For all of you who have noticed that more women than men seem to be plagued by wrinkles around the mouth, we finally know why. And at the Robert Zubowski MD Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery we’d like to share the information.
A recent study published in the November/December 2009 issue of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal reports that gender-specific differences in the skin that surrounds the mouth account for more and deeper skin wrinkling in females than males. The aim of the study, according to its lead author, was to obtain new insight into the observation that women wrinkle earlier and more severely than men. Understanding the reasons for these differences might lead to better ways to treat this common sign of aging in women.
The study found several factors contributing to this phenomenon: women’s perioral skin contains fewer sweat glands and fewer sebaceous glands (microscopic glands in the skin that secrete sebum, a substance that lubricates the skin) which could influence the natural filling of the skin. Women’s perioral skin also contains fewer blood vessels then men’s, which could accelerate the formation of wrinkles. And finally, in women, the closer attachment of the muscular fibers surrounding the orifice of the mouth to the skin may cause an inward traction promoting deeper wrinkles.
At Paramus, New Jersey’s Robert Zubowski MD Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, we’re continually investigating new treatments to combat the signs of aging, not only in women, but in men as well. Only when these treatments have a proven track record of efficacy will we introduce them into our northern New Jersey practice. Our current non-invasive procedures for these types of wrinkles include Botox®,injectable facial fillers such as Restylane®, Radiesse®, Juvéderm™, as well as procedures such as dermabrasion, chemical peels, and SkinTyte™.