Wrinkles make it hard to judge emotions

As if looking old wasn't bad enough, a new study finds that people have a difficult time reading the emotions of individuals with wrinkly faces.  At Penn State University, researchers asked study participants to rate the faces in 64 photos based on the emotions they perceived in the images. On average, pictures depicting older adults were rated as more angry or sad compared to the photos of younger people, despite the fact that every face photographed showed neutral emotions, reports LiveScience.

This is not the first study to examine the link between wrinkles and emotional perception. A previous study conducted at Berlin's Humboldt University found that younger people had a hard time judging the faces of older adults, and often perceived them to have more "mixed emotions" than similar images of younger people.

This study goes to show that people who seek out plastic surgery procedures such as facelifts or Botox injections aren't doing so simply out of vanity. There are real issues associated with early signs of aging. Researchers pointed out that the issue underscored in this most recent study could put older adults at a disadvantage at the doctor's office, for instance, as medical practitioners may falsely assume that seniors are experiencing sadness or depression.

Fortunately, as a cosmetic surgeon in Florida, an region where many older citizens live, I am happy to assure that there are many treatments to help treat wrinkles on the face and neck, While facelifts may be the most well-known, others may choose to target the skin hanging down under the chin by undergoing a neck lift. Botox injections can treat wrinkles before they begin to form, while facial fillers can add volume and fill in deep creases around the eyes, mouth and forehead.

Sunscreen Daily Turns Back the Hands of Aging

Sunscreens are common almost everywhere particularly in warmer climates, such as Southwest Florida, where this plastic surgeon practices.  

Now, there is bonafide research showing daily use of sunscreen can lessen wrinkles in skin.  Results of the study recently appeared in the Annals of Internal Medicine. 

This study involved 903 adults under the age of 55 living in Nambour Australia.  

All participants were given sunscreen of 15+ SPF.  Half used it daily and the other half were told to use it as you normally would.  Researchers took silicone impressions of the backs of the participants hands at the beginning of the experiment and after 4 ½ years.  

The results showed people instructed to apply sunscreen daily showed 24% less aging as measured by coarseness and fine lines.  There you have it!  Some concrete evidence that sun block helps prevent skin aging.

SLEEP YOUR WRINKLES AWAY - Skin Care news from Dr. Brueck, Plastic Surgeon

Dr. Robert Brueck scours the news for the latest information about cosmetic surgery, which he posts here when he finds it. Read on, and make a point to set up an RSS feed of the blog so you won't miss any future issues.

Sleep Your Wrinkles Away?

Now that’s what I call progress! Imagine going to bed at night knowing that when you wake up in the morning your wrinkles will be fewer and less pronounced.

WOW! There may be a modicum of truth in the old adage, to get your beauty rest.

A company by the name of Copron based in Israel produces pillow cases that contain copper oxide infused into the fibers of the pillow cases. The director of research Dr. Gadi Borkow did a blind study: some women slept on normal pillow cases and the others slept on the copper oxide pillows.

He stated that there was a statistically significant difference in the 2 groups. The study included 57 women. They were evaluated only at 2 and 4 weeks. The women with the copper oxide pillows had fewer fine lines and overall improvement in their skin.

More work and studies are currently on their way and maybe next year’s resolution will be to get more beauty rest. Intriguing.