They say age is beauty, but not everyone doesn’t search for treatments the moment they realize they have wrinkles. In fact, most people, especially women, stress about having a line or two. After all, wrinkles can give their complexion a dull, older appearance.
While there’s no escaping the passage of time, specific treatments, non-surgical and surgical ones, are developed to make you look bright and wrinkle-free.
Topical Retinoids and Wrinkle Creams for Forehead Wrinkles
Treatment Overview
Retinoids is one of the preferred remedies for forehead wrinkles recommended by dermatologists. But when it comes to purchasing a retinoid product, a prescription is needed. When retinol is introduced, a type of retinoid is available over-the-counter and comes liquid, gel, or cream. form. It is a vitamin A derivative which helps regenerate the skin by continually exfoliating its top layers. It also increases collagen production to prevent visible wrinkles, fine lines, and improve skin texture.
Side effects
Possible effects of the use of retinoids includes peeling and redness of the skin, irritation, and sunburn.
Botox
Treatment Overview
Botox treatments are done by directly injecting small, diluted amounts of the botulinum toxin to paralyze or weaken the muscle temporarily. This reduces the appearance of facial creases and wrinkles, especially in the forehead. It usually takes 7-14 weeks after the treatment for the toxin to take full effect.
Botox lasts for about 3 to 6 months, and muscle action slowly returns. Lines and wrinkles reappear and require treatment again. In most cases, wrinkles and lines appear less severe after-effects of the Botox expire due to muscles’ shrinking.
Side effects
Pain and swelling in the injected area may occur. Other after-effects may include stiffness of the muscles, weakening of the muscles, and headache.
Dermal Fillers
Treatment Overview
Dermal Fillers are soft, gel-like injectable implants that help replenish the lost volume in the face. It is a popular treatment among groups of women in their 40’s when their skin starts to sag, and signs of aging start to appear. It is an outstanding solution with creases and wrinkles in the forehead. Ultimately, dermal fillers are injected under the patient’s skin.
There are two kinds of fillers commonly used in this treatment, Hyaluronic acid with results lasting up to twelve months and Polymethyl methacrylate with visible results up to five years.
Side effects
Swelling and lumps may appear after treatment and is normal. Other side effects include itching, scarring, and overcorrection of wrinkles.
Laser Resurfacing
Treatment Overview
This option is also called a laser peel, lasabrasion, or laser vaporization. It basically involves injectable procedures. If you want to ensure that your forehead wrinkles remain unnoticed or unseen after Botox and related treatments, lasers can get the job done. The surgeon will direct pulsating beams of light at your forehead, precisely removing the wrinkles or the skin layer by layer. Aside from removing fine lines in the forehead and between eyebrows, this treatment also works best with non-responsive skin after a facelift and shallow scars from acne.
Side effects
Side effects of laser resurfacing include scarring, redness, swelling, and itching of the treated skin.
Chemical Peels
Treatment Overview
Chemical peels gained mainstream popularity in the modern era, but surprisingly, it has been around since the mid-1800s.
There are three chemical peel types- superficial, medium-depth, and deep-depth. A chemical is used to penetrate and strip away the skin’s outer layers in any of these types. This is going to replace the damaged skin with a fresh, new layer.
Side effects
You may experience some redness, dryness, and flaking a few days after the treatment.
Dermabrasion
Surgery Overview
Dermabrasion, sometimes called dermaplaning, is much like chemical peel that removes fine forehead wrinkles while minimizing the skin’s scars. The only difference is the method used for the procedure. It is minimally invasive, and the doctor can perform the procedure in his office. You can also expect minimal recovery time. Moreover, it can be used in conjunction with other treatments, including the chemical peel.
While the forehead is the most common site for Dermabrasion, other skin areas can also be dealt with this treatment. Aside from wrinkles, it can treat acne scars, enlarged nose, and many more.
Interestingly, the treatment involves wounding the skin and causing it to bleed. But, as the wound heals, the wrinkles become a thing of the past as new skin grows to replace it.
Some factors affect the skin’s removal, such as the coarseness of the burr or brush, the speed at which the brush spins, the amount of pressure applied to the brush, and the skin’s condition and features.
If you’re considering Dermabrasion to refinish your skin, you’re doing yourself a big favor. This treatment can enhance your appearance and boost your self-confidence. But, before anything else, discuss things first with your surgeon. While men and women of all ages can undergo Dermabrasion, it is essential to know that skin coloring, type, and medical history determine the treatment’s effectiveness. For example, if you have black skin, it may become blotchy or discolored permanently after the treatment. If you have skin reactions and allergic rashes, you may experience a flare-up.
To prepare for the procedure, the doctor will instruct you to stop smoking, stop taking certain medications, stay out of the sun, and avoid using skincare products a week or so before the Dermabrasion.
How it is Done
The treatment uses a burr or wire brush to remove the skin’s top layers. But before the doctor does anything to your forehead, he will first clean and mark the wrinkles to be treated. Then, he will place ice packs on those areas up to for 20-30 minutes. If the ice packs don’t make your skin that firm, the doctor will use a freezing spray. This will harden the areas of your skin for deeper abrasions. Since it’s not the entire face that’s going to be treated, there’s no need for sedation nor general anaesthesia.
Side Effects
Some possible short-term side effects of Dermabrasion are swelling, scabbing, tingling, burning, difficulty eating and talking, and red and swollen skin.
After-Care Instructions
The time it takes to heal differs from that of a full-face treatment. With forehead wrinkles removal, you can expect the skin to grow back in 5-8 days. This new skin is usually bright pink, but it will fade in 8-12 weeks. Until then, try matching your normal skin tones with makeup.
While the skin is still healing, you should take care of the treated area properly. The after-care instructions involve cleaning the treats several times a day, getting rid of possible crusting, changing the wound’s oil or dressing, avoiding sun exposure, and using sunscreen daily once the peeling has stopped. You will also need to update your doctor and do several follow-up visits so that he can treat early signs of infection and monitor how well your skin heals and regrows.
Forehead Lift
Surgery Overview
This popular form of cosmetic surgery is more commonly known as a brow lift. It’s considered one of the most effective methods of getting rid of forehead wrinkles. By raising the brows, the appearance of forehead wrinkles will be removed as well as frown lines. If necessary, the muscles responsible for the frown lines will be removed by the surgeon.
Unfortunately, this treatment is not for everyone. You can only be the right candidate for a forehead lift if you live an active lifestyle, you don’t smoke, and most of all, you have realistic goals for your looks.
Before the procedure, it’s crucial to discuss the most appropriate type of brow lift with your surgeon and other vital factors such as skin type, ethnicity, degree of skin elasticity, and healing rate.
There will be possible complications because forehead lift involves risks like most surgeries. But, you can reduce the risks by disclosing your medical history with the surgeon so that he can assess your physical, mental, and emotional attitude towards the treatment.
How it is Done
There are three standard methods of performing this treatment. Type of forehead lift you undergo will depend on your needs, facial features, and aesthetic goals. While forehead lifts sound scary, plastic surgeons are well-trained in making the surgery as easy and comfortable as possible. It’s also less invasive so that the surgeon can perform any of the following to you as an outpatient.
- Endoscopic Brow Lift – For this procedure, an endoscope will be inserted through several tiny incisions hidden in the scalp. This will allow the surgeon to see and work on your forehead’s internal structures. Overall, this type of procedure requires very minimal incisions.
- Open Brow Lift – A long incision will be made across your forehead. Then, the surgeon will lift the skin away from the underlying tissues and remove any excess skin. After that, he will stitch the brow into its new position.
- Limited Incision Technique – This technique elevates the eyebrows’ outer part without using an endoscope. This means that the surgeon does the surgery under direct vision.
Side effects
After the surgery, you can expect some degree of swelling and bruising.
After-Care Instructions
The surgeon will instruct you to use compresses or prescribe medication to keep the swelling minimum. Suppose the surgical area has a dressing, expect for it to come off in two days. Similarly, the drainage tube can be removed two days after the surgery.
The time it takes for you to recover is two to three weeks. Scars are usually noticeable on the first two weeks, so use makeup to minimize the scars’ appearance.