Glabellar lines, also known as frown lines or number 11 lines, are the short vertical lines found between the eyebrows and extending up the central forehead. You may have heard that injections or surgery are the only ways to treat glabellar lines, but it turns out there’s plenty of at home treatment options for glabellar lines. Keep reading to learn the best ways to get rid of glabellar lines.
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What causes glabellar lines?
Glabellar lines are caused by the force of overactive corrugator supercilii muscles on the skin. As the skin ages, it can no longer resist the force of these muscles and gives in by forming wrinkles. We’ll discuss exactly what changes occur in the skin that result in glabellar lines in the next section.
In addition to overactive glabellar muscles, the following lifestyle factors can contribute to the formation of glabellar lines:
- History of sunburn
- Smoking
- Chronic or severe dehydration
- Chronic or severe stress
- Diets low in antioxidants, healthy fats, and other essential nutrients
- Poor skin hygiene
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What changes occur in the skin that result in glabellar lines?
As mentioned above, glabellar lines occur due to the skin losing the strength and elasticity it once had and thus being unable to resist the force of overactive corrugator supercilii muscles. But what exactly happens in the skin to cause this? Simply put, the skin loses its strength and elasticity due to two main reasons: loss of connective tissue proteins and loss of hydration. Below we will cover each of these in detail so that you know exactly what causes glabellar lines.
Decreased levels of collagen and elastin
As you age, your skin produces less of the connective tissue proteins collagen and elastin. Collagen is a structural protein that is responsible for the resilience, strength, and durability of the skin. Elastin is a highly elastic protein that allows the skin to resume its shape after stretching or contracting. While collagen makes skin look plump and firm, elastin allows the skin to be elastic and pliable. After the age of 20, a person produces about 1 percent less collagen in the skin each year. Moreover, environmental free radicals from things such as excessive exposure to UV radiation and cigarette smoking can degrade both collagen and elastin.
Loss of hydration
Another change that occurs in the skin as you age is loss of hydration, primarily due to the skin producing less hyaluronic acid with age. Hyaluronic acid is the key molecule involved with skin moisture. In fact, hyaluronic acid is able to hold more water than any other natural substance—up to 1,000 times its weight in water! Without a sufficient amount of hyaluronic acid, the skin becomes dry and thin, making it more vulnerable to gravity and unable to resist the force of overactive corrugator supercilii muscles. Ultimately, the skin will slowly begin to form glabellar lines.
How to prevent glabellar lines
If you’re concerned about the formation of glabellar lines, there are a few things you can do to prevent them. Start by addressing the lifestyle habits that can contribute to the formation of glabellar lines (see above list). For example, practicing good skin hygiene, wearing sunscreen to prevent sunburn, and staying hydrated are all simple ways to help prevent glabellar lines. Wearing sunglasses is another easy way to prevent glabellar lines. One of the reasons we develop these lines is repetitive movements, especially squinting. Wearing sunglasses on bright sunny days will help you relax the area between the eyes. A final way to prevent glabellar lines is to use skin care products that are formulated to target the main causes of glabellar lines. We will discuss the best skin care products to help with glabellar lines below.
A vitamin C serum helps neutralizes harmful free radicals that cause premature aging. We recommend Carrot & Stick The Defence Serum. It contains 3 distinct types of Vitamin C that work together to help fight free radical damage. We recommend using it every morning.
Should I consider surgery for glabellar lines?
One way to treat glabellar lines is with surgery. This surgery is known as corrugator muscle lysis or frown lines removal. It is a permanent solution because the procedure will surgically “disrupt” (cut and resect) the corrugator muscle. The surgical approach can either be done endoscopically (no scar) or as part of a conventional forehead lift or brow lift procedure.
While surgery is considered to be the most effective glabellar lines treatment, there are many drawbacks to surgery. For instance, the forehead lift or brow lift procedure is invasive and has a long recovery time. Most people will experience bruising and swelling after this surgery, and these effects can last for about 10 days. There’s also a risk of infection and scarring if the surgical incision is not taken care of properly. Lastly, glabellar lines surgery can be expensive.
Glabellar lines treatment at home
If you’re concerned about the cost or the potential side effects of glabellar lines surgery, don’t worry; there are several at home treatments for glabellar lines. One is to perform facial massage in order to relax the corrugator muscle. You can perform a facial massage by taking your index finger and placing it in between your eyebrows, moving it in circles to massage the area. You can do this for as long as you like in order to release tension.
Another way to get rid of glabellar lines at home is by using skin care products that will target the main causes of glabellar lines: loss of connective tissue proteins and loss of hydration. With all of the different skin care products on the market, you’re probably wondering how to determine if a product will actually help with these problems. To help you out, below we have the best products that you can use for glabellar lines.
The best products for glabellar lines
The Repair Serum from Carrot & Stick helps smooth, lift, tighten and firm the look of skin thanks to seven plant-based neuropeptides, while synthesized growth factors help keep skin looking its radiant best.
References:SkyFacialPlasticSurgery.com “Corrugator Muscle Lysis | Frown Lines Removal”
