How to tell if your skin is thinning and what you can do to prevent thinning skin and wrinkles

The first signs of aging occur when the skin begins to become thinner. To maintain healthy skin, there are strategies to prolong skin health in the same way we protect our teeth and hair so that we are not having to treat deep wrinkles, sagging skin and other signs of aging.

3 Ways to check if your skin is thinning.

Look at yourself in a mirror;

1.       Frown for 5 seconds. If the lines that appear on your forehead are visible in any way after you relax, your skin is thinning.

2.       Squint for 5 seconds. If the lines around your eyes are visible in any way after you relax, your skin is thinning.

3.       Pinch the skin in your lower cheek and jawline. If you are able to pinch excess skin in these areas, your skin is thinning.

What causes thinning skin and wrinkles?

In our twenties, our bodies slow the production of collagen and elastin and gradually as we age, this changes how we look. The skin becomes thinner and the underlying fat layer, muscles and bones all begin to shrink.

What happens as the skin becomes thinner?

As the skin becomes thinner, wrinkles and lines will become permanent, the skin will become dull and more transparent sometimes causing the appearance of dark circles to appear under the eyes.

As the connective tissues of the skin such as the fat layer, muscles and bones decline, the skin loses its supports causing hollows, sagging and crepey skin. The lines that used to bounce back such as sleep lines from your pillow, become permanent. Smile lines become permanent, deep creases and new lines around the mouth may emerge as lips become thinner as well.

What can I do to prevent thinning skin and wrinkles?

1.       Nurture and protect your skin by using sunscreen, eating healthy foods and moisturizing regularly.

2.       Regularly treat your forehead lines and crow’s feet with Botox to relax the expressive muscles in the face that cause wrinkles in these areas. To prevent new lines from forming, regular treatments should be followed consistently every 3-4 months.

3.       Treat other lines, wrinkles and hollows caused by the decline in fat layer, muscle and bone with dermal fillers to tighten and smooth the skin and prevent it from sagging. 

Dermal fillers made from hydrating hyaluronic acid (a substance produced by the body) are effective in naturally replacing the lost volume to better support the skin to reduce dark under eye circles and hollows in places like under eyes, lips, smile lines and cheeks.

Dermal filler cost in Ontario starts at $450-$950 depending on the medical spa clinic and type of filler used.

Dermal fillers can last from 6 months to 1 year. As fillers begin to wear off, it is important to have another treatment to maintain smooth, youthful skin.

4.       Refresh and rejuvenate the surface of the skin with medical grade, AquaGold Facials. Aquagold facials also known as “Hollywood Facials” combine a custom cocktail of Botox, dermal filler skin booster and nutrients to shrink pores and fine lines on the skin’s surface for smoother, glass-like skin perfect for attending an important event that lasts from 3-4 months.

5.       Restore the collagen and elastin in the dermis to slow the aging process with platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatments and injections. PRP is a proven scientific process that infuses the dermis with fresh cells loaded with collagen, elastin and other proteins your skin needs to maintain its healthy glow. 

PRP is completely natural. Your blood is drawn with the tube placed in a centrifuge where liquid gold platelets loaded in proteins are separated. The liquid gold is then applied on the skin and infused in the dermis using micro needling or an AquaGold micro-infusion device or injected into specific areas like under the eye. 

After 3 treatments one month apart, the rejuvenated cells will brighten the skin including pigmentation (dark spots and under eye circles) and tighten the skin naturally. After the first 3 treatments, only 1-2 treatments per year are necessary to maintain your skin health.

For more information about the effectiveness of PRP for skin rejuvenation, check out these studies:

Scientifically, PRP is explained as follows “Platelet Rich Plasma is a highly concentrated platelet plasma obtained from whole blood. In total, >1100 different proteins have been found in PRP, including immune system messengers, various enzymes and growth factors.” The benefits are described as “PRP proteins enhance wound healing and tissue regeneration. Among all the proteins in PRP, growth factors are the most important components.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7086200/

 

In this study published May 2021, by the National Library of Medicine, “Face rejuvenation with PRP is a promising and non-invasive technique with best results observed in improving periorbital dark circles and wrinkles.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8182581/

 

In April 2022, Dermatology Times article by Sandra Fyfe reports that “According to study investigators, PRP resulted in improvements in “skin color homogeneity, redness, texture, firmness, wrinkles, pores, elasticity, barrier function and capacitance compared to baseline.”

https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/emergent-applications-for-platelet-rich-plasma

 

In this clinical study reported in the National Library of Medicine published in February 2020 called “Effects of autologous platelet-rich-plasma injections on facial skin rejuvenation,” it states “PRP injections are effective in improving skin conditions and protecting the skin from photoaging, and thus have broad applications in anti-aging skin repair.”

 

Results after 3 PRP treatments applied in this study were as follows:

 - Pigmentation decreased

- Collagen increased and was denser

- Skin pore values decreased

- Wrinkles were significantly lowered

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7086200/