Can you stay looking younger for longer?

The age lines that just won’t go away

I used to look so young. Of course, everyone did. But what I mean is, even when I reached 30, people still thought I was in my early 20s. And I took that for granted. I didn’t have the best skincare routine either (damn you, younger Victoria). So, now when I look in the mirror, I see someone my own age (and sometimes even older), and I have to say, I’m not completely sure I’m ok with that.

Getting older can be tough for many reasons, but it feels like a kick in the teeth when you start to notice not-so-positive changes to your face. I mean, this is one of the most exposed parts of your body - and certainly the part that people notice first. Nowadays, my forehead is as lined as my favourite striped top, I have 11s that make me look like I’ve done far too much scowling, and the corners of my eyes - crow's feet - look like actual crows have been stomping all over them. If you feel my pain, chances are you’ll want to keep on reading...

So, how and why do wrinkles start? And, what can we do to minimise their appearance, and effectively look younger for longer? One word - Botox!

Why do we get wrinkles?

Unfortunately, wrinkles are just a normal part of ageing. Of course, we can have a great skincare routine, but this isn’t enough to completely deter lines - they will arrive at some point. But it’s important to note that there are different types of lines - dynamic lines and static lines. I won’t bore you too much about these different types here, as you may have already seen my article The difference between static and dynamic lines - and how to reduce them. But, essentially, dynamic lines are caused by repeated facial expressions (think forehead lines, crow’s feet, 11s, etc). These tend to disappear as we relax our face, but can remain over time. Static lines are the ones that come with age and simply remain - even when we have a face that looks as at ease as a yoga teacher doing tree pose on a mountainside. This is due to a loss in our skin’s elasticity.

Deciding which anti-wrinkle treatment is right for you really depends on whether it’s dynamic lines or static lines that you want to target. In this article, we’ll focus on getting rid of those pesky dynamic lines.

Wrinkle relaxing for forehead lines, crow's feet, etc - i.e. dynamic lines

If you’re looking to treat dynamic lines (forehead lines, crow's feet, frown lines, etc), anti-wrinkle injections might be an option. They don’t work straight away - they take between 3 and 10 days to kick in - but when they do, most people see a drastic improvement in the appearance of their lines.

So, how does botulinum toxin - often simply referred to as the brand name Botox - work? Well, botulinum toxin is injected into the target area and what happens is that it blocks signals from getting between the nerves and muscles, and effectively paralyses the muscle, meaning it can’t move. The line is smoothed out and unable to deepen while the anti-wrinkle substance is active (anywhere between 3 and 6 months).

It's a great treatment for reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles and can make us look younger and more refreshed in a short amount of time. For some, it’s about getting rejuvenated skin while, for others, it’s about regaining confidence. And it’s important to remember that it’s your body and, therefore, your decision what you choose to do with it.

Why don’t celebrities have wrinkles?

You might be wondering why celebs look so good for their age compared to the rest of us mere mortals. There’s a whole plethora of 50 year-old screen stars who just look incredible. I mean, have you seen Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani and Jennifer Aniston recently? I have a little secret to reveal, though, that I think you’ll like… There is no magic celebrity gene that makes the people we see on TV naturally glow and never age. Most - if not all - have had some form of work, and a lot of this is non-invasive treatments such as injectables. Of course, I’m not suggesting that by going out and getting wrinkle relaxing we’ll all look like celebrities, but the point is that no one is immune to wrinkles. No matter who we are, we will get them at some point. It’s just down to the individual if he or she wants to ‘grow old gracefully’ or not. I know what I choose.

Decided it might be for you? Book your consultation for the treatment of lines and wrinkles now on Glowday!

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