filler can be used in areas like the cheeks and cheekbones to restore volume and structure, thus helping to lift sagging skin.
Treatments like Nd:YAG and Alexandrite Laser Photo Facials can induce collagen and elastin production to tighten skin over time through thermal response, while also addressing pigment to restore a more even, smooth complexion.
For more aggressive skin tightening, or for delicate areas like around the eyes, plasma resurfacing treatments may be required. Plasma Resurfacing with the Opus platform is highly customizable to your needs. Opus Plasma Resurfacing allows us to treat all skin tones, as well as areas like the eyes to provide a non-surgical eyelift.
Also known as Collagen Induction Therapy, microneedling works by stimulating your skin to naturally produce new collagen and elastin, and increases the skin’s cellular renewal rate.
© United Shades of Skin 2024
