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What causes wrinkles/aging
skin?

	Frown Lines
	Lip and Mouth wrinkles
	Eye wrinkles & Crow's Feet
	Neck

What are free radicals?

What is collagen?

What is elastin?

Does smoking cause wrinkles?

Does tanning cause wrinkles?

Laser Skin Rejuvenation

Laser Skin Resurfacing

	C02 Laser
	Erbium Laser

Plasma Skin Regeneration

Portrait® Plasma

Fractional Laser Resurfacing

	Fraxel®
	Affirm™

Radiofrequency Rejuvenation

	Thermage®
	Aluma™

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

Injectables & Dermal Fillers

	Artefill®
	Botox®
	Collagen
	CosmoDerm® & CosmoPlast®
	Fat Fillers
	Radiesse®
	Restylane®
	Sculptra®
	Juvederm®
	Perlane®

Medical & Topical Treatments

Microdermabrasion

How much does it cost?

Treatment comparison chart

Which wrinkle treatment is for
ME?

Pre-treatment Questions

Preventing Wrinkles

American Academy of Dermatology

American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery

American Society for
Dermatologic Surgery

What is Elastin?


	Elastin gives our skin the ability to stretch and recoil
	The sun damages this tissue
	The damaged tissue cannot 'bounce back' as healthy tissue does

Elastin Makes Skin 'Stretchy'

Elastin fibers are structural proteins found throughout our bodies that allow organs to stretch and recoil, thereby maintaining their shape. As the elastin in our skin is exposed to the sun it becomes progressively damaged, and over time the healthy elastic tissue is replaced with damaged, degraded elastin. Healthy, undamaged skin is usually 80% collagen and 4% elastic fiber mesh network. Sun-damaged skin can grow to be as much as 80% abnormal elastic fibers. These damaged fibers clump and behave as a rubber tire compared with a strong, elastic rubber band. Whereas undamaged skin has a great deal of elasticity, sun-damaged skin is much more prone to wrinkles and is very inelastic.

Skin Doesn't Wrinkle from Use

Consider any child you know. They move their faces all day and have no wrinkles. Wrinkling is not caused by facial muscles 'creasing' our skin. If our skin wasn't damaged it would bounce back into place just like a child's does. But skin that is subjected to years of the sun's damaging rays has elastin tissue which malfunctions and can no longer bounce back into place. Those wrinkles you see on your forehead are the result of our facial muscles interacting with our damaged skin. Healthy skin 'snaps back' into place, damaged skin doesn't.

Laser Skin Surgery Options Include: Laser Skin Resurfacing, Fractional Laser Resurfacing, IPL, Radiofrequency Rejuvenation, Plasma Skin Regeneration or Injectables/ Dermal Fillers.

Or, Which Treatment is Right for Me?

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Last Modified: August 24, 2007

Frequently Asked Questions
		What is Adipose?		What is the Dermis?
		What is the Collagen and Elastin Matrix?		What is the Epidermis?
		What is Solar Elastosis?		What is Plasma Skin Regeneration?
		What are the five signs of sun-aged skin?		What is Hyaluronic Acid?
		What is Collagen?		What is the nasolabial fold?
		What is a GAG (Glycosaminoglycans)?		What is poly-L-lactic acid?
		What are Anti-Oxidents?		What is lidocaine?
		What is Skin Laxity?		What are granulomas?
		What are Retinoids?		What is neocollagenesis?
		What is the Stratum Corneum?		What is hypopigmentation?
		What is Ultraviolet Light?		What is hyperpigmentation?
		What is photo-damage?

The information contained in the above article is purely for educational purposes and is not intended to provide any medical advice. Always consult with your physician before having any medical procedure performed.