Is beauty skin deep ?
An aesthetic specialist ’ s view on how deep beauty really is
Collagen is essentially a protein and is found in many places in the body : muscles , bones , tendons , ligaments , organs , blood vessels , skin , intestinal lining , and other connective tissues
As an aesthetic specialist , I frequently hear patients ’ laments on how , with age and consequent collagen loss , they ’ ve come to dislike how they look . Collagen seems to be getting way more attention than it deserves , with treatments like collagen injections and oral collagen supplements springing up in all shapes and sizes , sometimes with dubious clinical evidence . I would like to finally put collagen in its place .
Collagen is essentially a protein and is found in many places in the body : muscles , bones , tendons , ligaments , organs , blood vessels , skin , intestinal lining , and other connective tissues . Within the skin , collagen probably makes up 75 percent of the supporting structures , along with elastin , forming what can be likened to springs in a mattress . Using the same mattress analogy , hyaluronic acid is like the foam , in-between the springs , filling up the rest of the skin structure . Other essential structures such as nerves , blood vessels , and glands weave their way inbetween these layers .
That makes collagen very important doesn ’ t it ? Not really . That ’ s because the skin is extremely thin . Much thinner than you think . The epidermis of the skin is on average 0.1 millimetres thick , which is about the thickness of one sheet of paper . The dermis on the other hand , averages about two millimetres thick , but from experience , many are about 1.5 millimetres thick . That ’ s probably the size of this full stop .
With skin only being a very thin layer , certainly not all of the signs of ageing can be attributed to the skin . Our beauty truly is not just skin deep . Gaining a better understanding of how your face becomes altered over time may help you and your aesthetic specialist decide on the best treatment options to address your individual concerns .
What is the triangle of youth and the inverted triangle ? Lines and wrinkles are some of the signs of ageing , but ageing also occurs beneath the skin . Signs of ageing exist at every layer of the facial structure , including skin , fat pads , connective tissue layers , muscles , and bone .
Triangle of youth Back in our youth , facial features were defined and well contoured . This is commonly described as the triangle of youth .
As we age and lose facial volume , the contour of the face changes , causing shadow patterns to develop , while youthful highlights fade . The triangle becomes inverted .
Inverted triangle Generally as we age , facial bone changes , soft tissues fall due to gravity and lack of support , and skin sags and droop downwards . Facial fat-pads shift , we lose fats in some places , and gain in other areas . For instance , we lose fats under the eyes , while the fat pads beneath the chin can increase in prominence , causing fullness between the neck and chin , also known as a “ double chin .” The effect of the lower face getting fuller can be described as the pyramid of age .
Ageing is also unique to each individual . Genetics play an important role in ageing . As such , how your mother ages can provide a glimpse into how your face may change over time . Other factors like sun exposure and diet can also play a role in determining when ageing begins and how fast it progresses .
Ageing skin Youthful skin is soft , supple , smooth , well hydrated , and rich with cells that renew relatively rapidly .
As we age , we experience a loss of facial oil glands , which results in less oil produced , contributing to less moisture in the skin . We lose collagen and elastin , which can contribute to the formation of dynamic wrinkles , like laugh lines , frown lines , and crow ’ s feet . Due to repeated facial movement , dynamic wrinkles eventually become static lines that are gradually etched into the skin over time . Additionally , sagging can occur because skin is no longer able to bounce back as it did in our youth .
Many factors impact the way our skin ages , including lifestyle choices and genetics .
• Lifestyle choices , like sun exposure , smoking , alcohol use , diet , and stress , can cause brown spots , rough skin , and wrinkles , as well as the premature onset and progression of ageing .
• Genetics affect all layers of the skin and contribute to thinning , dryness , and loss of elasticity of the skin during the ageing process .
Fats and ageing A youthful look depends on having the right amount of facial fat in the right places . Redistribution , accumulation , and atrophy of fat lead to facial volume loss .
• Some areas lose fat . Examples are the forehead and cheeks .
• Other areas gain fat . Examples are the mouth and jaw .
62 OCTOBER 2021 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com