5 facial expressions adding years to your face

Facial expressions: without them how would you show emotion? From anger and stress to happiness, sorrow, sarcasm and more – your face says it all. But while age-related skin changes are inevitable, those daily habits could well be speeding things up, as Dr Gizem Seymenoglu, a London-based medical aesthetician with Longevita, explains.

1 Frowning: The Worry Crease

Whether you’re stressed, frustrated, confused, lost in thought, or simply sad, chances are you’re frowning without even realising, leaving you with the forehead elevens, more commonly known as frown lines. “The skin between the eyebrows, medically known as the ‘glabella’, creases to form parallel vertical lines when you’re frowning or scowling, says Dr Gizem. “And, if you have a habit of making this expression quite often, it eventually leaves deep wrinkles and lines because of muscle hyperactivity. Of course, factors like ageing, stress, sun exposure, smoking and alcohol can’t be discounted, but frowning definitely accentuates these lines. It’s even possible to see them when your face is relaxed after a certain period of time.”

2 Nose Scrunching: The Bunny Crinkle

Next is the face we pull when something turns our stomach or gets under our skin: nose scrunching, also known as bunny lines. “Ever seen the nose of a twitching bunny? That’s exactly where bunny lines get their name from,” continues Dr Gizem. “While several muscles play a role, the key player here is the nasalis muscle, what you use to flare your nostrils. Skin ageing certainly contributes to bunny lines, but so does the repeated movement of the muscles in that area. The result is the appearance of horizontal and diagonal wrinkles that appear right on the bridge of your nose.”

3 Squinting: The Crows’ Talons

It’s hard to avoid squinting when you’re facing the sun, bright lights, struggling with your vision, and, of course, smiling, but again this could be adding years to your face. “Squinting gives you crows’ feet, lines resemble the talons of a crow. Basically, they’re diagonal and horizontal wrinkles, also known as ‘lateral canthal lines’, that fan out from the corners of your eyes. ‘Orbicularis oculi’, the round-shaped muscle around your eyes, is the one responsible, and, although they’re how you close your eyelids, their repeated contraction eventually causes wrinkles to form in that area.”

4 Pouting: The Sulk or Kiss Folds

Pouting: we do it when we’re upset or sulking, as well as naturally when we sip through a straw or whistle. However, this also comes with the risk of added wrinkles, explains Dr Gizem. “Pouting or puckering your lips is helped by the ‘orbicularis oris’ muscle around your mouth. It’s also the muscle you use when you kiss, which is why, unsurprisingly, it’s also called the kissing muscle! Unfortunately, its constant contraction also speeds up those vertical lip or lipstick lines. Worse in smokers because of collagen breakdown [a reason to stop smoking if ever we heard one], bear in mind that even non-smokers develop them.”

5 Smiling: The Trace of Joy

There’s no expression more universal than smiling, but with it comes laugh lines we all wish we could avoid. “The repetitive muscle contraction from smiling deepens creases extending from your nose all the way to your mouth,” continues Dr Gizem. “Known medically as ‘nasolabial folds’, although muscle hyperactivity plays a role in their development they’re more the result of facial fat loss, as well as collagen and elastin breakdown. As fat pads in the area separate due to gravity and the loss of skin elasticity you experience sagging, with folds becoming more prominent.”

The solution? Stop making them! OK, that’s not a reality. However, there are other ways to tackle them. “One option for dynamic wrinkles, which occur because of facial expressions, is Botox, as it prevents muscle contraction,” says Dr Gizem. “Laser resurfacing, chemical peels or dermabrasion may also be recommended depending on the problem, but getting in touch with an experienced professional is key.”

Longevita is the award-winning provider of affordable cosmetic treatments in both Istanbul and London, with qualified medical teams in both countries. For more information call 020 3409 1947 or email info@longevita.co.uk