Wrinkles aren’t the only sign of aging on the face. As people get older, they lose fat on the face, leading to a hollowed out or more gaunt look. The aging process also changes the texture of the skin and leads to a loss of skin elasticity. While dealing with the signs of aging might seem to be just a part of getting older, it doesn’t have to be. If you want to fight back against aging, you have several options.

Add Volume to the Lips

The lips tend to lose volume and shape as people get older, which not only adds years to a person’s appearance. Thin, shapeless lips can also make you look angry or upset. Lip augmentation, using injectable fillers, is one way to restore lost volume and shape to the lips.

Although the fillers that were popular in the past tended to be made out of a collagen, today’s fillers are made from a much lighter substance, hyaluronic acid, and tend to produce softer, more natural feeling results. Hyaluronic acid isn’t likely to cause an allergic reaction and can be reversed with a second injection if a person isn’t happy with the results.

Otherwise, lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid fillers can plump up the lips for about eight months. After that time, the injections can be repeated to sustain the fuller, plumper lips.

Restore Fullness to the Cheeks

As you get older and lose fat from the face, your cheeks will start to look thinner and you might look more tired and gaunt. What better way to replace lost fat than with your body’s own fat?

Fat transfer, or lipotransfer, involves taking fat from an area of the body where it isn’t wanted, such as your thighs, hips, or belly, purifying it, then injecting it into an area that needs a boost of volume, such as the cheeks.

While there are a number of injectable fillers that can provide similar results, fat transfer has a few benefits over them. One benefit is that the injection tends to be permanent. Your body might reabsorb some of the fat over time, but for the most part, you can expect that fat that’s injected today to still be there years in the future.

Fat transfer might not be the right pick for everyone. If you don’t have much fat on other areas of the body, your surgeon might not be able to harvest enough to increase volume on your face. In that case, an injectable such as Sculptra, which restores volume over time, might be a better pick.

Improve the Texture of Your Skin

As you age, skin doesn’t naturally exfoliate itself as frequently. Dead skin cells are more likely to collect on the surface, giving you a duller appearance. Pores might start to look bigger because the dead cells are collecting inside them. Years of sun exposure can also lead to age spots.

If your main concerns are skin texture and coloring, a fractional laser treatment can be a good option for you. Fractional laser treatments help stimulate the production of collagen and exfoliate the skin, without causing damage to the outer layer. You’re able to see a more glowing and radiant face, without the long downtime required by more ablative laser treatments.

Get Rid of Sagging

Skin also tends to lose its elasticity as it gets older, leading to droopiness and sagging, particularly in the lower face, such as the jowls and neck, and in the areas around the eyes. If you’re beginning to notice jowls or what looks like a double chin or turkey neck, a facelift or a neck lift might be in the cards for you in the near future.

Surgery to tighten the skin isn’t something to rush into. There’s a bit of recovery needed, usually at a least a week off from work. You might also have to make a number of changes to your life beforehand, such as quitting smoking or avoiding certain vitamins, to minimize the risk of complications.

Whether your concern is loose skin, big pores, or a loss of volume, Dr. Stephen Smith, a board certified facial plastic surgeon with two practices in Ohio , can help you figure out the treatment that will best fight the signs of aging on your face. For more information, or to schedule your consultation with Dr. Smith, call 614-678-7180 today.