Life isn't fair. Especially if you're a woman. We are expected to be the "fairer" sex -- to get our bodies right back into shape after pregnancy, a la celeb super-moms like Heidi Klum and Jessica Alba. We compare our faces to the plump, smooth, impossibly even-toned visages of perpetually youthful stars like Demi Moore and Nicole Kidman. We bemoan the perception that men become more "distinguished" with age, while we simply get older.
To add insult to injury, a recent study has just proven that, yes, women are more likely than men to have more (and deeper) wrinkles at least in one area of the face -- around the mouth. These wrinkles (known in medical terms as perioral wrinkles) are believed to be more severe in women for several reasons:
- Compared to men, women's perioral (around the mouth) skin contains fewer sweat and sebaceous (oil) glands. The presence of these glands is believed to provide some protection and lubrication to the outer layers of the skin, as well as natural plumping of the deeper layers of skin.
- Compared to men, women's perioral skin contains fewer blood vessels. More blood vessels mean more oxygen and other nutrients are delivered to the skin. More oxygen and nutrients = more resilient, youthful skin.
- Compared to men, the muscular fibers surrounding a woman's mouth have a closer, tighter attachment to the dermis. It is believed that this may cause a downward pull on the skin's surface, thereby creating more pronounced wrinkles.
Treating wrinkles in this area of the face is challenging, because the use of Botox in this area is generally not recommended. Currently, the only ways of treating this area are the use of injectable dermal fillers, chemical peels, and laser resurfacing. Although not unheard of, it is interesting to note that attempting to correct perioral wrinkles through surgical means (like a face lift) can result in an odd-appearing, "pulled" look around the mouth.
The results of this study are important to cosmetic medicine because we are constantly striving to come up with better ways to prevent and treat perioral wrinkling. To this end, we must develop a better understanding of why women wrinkle more in this area. Ergo, this study's findings, while depressing for women everywhere, are nonetheless useful.
