13 replies to this topic

[Sartac]

So, what's the word on facial laxity or other issues potentially caused by SSRI usage? I'm finding more and more mentions of the supposed phenomenon of antidepressants relaxing facial muscles and creating droopiness of the skin, though it primarily seems like a subjective aesthetic concern for which facts and studies are absent?

It's likely that there is truth to these claims, and I'm noticing similar effects first-hand. I've sworn off AD meds, or at least SSRI's, and am working toward some sort of balance and healing. Personal notes are that I'm 31, male, prone to generalized and social anxieties, tending toward isolation. Work can be chaotic, but it is not presently an issue.

Options I'm considering:
Facial exercises
Maintaining a healthy diet with minimal carbs and plenty of water
Staying healthy though exercise and stress mitigation
Consistent supplementation or application or substances such as pycnogenol, retin A, rosehip seed oil, grapeseed extract, kojic acid
Sun avoidance
Acid peels, mostly Jessner's
Dubious on pharmaceutical counter measures such as Stablon / SSRE or herbal anxiety relief
Seeking more positive social interactions, which probably shouldn't be an afterthought

Have others here noticed physical issues with their appearance after taking antidepressants, and, if so, what seemed to help with bouncing back?

BTW, I wouldn't suggest that anyone drop their medication for fear of aging, unless/until a more positive outlook can be attained without the meds!

[nupi]

The same as otherwise (I call bunk on SSRI impacting skin, a more likely pathway would be comorbidity with depression, bad sleep hygiene and suboptimal diet:
Sleep
Sun screen
Sun avoidance
Healthy diet
Lots of water

[nowayout]

One has to seriously consider the perceived facial aging to be more likely a symptom of the anxiety disorder (hypochondria) than an effect of the medication.

[blood]

Don't overlook excess weight as a factor in looking older. I've been losing weight this past year, and once I reached a BMI of around 21.5 I noticed that I was looking distinctly more youthful. I've decided it's the loss of fat around my neck that creates the more youthful look. A skinny neck gives you (me) a more defined jaw line. Perhaps SSRIs make some people look older indirectly via promotion of weight gain?

Edited by blood, 03 January 2014 - 02:14 AM.

[nowayout]

Also, if you are over 20-25, you would normally start to see signs of ageing anyway with or without drugs. It is very easy to misattribute them to the drug.

[nupi]

Don't overlook excess weight as a factor in looking older. I've been losing weight this past year, and once I reached a BMI of around 21.5 I noticed that I was looking distinctly more youthful. I've decided it's the loss of fat around my neck that creates the more youthful look. A skinny neck gives you (me) a more defined jaw line. Perhaps SSRIs make some people look older indirectly via promotion of weight gain?

May well be true though below a certain BMI, it turns into negative too, especially if you start to lose subcutaneous fat. Venlafaxine for one is notorious for drastic weight gain.

One has to seriously consider the perceived facial aging to be more likely a symptom of the anxiety disorder (hypochondria) than an effect of the medication.

Are you arguing that the anxiety drives aging or that the hypochondria makes them THINK they age faster? Both sound like they could very well be true...

[blood]

Don't overlook excess weight as a factor in looking older. I've been losing weight this past year, and once I reached a BMI of around 21.5 I noticed that I was looking distinctly more youthful. I've decided it's the loss of fat around my neck that creates the more youthful look. A skinny neck gives you (me) a more defined jaw line. Perhaps SSRIs make some people look older indirectly via promotion of weight gain?

May well be true though below a certain BMI, it turns into negative too, especially if you start to lose subcutaneous fat. Venlafaxine for one is notorious for drastic weight gain.

I'd like to think you could get down to a BMI of around 20 without seeing too much facial gauntness, but who knows. Perhaps someone has done research in this area (relationship of BMI to subjective impressions of gauntness, especially facial gauntness)?

Without bothering to look at the literature it "seems" that there is an age-related decline in subcutaneous fat cells in some areas of the body irrespective of diet (or at least, it seems there is an age-related change in the distribution of subcutaneous fat in the body) - I'm thinking of the gaunt face, protruding belly, & flat ass of some older men for example. Perhaps it will eventually be shown possible to take certain drugs (e.g., PPAR-gamma agonists such as certain anti-diabetes drugs, and certain polyphenols) to block or reverse an age-related decline in subcutaneous fat. There are patents in this area, for topical agents, but I'm not aware of any research assessing effectiveness.

Re: venlafaxine, I have found it helpful for weight loss, through an anorexic/ appetite suppression effect.

Edited by blood, 06 January 2014 - 05:31 AM.

[nowayout]

There are drugs that are used for lipodystrophy causing facial fat loss in HIV patients. I believe they are injectable growth hormone releasing hormone analogs. I think they were only slightly effective in studies though. But they may be a step in the right direction for facial wasting due to aging as well.

[Boopy!]

Would like to comment as I have been on SSRIs quite a few years and have heard of this,  but not sure about the truth at all!   It would be the other things related to SSRIs which others have mentioned.   I DON'T  like the idea of having to take a medicine that doesn't even work and that's why I am probably going to have to give up on any SSRI ever working for me,   but if it did work I would say it would be worth it since depression/stress is the aging factor if anything although no way to know for sure.  Also,   re the overly broad comment about losing weight to look younger -- HELL NO at least if you are already at your ideal and constant weight.   Sometimes even losing a few pounds will AGE someone drastically in the face,  which is why I try to always make sure to not lose weight. If your weight remains constant and you don't fluctuate too much this is the best way to go.   You do not want to ever lose or gain too quickly.  Up until a certain age (I recall reading some fun studies about this)  fat will make people appear older,   interestingly enough,   but AFTER a certain age the fat in the face fools people into thinking you look YOUNGER -- this was according to what I read and I find it fun to think about.   I have noticed that whenever my female friends lose weight (like my one friend after her mom died)  and they are already thin,   they age themselves.  I feel like a jerk for noticing this but since reading that stupid study I can't help but see it!  

 

Sculptra which was referred to for facial fat loss in HIV patients is not an injectable growth hormone analog from what I understand but rather a substance that encourages collagen growth much like scars do.   I'm not sure but maybe the people who came up with it thought of it when seeing some reactions to dissolvable sutures?  I don't know which company is behind it but the IDEA seems good in theory.  THe substance itself is some kind of gel that is a foreign substance so the skin around it becomes inflamed and creates collagen.  BUT....it seems to be difficult to inject this correctly.   Some people have had the right results,  namely to fill in the overly depleted areas with the skin's own collagen-creating properties.     Some have had horrifyingly bad problems from sculptra (lumps,  autoimmune issues,  etc.) and one doctor said that the skin it creates looks like "scorched earth,"  a very evocative comment I will never forget although I really don't quite get what he meant by that other than it is not healthy appearing when examined under a scope.    Like so many other things in plastics,   it seems too iffy. 

[Heyman]

You do not want to ever lose or gain too quickly.  Up until a certain age (I recall reading some fun studies about this)  fat will make people appear older,   interestingly enough,   but AFTER a certain age the fat in the face fools people into thinking you look YOUNGER -- this was according to what I read and I find it fun to think about. 

 

This age was 40 in the studies. I don't think the rate of weight loss has anything to do with it, as long as you're not losing 60 pounds over night. I don't think it actually ages you, its just that in general if you have a low bodyfat and a lot of sun damage at > 40, you will have some wrinkles. If you gain weight your skin gets stretched and you can't see the wrinkles, if you lose weight you can see the damage again. This should not be a problem as long as you are young or kept the damage away.
 

[Forever21]

Side effects like lack of sleep. Counteract with getting more sleep. Also, lack of sex drive. Counteract by having more sex.

[dopaminerush]

Yes its real, 1 month  5mg and 18 days of 10mg cypralex (escitalopram)  and every person im not seeing about a month including my mom realized i got shitloads of wrinkles near my eyes now. I was far more younger  2 months ago. im tapering off from this shit. i hope i can regain my younger look   DONT misinform people shit is real on some people like me.  im doing cardio every day im doing gpp work im lifting heavy weights for 3 years and this happened in just 2 months !!! 

[Boopy!]

What is your age and do you have documentation -- before and after two months I mean?    Interesting to hear.    No one in the pharma industry would ever fund a study most likely,   but it is curious.   I know that SSRIs and MANY meds affect bodily functions such as digestion or salivary glands,   so why not the minute areas that aren't important to a study for depression?    For example,   SSRIs definitely cause salivary glands to dry up.   Obviously this is not the intention for an anti depressant but it is a side effect.    I wonder if there would be a dental insurance that covers side effects from SSRIs?    Also...to the person who mentioned weight affecting age.   The fact is,   if someone does gain weight,   then that is included in what they notice about a medication affecting age.    Heck I tend to lose weight easily especially for a woman,   and I can assure you that weight loss ages one just as quickly as weight gain depending on the person.   I say this as someone sick of seeing all the people obsessed with losing weight everywhere.

[dopaminerush]

im 28 and im a person who looks like just 18, im very popular among my friends about my younger look. I know how my face look at %12 to %25 bf . they are very thin wrinkles but they appeared newly. when im smiling 2 main wrinkles appered far more intense than before.  i realized this before seeing some friends. after 4th people i started to think its just escitalopram.  

 

 

btw this can be because of growth hormone supression, salt mineral deffiency, circulatory problem, they say its because of relaxing of face muscles .... etc i dont know.

 

i got droppy face from this thing too im a graphic design master student trust me i know what im seeing i know my skin.

 

 

Plus i have to put shitloads of salt to my pasta to get a little pump in gym. before this when i eat salty pasta i was getting bigger just by sitting its called insulin muscle pump. this is not happening anymore.

may be shit is causing some weak insulin resistance too i dont know. 

Edited by dopaminerush, 14 October 2017 - 02:35 AM.