Along with fine lines and wrinkles, the loss of volume in the face is a common occurrence with aging. Lost volume translates into sagging skin and can further exacerbate wrinkles and lines. You can do several things to maintain facial volume as you age without any treatment. First, let’s explore why facial volume is lost.
Why does Facial Volume Decrease with Age?
As the body ages, the production of several components decreases. One of these is collagen. Collagen helps maintain the structure of the face. Hyaluronic acid is another thing that decreases. Hyaluronic acid is a natural moisturizer: Skin appears less plump and loses volume when it’s in short supply. Lastly, subcutaneous fat, or the fat located directly under the skin, diminishes with age, further decreasing volume in the face.
Moisturize
Moisturization is key to retaining at least some plumpness to the skin. Dry skin highlights wrinkles and fine lines, making them appear deeper than they may actually be. Moisturizing daily, plus using ultra-hydrating serum, can work together to help aging skin. Moisturizers and serums are the most cost-effective method but will not make a huge difference in the appearance of the face, especially for more aged skin.
Fillers
Fillers can help in restoration and replace lost volume in the face in a more intense manner than just topical products like moisturizers and serums. Additionally, Fillers work by filling out the skin with a formulation of ingredients often containing hyaluronic acid, which helps replenish moisture and lock it deep within the skin.
This gives skin a good stretch so that signs of aging appear less obvious. It also prevents hollowness in the face, another common sign of aging. For example, the under eyes and cheeks often appear sunken with age as subcutaneous fat is lost. Fillers can replace some of this volume.
Procedures that Stimulate Collagen Production
Three middle ground options that help stimulate the face to produce its own collagen are radiofrequency, thread lifts, and microneedling. Radiofrequency uses RF waves to heat the skin, causing collagen to be produced.
A thread lift can give an immediate lifted look to the face and causes a collagen production response. It’s ideal for those looking for a solution to both diminishing facial volume and sagging. Microneedling similarly triggers the production of collagen.
Surgery to add Facial Volume
Surgery is also an option for those who want a more permanent fix for lost facial volume due to age. Liposuction is done in which fat is taken from other parts of the body. Then that fat is injected into hollow areas of the face in order to fill it out. This method can produce the most dramatic results and will last the longest. However, it is the most costly option to maintain facial volume as you age.
