Expression-Guided Facial Rejuvenation

May '21

Are you often asked, “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” or told, “You look tired”— despite being perfectly happy and well rested? If so, this one’s for you. Keep reading to find out how you can benefit from our unique facial rejuvenation approach at Westchester’s Best SkinCenter!

The Emoticon Effect

The Emoticon Effect was an original study by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Christian Drehsen, M.D. that explored the link between facial expressions and social response. As Dr. Drehsen discovered, unlike the happy and sad faces we use in texts to express our feelings, the signs of aging can be misinterpreted— and here’s how:

Facial Expressions & Emotional State

Humans are social creatures. As such, we look to the faces of other people to gauge their emotional state. We often do this without even thinking about it, feeling out whether someone is approachable or not based on their facial expressions.

Facial expressions serve as cues that communicate to our brains when someone is sad, mad, happy, excited, etc. For instance, marionette lines (downward creases at the corners of the mouth that run toward the chin) indicate sadness, while lines between the brows communicate anger. Unfortunately, age, decreased skin elasticity, and the downward pull of gravity all create wrinkles and folds in the areas of the face that we use to emote most frequently (i.e., between the eyebrows, along the forehead, and around the mouth). And though it’s hardly our fault, these folds and wrinkles can communicate that we are sad, mad, or tired to others— even if we are not. Unfortunately, this may send signals to those around us that we are unapproachable or even downright threatening, which can have a dramatic impact on the way others treat us (or avoid us entirely).

The Solution? Expression-Guided Facial Rejuvenation

In 2015, the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery concluded that by taking a unique approach to improving facial contours in individuals, they could easily increase one’s social desirability. And so, expression-guided facial rejuvenation treatment was born.