Just about everyone loves a good laugh. It feels great and allows us to have fun. But as we age, all that laughing begins to form smile lines. These are wrinkles that are noticeable around the mouth when we smile and can later remain in place even when not smiling. They are also seen around the eyes and are known there as “crow’s feet.”
While there is nothing we can do about aging, there are certain treatments we can use to help reduce or prevent these wrinkles around the mouth and eyes.
Understanding Smile Lines
Wrinkles like smile lines form as we get older due to a number of factors. During the aging process, our skin loses collagen, which is what gives it its elasticity. This is completely natural and inevitable.
There are other causes, some of which are completely out of our hands, like genetics. And others still that we do have a hand in such as dehydrated skin, smoking, and sun exposure.
How to Prevent Smile Lines
Smile lines, like most things, are at least partly under our control. This means we can help ourselves in preventing them or slow their progression.
It all begins with the proper lifestyle as a young adult. Eating right, getting regular exercise, and wearing sunscreen are good places start. Maintaining proper skin hydration by drinking plenty of water and reducing the intake of caffeine or alcohol can help too. Put together, these all go a long way to prevent smile lines.
By adding a daily routine to your healthy lifestyle that includes washing the face once or twice and following that with a suitable moisturizer, you can maintain a young healthy appearance and limit those fine lines.
Popular Smile Line Treatments
There are a number of treatment options available that are quite effective to reduce the appearance of smile lines. Speak to your skincare professional about the best one for you, whether it’s surgical or cosmetic.
Botox
By injecting botulinum toxins, otherwise known as Botox, directly into the muscles under the wrinkles, those muscles become relaxed with less mobility, which reduces the smile lines on the surface.
This can be done in an office and recovery time is very fast, as normal daily routines do not have to be affected, although an active person can resume exercise within 24 hours. As well, side effects may be felt but don’t last long. These can include headaches, redness, and irritation at the site of the injections.
While the Botox treatment is not a permanent solution to smile lines, a treatment can last for approximately three months. When the smile lines return, additional Botox treatments can then be administered. Sylvan Lake botox injections are available at Jupiter Medical Aesthetics & Wellness.
Dermal Fillers
For a longer-lasting treatment, dermal fillers are another way to go. There are several types available that are injected into the wrinkle to fill the space, creating a smoother appearance. This treatment lasts six to 12 months, and side effects include headaches or allergic reactions that are not lasting.
The list of various treatments goes on, but the best option is to speak to your skincare expert and determine which is right for you to eliminate those smile lines.
