You’re not just imaging it. One day, you’re feeling confident. The next, something in the mirror feels different. Not dramatic. Just subtle changes that feel less like you. You’re noticing the signs of facial aging.
But before you start slathering on more eye cream or wondering if it’s time for injectables, here’s the question most people don’t know to ask:
Are your changes coming from your skin- or your facial structure?
Knowing the difference can completely change how you approach the signs of facial aging- and help you choose treatments that actually work for this stage of your life.
Skin vs Structure: What’s the Difference
Skin Changes (Surface Level Aging)
This is what usually shows up first:
- Uneven skin tone
- Hyperpigmentation or sun spots
- Rough texture or dullness
- Fine lines, especially around the eyes and mouth
- Loss of radiance
These changes live on the surface of the skin. They’re caused by environmental exposure, slower cell turnover, and decreased collagen and elastin production.
Fixes: Lasers (like the Helix CO2), microneedling, medical grade skin care, Botox, and light resurfacing treatments
Structural Changes (The Deeper Stuff)
This is where things get sneaky- and what most people actually mean when they say they look “different.”
- Volume loss in cheeks, temples, under-eyes
- Fat pad descent (your face’s internal scaffolding shifts)
- Bone resorption (yes your skull actually changes shape with age)
- Muscle overactivity creating expression lines and heaviness
- Skin laxity from deeper collagen depletion
These aren’t texture issues- they’re positional issues. Shadows where there weren’t shadows. Heaviness where there used to be lift. A face that feels “unbalanced,” even if your skin is technically smooth.
Fixes: Filler to restore volume and shape. Botox to soften muscle pull and lift brows. Skin tightening (like CO2 laser) to re-densify collagen. Morpheus8 to help strengthen the structure under the skin. All done with a customized, anatomy first approach.
Signs It’s Skin:
- Your glow feels gone
- Makeup looks uneven or sits on top of skin
- New pigment patches or rough texture
- Everything looks temporarily better after a facial or brightening serum
Signs It’s Structure:
- You look more stern or flat, even when relaxed
- Side profile shows sagging or loss of contour
- Eyes appear more hooded
- Makeup can’t fix the shadowing or hollows
Can Botox or Filler fix a Worn-Down Look?
This is where skin vs structure makes all the difference.
- Botox helps when heaviness comes from muscle pull- like frown lines creating a “tense” look or brows pressing down on eyelids
- Filler helps when you’ve lost support- think hollow cheeks, under eye circles, or jawline softening.
The right combo? Always based on your anatomy. There is no one size fits all approach.
Why We Always Start with a Full Face Assessment
At The Injectables Lounge, we’re not here to slap on a treatment and hope for the best. We start with:
- Facial mapping based on fat pad migration and bone structure
- Skin quality evaluation
- Movement analysis (how your muscles pull at rest and in motion)
This isn’t just fluff, it is medical strategy. It is how we make sure your treatment plan targets the root cause of the signs of facial aging- not just the surface level symptoms.
TL;DR: Not All Aging is Skin Deep
You don’t have to guess. You just need the right guide.
Understanding whether your changes are surface level or structural is the key to looking refreshed balanced, and natural- not altered. Because when we treat the cause, not just the consequence, results are better, longer lasting, and actually look like you.
So the next time you notice the signs of facial aging, remember: it might not just be your skin, it could be your structure too.
