FAQ wrinkle reduction

Q. What is the most indicated treatment to eliminate or reduce the wrinkles on the face?
A. The wrinkles on the face can be successfully improved or eliminated through various treatments of cosmetic medicine (such as peelings, fillers, dermabrasion, laser, lipofilling and botulinum toxin) or, in case of particularly deep wrinkles, through cosmetic surgery (face-lift).

- Peelings: Peelings are chemical solutions which allow the skin of the face to be improved and smoothed by removing the outer layers damaged by the ageing process (wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity and tone, etc.).

- Fillers: Fillers are filling materials that are injected into the wrinkles by means of very thin needles. Filling materials can be absorbable, semi-permanent or permanent.

- Dermabrasion: Dermabrasion is a treatment that allows the correction of the scars and the most superficial wrinkles on the face by removing the outer layer of the skin, thus making it smoother and more regular.

- Laser: The lasers used for the treatment of wrinkles are the so-called “resurfacing” lasers. Among these, the most effective ones are CO2 laser, which is particularly indicated for perioral wrinkles (surrounding the mouth), and Herbium laser, more indicated for periocular wrinkles (the wrinkles around the eyes or crow’s feet).

- Lipofilling: The lipofilling technique consists in taking small quantities of fat from a part of the patient's body; this fat is then injected into the area concerned by means of syringe with a thin needle. Such a treatment is particularly indicated for the wrinkles of the zygomatico-ocular region.

- Botulinum toxin: Botulinum toxin is a medication that allows the temporary inhibition of the mimic muscles of the face, thus reducing the formation of worry lines.

- Face-lift: Face-lift is kind of cosmetic surgery that allows the deepest wrinkles and the excess fat to be eliminated by repositioning the muscles of the face and stretching the skin of the face and of the neck.

The best treatment for face wrinkles is usually represented by a correct combination of the above-mentioned treatments.

Q. What are fillers and how do they act on wrinkles?
A. Fillers are filling materials that are injected into the wrinkles to fill in the areas lacking of subcutaneous tissue. Fillers can be absorbable, semi-permanent or permanent.
Absorbable fillers have the advantage of being easily tolerated by the body but provide a temporary volume increase (from 4 to 12 months).
The absorbable materials are essentially two: collagen and hyaluronic acid.
The most common commercial products containing hyaluronic acid are: "Restylane", "Perlane", "Juvederm", "Hylaform", "Vital", "Restylane subQ", while those containing collagen are: "Zyderm" and "Zyplast" (both of bovine origin), "Cosmoderm" and "Cosmoplast" (which are more recent and safer because they are not both of bovine origin).
Semi-permanent fillers have the advantage of providing a more durable result (from 12 to 36 months) but, though in exceptional circumstances, may produce foreign-body reactions.
Semi-permanent materials are essentially three: polylactic acid, collagen associated with polymethyl methacrylate or hyaluronic acid associated with an acrylic hydrogel.
The most common commercial products are: "New fill" or "Sculptra", "Artecoll", "Dermalive" and "Reviderm intra".
Permanent fillers have the advantage of providing a permanent result but, sometimes, they can induce a rejection reaction that is not easy to control and to correct.
The silicone as an injectable gel is a permanent filler whose use was forbidden by the Italian law in the early 90s because of the numerous side effects it can cause.
At present, the most common products allowed for sale are: "Bioalcamid" and "Aquamid".
Personally, I prefer to use absorbable fillers because they allow the patient to decide whether to continue the treatment or to regain his/her natural state and do not cause any side effect.