Wrinkles
Our team of professionals and staff believe that informed patients are better equipped to make decisions regarding their health and well-being. For your personal use, we have created an extensive patient library covering an array of educational topics, which can be found on the side of each page. Browse through these diagnoses and treatments to learn more about topics of interest to you.
As always, you can contact our office to answer any questions or concerns.
Educational Links
- American Academy of Dermatology
- Society for Pediatric Dermatology
- Nevus Outreach Foundation
- National Alopecia Areata Foundation
- National Vitiligo Foundation
- FIRST - Foundation for ichthyosis and related skin types
- National Eczema Association
- Hemangioma and Vascular Birthmark Foundation
- National Psoriasis Foundation
Wrinkles are a natural part of the aging process. They occur most frequently in areas exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck, back of the hands and forearms. Over time, skin gets thinner, drier and less elastic. Ultimately, this causes wrinkles - either fine lines or deep furrows. In addition to sun exposure, premature aging of the skin is associated with smoking, heredity and skin type (higher incidence among people with fair hair, blue-eyes and light skin).
Treatment for wrinkles runs the gamut from topical creams and moisturizers to cosmetic procedures. The most common medical treatments are:
- Alpha-hydroxy acids, preparations made from "fruit acids" that produce subtle improvements in the appearance of wrinkles.
- Antioxidants, creams consisting of Vitamins A, C and E and beta-carotene that improves the appearance of wrinkles and provides some additional sun protection.
- Moisturizers, which temporarily reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
- Vitamin A Acid, which helps alleviate some of the signs of aging, including mottled pigmentation (e.g., liver spots), roughness and wrinkling.
Cosmetic procedures include:
- chemical peels
- dermabrasion
- fillers
- laser resurfacing
- plastic surgery
The best prevention for wrinkles is to keep the skin moisturized and use sunscreen and sunblock to prevent additional damage from the sun.