Static wrinkles: what they are and why they are harder

Static wrinkles are the lines visible even with the face at rest, with no expression at all. In most cases, they start as dynamic wrinkles and, after years of repeated movement and declining skin quality, become etched in. They can also result from volume loss and laxity, as in folds that deepen.

Why do they appear?

The main factors are reduced collagen and elastin, thinner skin, loss of volume and support beneath it, and accumulated sun exposure. Smoking and genetics also play a part. On the forehead and in the glabella, repeated muscle contraction keeps deepening the mark.

Why are they harder to treat?

Because they involve more than one cause at the same time. A static glabellar wrinkle, for example, has a movement component and a component of already marked skin. That is why the plan usually combines approaches:

• botulinum toxin to reduce the movement that keeps deepening the wrinkle;
• superficial or supportive filler, when indicated and with caution in areas of vascular risk;
• collagen biostimulators and surface treatments for skin quality.

The response is usually gradual and partial, and aligning that expectation in the consultation avoids frustration. The indication rests with the qualified professional, after assessment.

In Harmy

Harmy's projection shows the softening in the marked areas without retouching the skin on the rest of the face. That is why it helps show a localized, realistic improvement, and not skin without any marks.

Also called: resting wrinkles, fixed wrinkles.