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“Ptosis of the face” sounds somehow nobler than sagging and sagging tissues. But, whatever you call it, almost everyone faces this problem sooner or later. And somehow it must be solved. Let’s try to figure it out.
What is facial ptosis
The first signs of prolapse of soft tissues and facial skin
The process of losing a clear outline of the oval of the face occurs unevenly. According to the dynamics of development, 3 degrees of ptosis are distinguished. They correlate with age and each of them is characterized by specific changes in appearance.
First degree
It can occur at a fairly young age and is characterized by a slight drooping of the outer line of the eyebrows, upper eyelids and corners of the lips, as well as the formation of the first folds on the face – nasolabial and nasolacrimal (located along the lower orbital edge).
Second degree
Signs of the first degree become more pronounced. New troubles join – bags under the eyes, deformation in the chin area with the formation of pronounced longitudinal folds, jowls.
The degree of ptosis depends on age.
Third degree
It occurs by the age of 55-60, when, against the background of pronounced signs of the second degree, thinning of the skin and the formation of deep wrinkles, creases and folds occur.
Do you want to know what type of aging your skin will change? Take our test.
Causes of sagging skin
Gravitational ptosis is based on a whole range of reasons:
force of attraction – yes, nobody canceled Newton’s law;
violation of the water balance, namely fluid retention, which pulls the tissues down, making them heavier;
insufficient skin hydration;
decrease in the synthesis of structural skin fibers – collagen and elastin;
delayed tissue repair is an age-related problem aggravated by bad habits (food, facial expressions) and lifestyle.
What parts of the face can be prone to ptosis
Depending on the type of aging and many factors associated with the structure of the face, mimic activity, signs of ptosis can be more or less pronounced in different parts of the face. Find out how your face will change with age with the help of the test.
Eyelids
Forehead
Moreover, this often happens unevenly, depending on the individual characteristics of facial expressions and the structure of the face, hence the pronounced asymmetry that we observe on older faces: for example, uneven position of the eyebrows, different eye sizes.
Cheeks
Nasolabial folds
Their formation is associated not only with the loss of skin elasticity, but also with the characteristics of the bite, the position of the jaw. Therefore, often nasolabial folds can be observed on young faces. However, with age, the lines become longer and deeper, change position, as if drawn to the center.
And here again we are dealing with a complex of reasons, including facial expressions, the position of the jaw, the work of the chewing muscles and the circular muscles of the mouth. An important role in the formation of nasolabial folds is played by fluid stagnation, which accumulates precisely in the zone of the nasolabial triangle, where the lymphatic channels pass.
Upper lip
The decrease in volume and thinning of the upper lip is not associated specifically with ptosis, this is another story – the result of the constant work of the circular muscle of the mouth, as well as the individual characteristics of a person’s articulation and the static tension of this zone (pursed lips). This complex of reasons leads to a decrease in the area of the red border of the lips, and the thinner the lips by nature, the greater the severity of age-related changes.
Chin
Neck
How to avoid ptosis: prevention
Few manage to look 50 at 35, but as soon as we know the main causes of ptosis, there is hope that it can be slowed down. This is not an easy task, requiring discipline, self-control and changes in habits. It all depends on you.
Mechanically ptosis is associated with a decrease in the production of collagen and elastin. How to counter this? In addition to hormonal changes, there are several other factors that negatively affect the quality of the collagen-elastin framework of the skin. Learn how to boost collagen production here.
Stress: to remain in Buddhist tranquility in our time is an impossible task, but we must strive for this. Relaxing oriental techniques work well (yoga, qigong, simple breathing exercises, the basics of meditation), which relieve tension, including from the facial muscles, returning them to a state of rest, which serves as an excellent prevention of local static stresses – provocateurs of wrinkles and disharmony of mimic muscles.
Chronic lack of sleep, as well as a violation of circadian rhythms, according to which a person should go to bed at 11 pm and not wake up until 4 am, do not have the best effect on appearance and accelerate the aging process, because the body does not have the ability to effectively use the time allotted to it by nature for recovery and reboot. The duration of healthy sleep is on average 8 hours.
Unbalanced nutrition: an excess of carbohydrates, in particular sugar and flour, promotes glycation. This is a bonding of collagen fibers, which naturally leads to a loss of skin elasticity. Technologically processed foods, a lack of fresh vegetables (and therefore vitamins and minerals), the presence of trans fats and a deficiency of omega fatty acids in the diet will not bring anything good to the body in general and the skin in particular.
Bad habits: Smoking damages the vascular system and also serves as a trigger for oxidative stress. Read more about skin care for smokers in this article.
Fluid stasis – a typical problem associated with the modern lifestyle (see above and below) and provoking ptosis.
Movement deficit: even half an hour of walking a day (with a brisk step) creates a moderate aerobic load, which accelerates the blood and lymph, and also saturates the tissues with oxygen.
Insufficient water intake also leads to congestion and adversely affects the metabolism of the body as a whole. The skin is hardly the first to suffer.
Mimic muscle imbalance. This problem is difficult to solve without competent guidance, but today there are open access methods for restoring facial harmony and preventing bad facial habits: face fitness, face yoga, facial gymnastics, revitonics.
How to deal with sagging face at home
Everyone solves the problem of gravitational ptosis in their own way: some resort to the help of cosmetology, others believe only in a radical surgical lift, there are those who try to get rid of ptosis on their own, at home – with the help of exercises and folk recipes. Everyone has his own path. In any case, you can always find time for skin care with anti-aging products, massage and special gymnastics.
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Cosmetical tools
“Means for the correction of gravitational ptosis are aimed at increasing the elasticity and density of the skin, activating collagen synthesis,” recalls Ekaterina Turubara, Vichy expert.
Day cream LiftActiv Collagen Specialist, Vichy
The cream contains peptides that stimulate the synthesis of its own collagen, and vitamin C, which gives the skin radiance.
Serum filler LiftActiv Suprême with lifting effect, Vichy
Improving skin elasticity is the main, but not the only purpose of this cream: rhamnose promotes the synthesis of collagen, which is responsible for the biomechanical properties of the skin, and two types of hyaluronic acid moisturize and replenish lost volume.
Face cream Rénergie Multi-Lift Ultra, Lancôme
To combat age-related changes in the skin, Lancôme Laboratories has developed a cream with a delicate texture and a formula that includes a complex of plant extracts that work to reduce wrinkles, tighten the skin and radiance.
Night face cream Blue Therapy Uplift, Biotherm
The secret of this lifting formula lies in the extract of red algae, which strengthens the skin, smoothes wrinkles, evens out tone and microrelief.
Day anti-aging face cream “Age expert 55+” with a light texture, L’Oréal Paris
It combines a light texture with a nourishing action so necessary for mature skin, and, of course, fights wrinkles, and also works on the correction of facial contours.
Multi-corrective face cream Super Multi-Corrective Cream, Kiehl’s
This cream promises a noticeable result after two weeks of use due to the complex action of jasmonic acid (renews and smoothes), beech extract (gives elasticity) and hyaluronic acid (moisturizes the skin, smoothing wrinkles).
Anti-aging face cream, complex care-sculptor “Age expert 45+”, L’Oréal Paris
Due to its restorative and remodeling action, it helps to tighten the contours of the face and helps to reduce wrinkles. In general, it improves the elasticity of the skin of the face, neck and décolleté. Features SPF 15 for long lasting hydration.
Self massage
Exercises for the face
Healthy-Food has accumulated enough articles on various types of facial gymnastics, from yoga to Facebook building. Before you delve into their study, I would like to remind you of the main thing: the condition of the face largely depends on the condition of the neck, and the condition of the neck depends on the posture.
How to get rid of sagging face with salon treatments
Today, there are enough minimally invasive ways to tighten the skin without surgery.
Hardware
These techniques, as a rule, are aimed at compacting collagen fibers due to thermal effects on the cells of the dermis.
Peelings
Threads
Thread lifting is considered a good prevention of severe ptosis, but much depends on the quality of the threads and the skill of the specialist who installs them.
Injections
Botulinum toxin. Effective for drooping eyebrows, as well as wrinkles on the forehead, between the eyebrows, on the bridge of the nose. It also corrects marionette wrinkles.
Fillers based on hyaluronic acid. Fragmented hyaluronic acid fills in wrinkles and sagging areas.
Lipofilling. The filler is a person’s own fat, with its help it is possible to replenish volumes in such problematic and “failed” areas, such as, for example, the temporal and orbital regions.