Are Wrinkles Hereditary?
If you’ve ever judged someone’s age at first glance, you probably took into account the amount of wrinkles on their face. But there are other factors that dictate if and when your skin wrinkles. Easton Dermatology, our team of experts explain where wrinkles come from and how to treat them when they start showing up on your face.
Common causes of wrinkled skin
Your skin is unique, and the factors contributing to your skin health are just as distinctive. Here are the main culprits responsible for fine lines and wrinkles on most people:
Age
Around age 20, most people start to lose two important proteins that form the structure of their skin — collagen and elastin. As your body slows the production of these powerhouse elements, your skin shows the effects.
You also lose some of the natural fat stored just under the surface, so the volume in your cheeks decreases, and skin starts to sag.
Too much sun
A little sun is good for you and helps your body produce vitamin D, but there’s a fine line between just enough sun and too much. The sun’s rays contain ultraviolet light that penetrates the surface of your skin and damages the tissue below — they can even affect your DNA, which may lead to skin cancer.
Excess sun exposure also accelerates the depletion of collagen and elastin, so skin wrinkles get a one-two punch from age and sun.
Smoking
The toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke damages your skin cells and causes premature aging. If you smoke, you may notice wrinkles around your mouth, sagging jowls, baggy eyes, and pigmentation problems.
Are wrinkles hereditary?
In addition to the environmental contributors to wrinkled skin, your genetics may also play a role in how and when wrinkles appear. Studies show that nearly 60% of skin aging, including wrinkles, stem from genetic factors.
Your genetic makeup determines the tone of your skin,a s well as the amount of collagen and elastin you produce. So if your parents have a lot of wrinkles or if they got wrinkles earlier in life, you may be doomed to the same pattern.
If you have dark skin, the higher level of melanin provides you with extra protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays, so you may avoid wrinkles until later in life, and they may be less severe.
Also, if you inherited thicker skin, you’re less prone to developing wrinkles.
How to smooth out wrinkled skin
At Easton Dermatology, we offer three extremely popular and effective treatments for wrinkled skin.
Botox®
Most people have two distinct types of facial wrinkles — dynamic and static. Dynamic wrinkles are the lines and creases caused by repeated facial expressions.
Botox is the best treatment for dynamic wrinkles because it temporarily halts the muscle contractions that lead to expression lines around your mouth, eyes, and forehead.
Dermal fillers
Dermal fillers work differently. Rather than affecting your muscle activity, they address the wrinkles related to the loss of collagen and fat under the surface of your skin. Containing synthetic forms of substances your body naturally produces, such as hyaluronic acid, dermal fillers replace lost volume to plump up your cheeks, forehead, chin, and lips.
To restore smoother skin and reduce your wrinkles, we inject precise amounts of the dermal filler into strategic areas at specific depths. You should see instant results that reveal smoother skin, fewer wrinkles, and softer contours.
TempSure Envi™
TempSure Envi uses radiofrequency technology to rejuvenate your skin. This noninvasive, painless treatment is FDA-approved and highly effective. As we hover a handheld instrument over the treatment area, waves of radiofrequency energy penetrate the layers of your skin and warm up the underlying tissues. The gentle heat causes a reaction that stimulates collagen renewal.
Though you see immediate initial improvement, your skin continues to tighten over time as the collagen fibers increase and build upon one another.
To schedule an appointment for a Botox, dermal fillers, or TempSure Envi consultation, call our office today.