Face wrinkles

We all get them as we get older. Nobody wants them: facial wrinkles. They tell the story of our lives and are a mirror of our emotions. But what are the wrinkles on the face? When do they become a problem? And more importantly, what can you do about it?

  • Facial wrinkles can be divided into different categories depending on the way they develop and the pattern of movement.

  • How a wrinkle develops helps us understand how best to treat it. You can find out all this in our medical guide to facial wrinkles.

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Medically reviewed by:

Wrinkles on the face: Simply explained!

Getting older leaves its mark on your face. But did you know: not all wrinkles are the same. Because they have different causes. Some of them can be influenced very well, others less so. But what mostly all have in common: They are the result of getting older. Your skin loses its elasticity and the fat underneath becomes less. That fat that used to make your face look youthful. Did you know that we have thin ligaments on our face that fix our skin to the bone of our face? And unfortunately, these also slacken with age, which favors wrinkles.

When facial wrinkles become a problem

Abdomen, legs, buttocks – for many women an integral part of any visit to the gym. The skin is tightened and the appearance is improved. But what about wrinkles on the face? We know: Not every wrinkle is equally disturbing. Often it is exactly the wrinkles that a friend would not have even noticed. Thus, when a wrinkle on your face becomes a problem depends solely on you. Unfortunately, not all wrinkles can be treated equally well either. To understand why, let’s take a look at the three different types of facial wrinkles.

What are the types of wrinkles on the face

Dynamic wrinkles

As the term suggests, they are caused by muscle movements. That is why we call dynamic wrinkles also mimic wrinkles. Unlike other wrinkles, you usually get them very early. First, because they have less to do with skin aging, and second, they depend heavily on how intensely you use your facial expressions. All dynamic wrinkles have one thing in common: they can be very well influenced and thus smoothed by botolinum toxin (= Botox). This is because Botox reduces the activity in the muscle so that these wrinkles do not appear at all. Good news: regular skin care also delays the development.

  • Forehead wrinkles

    Show up as horizontally running lines on the forehead and are also called “worry lines” or “thinking lines”. Learn more

  • Crow’s feet

    These smile lines are located on the sides and below the eyes. Because they run radially from the corner of the eye, they are also called “crow’s feet.” Learn more

  • Bunny Lines

    Nasal or bunny wrinkles are fine lines on the upper third of both nostrils that appear when you wrinkle your nose. In English: Bunny Lines. Learn more

  • Strawberry chin

    This typically occurs when defiant children clench their mouths while crying, creating the image of a cobblestone relief – which is why it is also called a cobblestone chin. Adults can also have such a wrinkle pattern without facial expressions. Learn more

Static folds

They are the result of getting older. Lack of volume and decreasing firmness of your tissue will cause your skin to sag towards the ground. In addition, thin ligaments that anchor your skin to the bone slacken. As a result, static wrinkles develop particularly strongly just below the ligaments. This gives us 2 points of attack to smooth them out. Either we treat them directly – for example with a hyaluronic acid injection. Or we strengthen the retaining ligaments of the skin.

  • Nasolabial fold

    It is the most pronounced static wrinkle on the face and runs between the nostril and the corner of the mouth. Learn more

  • Puppet fold

    Also called the corner of the mouth, Merkel’s wrinkle, sadness wrinkle or bitterness wrinkle and runs vertically from the corner of the mouth to the chin. Learn more

  • Neck wrinkles

    Or sagging cheeks are an increase in tissue in the area of the lateral chin lines.

Actinic wrinkles

Sounds complicated, but it’s not. Colloquially, you may know them as wrinkles and they usually develop where the skin is heavily exposed to the sun. So on the face, neck, décolleté & hands. Because UV radiation is the definitive driver of why you get wrinkles. Therefore, it is logical that you can best prevent actinic wrinkles with sunscreen. But if there are already some, hyaluronic acid, a microneedling or vampire lift are your best friends for smoothing wrinkles.

  • Lip wrinkles

    Or mouth wrinkles are fine vertical and horizontal lines that are specifically located around the mouth. Learn more

When should facial wrinkles be treated

This is highly dependent on your individual well-being and perception of beauty. Moving facial wrinkles are a part of your very own personality. They reflect your emotions to the outside world. On the other hand, you probably want to look young and fresh for many years – which is at odds with a face full of wrinkles. The balancing act between looking natural and staying young is a challenge. But we gladly accept this challenge and want to provide you with more useful information. If you want to learn more about your facial wrinkles, you’ve come to the right place. Where do they come from? What do the first signs look like? What can you do preventively and what if they are already there? You can find out the answers to these questions on the individual pages on the folds.

Any questions? Our FAQ section has the answers!

It depends on the type of wrinkle. Dynamic wrinkles are best smoothed with Botox, as it reduces the movement of the muscle underneath. Hyaluronic acid injections or microneedlings help against actinic wrinkles. For static wrinkles, hyaluronic acid injections, anti-aging injections (Profhilo) or a thread lift are the methods of choice, depending on the severity.

Regular skin care, adequate sun protection, and sufficient hydration will slow down your facial wrinkle development. If you already have significant facial wrinkles, we’ll be happy to advise you on the fastest way to get rid of them.

Yep. Not all wrinkles can completely disappear. Especially dynamic wrinkles and actinic wrinkles can be smoothed very well with the right treatment. On the other hand, the situation is different for static wrinkles. It depends on the location of the wrinkle and how pronounced it is. We will be happy to advise you on site.

We can reassure you: If you discover them early, they can usually be smoothed out very well. Because the sooner you do something about it, the sooner you’ll get rid of them. How this works best for you depends on the type of wrinkle and your personal treatment preferences.

More questions? Simply make a personal consultation appointment online.

References

Last updated: 12.11.2023