What About Those Furrow Lines?

We will all, inevitably and possibly at some point soon, begin to notice the signs of aging.  It is most important to find peace with this reality, to have gratitude for our youth and the beauty that we can express from the inside out.  We give ourselves and others freedom to be authentic when we spend less time worrying about how we look.  All of that said, it is natural to resist change in our bodies, especially when it comes to aging.

The lines that people most commonly complain about are the lines that develop between the eyebrows and across the bridge of the nose.  Also, known as furrow lines or ‘the elevens’ these lines often form as two or more vertical lines between the eyebrows resembling the number eleven.  You can create these lines by furrowing your brow.

How do these lines come to be?  There can be some variation in this, depending on your specific, skin, lifestyle behaviors, hormone levels and even the habits of your expressions.  I remember my mother and other adults in my life saying something like “If you don’t stop making that face you’re going to get stuck like that!”  Well, perhaps not the goofy faces we were making as kids, back then, but they weren’t wrong about expressions getting ‘stuck’ on our faces.  Here are some of the ways that we cause these lines to show up on our faces;

• Squinting in the sunshine or without corrective lenses

• Sun exposure

• Focus and concentration, especially on a screen

• Unmanaged stress

• Upsetting dreams (that’s right, we furrow our brow in our sleep)

• Frustration, irritation, anger

• We also mimic the expressions of those we are close to or even those we are speaking with

So what can we do about this?  How do we prevent these lines and what can we do to rewind the effect we are already seeing?  Here are a few of the tested and generally applauded options;

• Smile more, it’s really tough to furrow and smile at the same time

• Notice your expressions

• Wear sunglasses, and on a bright day add a hat

• Get your eyes checked

• Try sleeping with “Frownies” or other sticker between your eyebrows

• Use a silicone wrinkle patch for 1-8 hours a day

• Find stress management techniques that work for you

• Leave that toxic job or friendship (for more reasons than your furrowed brow)

• Stay hydrated, this is a big one, hydration also prevents circles under the eyes

• Practice relaxing the muscles of your face

• Get regular facials, these can be more relaxing than a full-body massage

• Consider upgrading your face care routine, we LOVE Laurel Skincare. Add masks and oils to your routine to support the signs of aging.

Did you know that cosmetic acupuncture can also be a great way to relax the muscles of the face?  Small needles are placed in the tight, brow-furrowing muscles of the face. Cosmetic acupuncture a great way to prevent the ongoing habit of furrowing the brow.  Cosmetic acupuncture stimulates the elastin and collagen matrix bringing fresh, nourishing blood and body fluid to moisturise the skin. You can literally feel the tension melting away.  It’s also a great treatment for those nasty headaches across the forehead.

If you are considering Botox or other fillers add the above routines to your ongoing care while supporting a specific problem area with a more intrusive approach such as Botox. And remember, continue these and other steps like these in order to support lasting results.