Non-Invasive Treatments for Frown Lines

The popularity and increased demand for cosmetic procedures is at an all-time high.  New advances in technology, making procedures quicker, easier and less painful, have fueled this increased interest.  With social media and Zoom use at its highest, people are becoming acutely aware of what they want to fix on their faces.   Fixing the lines on your face has become almost as easy as getting your hair and nails done.

What are frown lines?

Frown lines, also known as glabellar lines or the “angry 11’s”, give people the impression you are angry or tired.  These are caused from the movement of the corrugator supercilli and procerus muscles.  Wrinkles are some of the first signs of aging in addition to dull, rough, sagging skin.  Wrinkles stem from years of damage to your collagen inflicted by free radicals that are produced by the sun, pollution, smoking, alcohol and poor diet.  Genetically programmed aging also begins in our twenties with the normal decrease in production of collagen.  These factors combine and lead to inevitable wrinkle formation.

How can I get rid of frown lines?

There are several non-invasive procedures to treat frown lines.  The number one procedure is Botox.  Botox is basically a muscle relaxer.  If you cannot move your muscles, the frown lines will not appear.  This only works on dynamic lines, or the lines that appear when your muscles move.  The lines you have at rest are permanent and Botox cannot fix those entirely.  Continued use of Botox, over time, can soften these permanent lines.  Botox is a quick and relatively painless procedure, but temporary.  You must maintain your results with periodic injections.  However, this is a small price to pay for such amazing results.

Chemical peels can help reduce the signs of wrinkles and fine lines to give you a fresher appearance.  They basically peel off layers of your skin to reveal brighter and less wrinkled skin.  There are different strengths and ingredients based on the specific depth of the peel you desire.  Peels range from superficial to deep.  The death of peel you need is directly related to the extent of damage to your skin and your desired results.   These do require maintenance treatments as well.

There are skin tightening procedures that can stimulate collagen production to help erase wrinkles.  These are ultrasound or radio frequency-based technology.  There is little to no downtime and numbing cream can alleviate the discomfort.  It also does require maintenance treatments.

Vampire facials have been made famous by Kim Kardashian.  This combines the collagen stimulation properties of microneedling with the growth factors harvested from platelet rich plasma (PRP).  This combination is a great choice for improving your wrinkles.  It does have some downtime and requires multiple treatments.  Numbing cream can help alleviate the discomfort.

If you dislike needles and prefer more natural options, certain topical creams can help.  Topical retinoid cream has been touted as the “wrinkle cream”.  Retinoids, which are a form of vitamin A, stimulate collagen production to help with fine lines and wrinkles.  They also remove dead skin cells to give you a more refreshed and brighter complexion.  Anti-oxidants, like vitamin C, help to prevent free radical damage to your collagen, which in turn prevents wrinkle formation; and vitamin C also helps to stimulate collagen production to treat your wrinkles.  In addition, vitamin C helps brighten your complexion and remove dark sun spots.

Conclusion

Whatever treatment you choose, there is always maintenance required.  Skin care is a worthwhile but lifelong undertaking.  It is important to be patient and consistent with your regimen.  That will give you the best and longest lasting results.  If you are unsure of what procedures are best for you, always consult with your dermatologist.