There are two different categories of facial aging. The Sinkers, who lose volume in their face, and the Saggers who have skin laxity. How do you differentiate between the two? How do you treat sinking and sagging skin? Here is everything you need to know about facial aging and how to decide which treatments will benefit you.

Saggers: Typically when someone is a "sagger," their skin remains thick. However, because of the decrease in collagen and elastin the skin starts to descend overtime. The facial volume becomes weighty to the lower face which can often contribute to a heavy looking jowl. The skin and soft tissue lose support, increasing the skin laxity, and the skin becomes less taught. Sometimes this is described as the skin slipping away from the underlying bone structure or framework. 

Treatments: There are a few treatments to consider for facial sagging depending on the loss of volume and the severity of laxity. Two treatments to consider for early signs of  facial sagging are; Microcurrent and Morpheus8 Radio Microneedling. A series of professional Microcurrent facials can gently lift the muscles and connective tissues in the face, this treatment can be done professionally or with an at home device such as Nuface. While the Morpheus8 Radio Microneedling is another option for gentle skin tightening. Additional office procedures to combat advanced sagging skin are a face/neck lift with a board certified plastic surgeon. Be sure to schedule a consultation with a qualified  provider to see what treatment is best for you. 

Sinkers on the other hand, are characterized by volume loss of the face which can cause a sunken hollowed out appearance. Common areas of volume loss are the temples, mid-face and  the mouth/chin area. With time, these areas become more hollow which can present a hardened appearance. "Sinkers" tend to have more angular and chiseled features because they deflate and you can see their underlying bone structure versus a "Sagger". The natural aging process causes us to lose about 10% of the fat in our face at the age of 35 years and an additional 5-10% every 5-10 years thereafter. By the age of 55 you may have lost 40% of the fat in your face. Your skin which was once full, plump, and youthful can become thinner and rougher in texture. 

Treatments: The gold standard treatment for Sinkers includes dermal filler injectables to enhance facial features and add fullness. Additional office procedures to help with advanced sinking would potentially be a rejuvenation procedure like fat transfer to the face with a board certified plastic surgeon. As for all treatments, I recommend a consultation to further discuss treatment options based on your facial aging.