Aging and the Face

Aging takes a toll on the body and the signs are often most visible on the face. The skin becomes thinner, drier and less elastic. Fine lines and wrinkles develop around the eyes and corners of the mouth. Fat deposits under the cheeks shrink, causing the eye sockets and face to appear sunken or hollow.

Genetics play an important role in the rate of skin aging. Some people maintain youthful looks well into older age. Others may develop signs of aging in late twenties and early thirties. Excessive exposure to sunlight hastens skin aging and can contribute to the development of freckles, age spots, spider veins and patches of rough, leathery skin.

Facial expressions can also influence the development of wrinkles. Each time the facial muscles are used to make an expression (such as a smile or frown), ridges and grooves form beneath the surface of the skin. With aging, the skin loses some of its ability to "spring" back to its smooth state. Eventually, this leads to the development of permanent lines and wrinkles.

Using BOTOX® for Wrinkles

BOTOX® Cosmetic is a purified form of the botulinum toxin, a substance normally associated with some kinds of food poisoning. When injected into a muscle, the drug blocks the transmission of nerve impulses between the brain and muscles, leading to temporary paralysis of the target muscle. BOTOX prevents the affected muscle from moving out of its relaxed state, inhibiting the formation of the wrinkle lines.

BOTOX injections are used in the treatment of frown lines, forehead wrinkles, crows feet and other fine lines and wrinkles caused by facial expressions. The treatment is the most common nonsurgical cosmetic procedure in this country. Last year, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery estimates more than 3.18 million BOTOX injections were given in the U.S.

A New Wrinkle Fighter

BOTOX can be very effective for reducing wrinkles caused by facial expressions. However, the treatment is temporary, lasting only three to six months. Thus, the procedure must be repeated to maintain the effects.

Now there's another option on the horizon, called GFX. GFX uses bipolar radiofrequency ablation to target the nerves associated with facial expression wrinkling, rather than the muscles (as with BOTOX). The process is called Percutaneous Selective Radiofrequency Neuroablation (PSRN).

Cameron Rokhsar, M.D., a Cosmetic Dermatologist with New York Aesthetic Consultants, says, patients are given an oral sedative and local anesthetic to minimize discomfort. Then, a needle probe is inserted through a tiny puncture in the skin. The physician locates the target nerve by releasing a low level of electric current from the probe. The current stimulates the nerves and causes the muscle to contract. Once the correct nerve is identified, a controlled dose of radiofrequency (RF) energy is aimed at the target. The RF energy intentionally damages a portion of the nerve, disrupting its ability to send a signal to the muscle. Without that signal, the muscle can't contract, preventing the formation of that specific facial expression wrinkle.

Rokhsar says GFX is being used on the eyebrow area. But he anticipates the treatment will one day be used for other muscle-related wrinkles. GFX is still not a permanent procedure because the nerve eventually regenerates. However, the treatment lasts about a year - much longer than BOTOX. Currently, GFX is approved as a subcutaneous lesion generation system. A clinical trial is underway to determine how long the effects of the treatment will last.

For information about the GFX technology: Advanced Cosmetic Intervention, Inc

For general information on BOTOX® or other cosmetic procedures: Allergan, Inc.American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

For information about aging skin and wrinkles: American Academy of Dermatology