What are the essential skin treatments for your 40s?

When nasolabial folds and cheek sagging begin, it is effective to first address the 'hollow volume' that causes the sagging to support the skin, and then manage any remaining sagging with lifting or other treatments. In particular, nasolabial folds are often not the cause themselves but rather a result of the upper cheek sagging and volume loss deepening the fold.

Therefore, rather than blindly filling only the nasolabial area, if the cheek hollowing above the fold is significant, volume restoration of the anterior cheek may be needed first; if the lateral cheek is sunken, volume restoration of the lateral cheek may come first. After that, it is advisable to use a lifting treatment such as Ultherapy PRIME® (ultrasound, approximately 4.5 mm SMAS layer, approximately 3.0 mm subcutaneous fat layer) or Soprano Titanium to lift sagging tissue and refine the lines. If the nasolabial fold remains, it can be filled with dermal filler or JUVGEN treatment.

For volume restoration, in addition to HA Fillers that provide immediate filling, there are options that induce collagen production, such as Sculptra (PLLA) or JUVELOOK Volume, which form volume naturally over time.

Lifting devices differ in their layers of action and methods, so the choice should be tailored to your condition. The representative devices are summarized as follows.

However, the combination method and amount vary greatly depending on facial bone structure, degree of sagging, and skin thickness, so there is no fixed formula. As this is an area with significant individual variation, it is safe to design the order and proportion of lifting and volume through consultation with a specialist.

In your 40s, a typical management cycle is lifting every 6 to 12 months, volume treatments every 1 to 1.5 years depending on the condition, and Skin Boosters every few months for maintenance. As collagen loss accelerates compared to your 30s, planned maintenance becomes more important than a single strong treatment.

Radiofrequency and HIFU Lifting are typically spaced out considering collagen remodeling and the maintenance period (generally around 1 year). Regenerative boosters often follow an initial intensive phase with maintenance treatments. For volume treatments, the timing of replenishment varies depending on the characteristics and absorption rate of the product used.

Above all, basic care such as sun protection and moisturizing must be performed alongside to maintain stable treatment intervals. The appropriate cycle varies depending on individual recovery speed and goals, so we recommend coordinating with a specialist.

Wrinkles and shadows that are not covered by makeup can be seen as a sign that changes are occurring beyond the surface, in the elasticity and volume of the dermis and deeper layers. This is because foundation only corrects the color and texture of the skin surface and cannot cover 'three-dimensional shadows' such as hollow cheeks or deep nasolabial folds.

In particular, if makeup settles into the nasolabial and mouth area wrinkles, or if sagging areas become more prominent in the afternoon, it may be a stage where surface management alone has limitations. From this point, in addition to boosters for improving skin texture and hydration, lifting and volume approaches that address sagging and volume loss are considered together.

However, the speed and pattern of these changes vary from person to person, so 'seeing a signal' does not necessarily mean 'must have treatment.' To distinguish whether the change you feel is a surface issue or a structural change, we recommend receiving an accurate assessment through a consultation with a specialist.