San Diego Plastic Surgeon Highlights Study on Facial Wrinkles

    SAN DIEGO, CA, August 14, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A recent psychological study indicates that having a number of furrows and creases throughout the face may actually make it more difficult for others to accurately determine a person's emotions. Dr. John Alexander II (http://www.alexandersurgery.com), a San Diego cosmetic surgeon, agrees that changes in the face due to age can make reading facial expressions more challenging.

"Age causes a lot of changes to the face that ultimately affect your facial expressions," explains Dr. Alexander, a face lift specialist in San Diego. "It's not uncommon for a fallen brow to make people look serious or even angry, for example, even if they feel cheerful inside."

The study asked college-aged participants to look at photographs of 64 different faces, and then asked them to rate the images based on how much emotion they felt was visible. All the photos showed images of men and women of all different ages with their faces in a neutral expression. The photos of older adults were described as sadder or angrier more often than photos of younger adults.

The study results did not seem to be related to any potential stereotypes about older adults that the participants may have held, although other research in the same field has previously indicated that younger people in general have problems accurately recognizing emotions in the faces of older adults.

Inaccurate emotional assessments of older adults could have widespread negative effects. For example, doctors who inaccurately evaluate the level of pain a patient due to misinterpreting his or her facial expression could suggest an incorrect treatment choice as a result.

"I use eyes as the perfect example of how age affects first impressions," says Dr. Alexander, who treats both men and women at his La Jolla plastic surgery practice. "The lids lower with age, making patients look tired or sad. Eyelid surgery helps San Diego men and women to look happier as well as more refreshed and rejuvenated."

A variety of cosmetic procedures are available to minimize the appearance of dynamic wrinkles through the forehead and eye area that can contribute to the impression of negative emotion on older faces. Dynamic wrinkles are formed by the repeated muscle movement that occurs during everyday facial expressions. BOTOX Cosmetic injections temporarily paralyze the facial muscles, allowing the muscles to relax and smooth.

Other lines, like the nasolabial folds running from the nose to the corners of the mouth, can make older men and women look sad or serious, and can also prematurely age younger faces. Dermal fillers can be used to restore lost volume in these areas, restoring a true neutral expression to the face.

Alexander Cosmetic Surgery (http://www.alexandersurgery.com) has been San Diego's leader in facial rejuvenation and cosmetic plastic surgery since 1964. Led by father and son duo, Drs. John T. Alexander, M.D., and John T. Alexander II, M.D., F.A.C.S., J.D., the clinic has a history of patient dedication and care, while leading the way with innovative treatments such as the QuickLift procedure.

# # #