Help, I Have Spotted A Wrinkle!

When you notice the first wrinkles to appear on your face, we all tend to start panicking or getting depressed. But it doesn’t always have to be like that! Like in any war, it helps to know more about your enemy so you can fight with the right weapon.

This article was written to teach you more about what causes wrinkles and how you can prevent or get rid of them! Keep reading to find out!

 

1. What are wrinkles (and Its Causes)?

 

 

Technically speaking, wrinkles are the lines on your skin that are more than 2 mm deep and are caused by a wide range of factors.

The major causes of wrinkles, as we all know, are associated with aging, although it tends to be more complicated than that.

• Aging Process

As you get older, your skin becomes more prone to dryness, thinning, reduced elasticity, and cellular damage. Because of a combination of these problems, you wake up one day to find with a pesky fold on your skin.

• Facial Expressions

Another factor that contributes to wrinkle formation is facial expressions, like squinting, frowning or even smiling, and this is also possible at a young age.

Yes, you read that right! Wrinkles are not limited to the old and miserable, but also happens to young, happy people.
When these muscles used for facial expressions contract, tiny grooves are formed on your skin surface.

For younger people, the skin easily springs back up, but this becomes slower and harder as you get older. Because of this, you may start to notice more permanent lines on your skin.

Other environmental factors and elements also lead to wrinkles, like the following:

• UV ray exposure

Exposure to sunlight through activities like outdoor sports, tanning, or sunbathing also tend to damage your skin and increase the probability of getting wrinkles earlier.

Naturally, those who spend hours under the sun for work like fishermen or farmers are at higher risk to develop wrinkles sooner.

UV rays cause the breakdown of elastin and collagen proteins in your connective tissues. These proteins are found underneath the skin and make it flexible. Once they wear out, your skin becomes weak and slack, forming wrinkles.

• Vices

Smoking regularly also accelerates your body’s aging process by decreasing blood circulation towards your skin. Alcohol also causes dehydration, and dry skin tends to wrinkle more.

• Fat Loss

The deeper skin layers are made up of fat. When the amount of fat is reduced greatly and quickly, the skin becomes saggy and loose, especially for older people.

Related: HOW TO GET RID OF FOREHEAD WRINKLES? YOUR QUESTION OUR SOLUTION

 

2. At What Age Do Wrinkles Appear?

 

 

So, we know that wrinkles are mainly caused by the natural aging process. But do you know at what age wrinkles appear? Or when do you have to really worry about it?

Usually, you’ll notice the first wrinkles to appear as you go from your late twenties towards your early thirties due to many changes in your skin.

Based on a study conducted by Harvard researchers, Olay (a beauty company) and 23andme (a genetic services company), here are the changes that your skin undergoes at important age milestones.

Late Twenties

 

• Reduced skin response to antioxidants, increasing damage due to oxidative stress and free radicals
• Hormonal changes that make your skin dry and more prone to breakouts and pimples. This also triggers fine line and wrinkle development.

 

Thirties

 

• Collagen synthesis slows down at ages between 30 to 35, making your skin look thinner. This also makes it more dry, delicate, and sensitive, especially around the eyes.
• Wrinkles appear on the forehead and under eyes.
• Your body requires more vitamin B3 and sunscreen or sunblock.

 

Forties

 

• Skin cellular regeneration and damage repair slow down dramatically.
• Elastin loss, acne development, and more sensitivity associated with lower estrogen levels.
• Deeper, more prominent lines appear around the mouth, eyes, and forehead, sometimes accompanied by age spots.
• Your skin needs peptides and retinol to fight these.

 

Fifties And Beyond

 

• Your skin continues to become more thin and dry.
• Lines become deeper, and age spots become darker.
• For women, the first few years from, the onset of menopause also means losing one-third of your body’s collagen
• At this point, the best thing you can do for your skin is keeping it hydrated and moisturized.

 

3. Prevention Measure For Wrinkles.

 

 

As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure. So, how do you prevent wrinkle formation? Here are some tips and tricks you could follow to delay or slow down the process.

• Apply Moisturizing Products.

They do not only help prevent lines, but also make them less obvious.

• Minimize Your Sun Exposure.

If you really have to stay under the sun, wear a visor or hat, protective clothes, and sunscreen to reduce damage caused by UV rays.

• Keep Your Skin Protected.

Totally avoiding sun exposure is not recommended because sunlight is a great vitamin D source. Vitamin D keeps your skin healthy, and gives you stronger bones and immunity so the best thing you can do is to choose sunscreens that block UV but allow vitamin D absorption.

• If You Smoke And/Or Drink Alcohol, Work On Quitting Right Now!

Start by thinking it’s possible, and then gradually reduce your cigarette or alcohol consumption.

• Get Enough Sleep.

Sleeping for at least 7 hours per night will do wonders not only for your skin, but also for your overall health, and mood.

• Acquire a Healthy Lifestyle.

A proper and healthy diet plus regular exercise also play major roles for keeping your skin fresh and young looking.

4. What Are The Types Of Wrinkles?

 

 

To help you understand them more, here are the five different types of wrinkles based on appearance and causes.

• Atrophic Crinkling Rhytids

These appear as fine lines parallel to each other and disappear when you stretch your skin. The main cause for this type of wrinkles is from prolonged or direct sunlight exposure.

• Permanent Creases

These start as some kind of crease lines that become more permanent with age. They appear along the upper lip, on the cheeks, or at the base of the neck.

• Expression Lines

Repeated facial expressions cause the skin to fold at the same areas, and when it fails to bounce back, these expression lines are formed. Eventually, they become permanent as your skin loses elasticity and flexibility.

Exposure to sunlight also hastens and worsen expression line formation.

• Gravity Folds

Gravity folds are wrinkles from sagging, less elastic skin that become more prominent due to gravity. These are more visible on people with thick skin and lean faces.

• Compression Wrinkles

These wrinkles show up on the chest, face, or neck after sleeping. Some types disappear along the day, but some also stay permanently. These are caused by compression from contact with your own skin or pillow while you sleep.

 

5. How do you get rid of wrinkles?

 

 

There are several options that you could explore on how to get rid of wrinkles. The simplest solution is the application of medication such as topical retinoids or forehead wrinkle cream and lotions.

For more serious problems, you may opt for surgical procedures like botox, laser therapy, microdermabrasion, dermabrasion, chemical peels, or facelift.

Wrinkles are inevitable, and you can only do so much to delay or reduce their appearance. Instead, you can embrace them and live your life to the fullest, because your flaws make you awesome! You are flawsome!

“Hope you find the post helpful and we excited to hear what you think of it!”