How to Prevent Wrinkles

Wrinkles are composed of fine lines, folds and minor creases that form in your skin and add character to your appearance. While wrinkles are a natural sign of aging, most of us go to great lengths to defer our facial character development for as long as possible. The good news is that it’s never too late to learn how to prevent, delay and treat wrinkles, regardless of your age.

What causes wrinkles in the first place?

There are a few key factors that affect the development of wrinkles:

Age

As you age, your skin slows down its production of collagen and elastin. The skin also becomes thinner, drier, and less resistant to the damage caused by UV exposure, toxins and dehydration. As fat in the deeper layers of the skin thins out, your skin will loosen and sag and fine lines will appear on your face. Unfortunately the areas most affected are those you use most when making facial expressions like smiling, frowning, or squinting. Creases, folds and wrinkles also appear on other parts of the body like the hands, arms, and neck.

People with black or Asian skin tones are little more fortunate in that they have natural, structural and functional differences in their skin which offer better protection against facial wrinkles forming at an early age.

Facial Expressions

Every time you smile, frown or squint, you cause facial muscles to stretch and form a groove under the skin. As you age, your skin becomes less flexible and is unable to spring back due to the decreased collagen and elastin. The facial expression lines therefore become a permanent feature on your face. 

Exposure to Ultraviolet Light

When sunbathing, or using a tanning booth, you expose your skin to ultraviolet radiation, which is the primary cause of early signs of wrinkling. Ultraviolet light breaks down collagen and elastin fibers in the skin, making it weaker and less flexible, and more prone to wrinkling and sagging.

Other Factors

Smoking has a negative impact on collagen, and speeds up the aging process. Some types of medications and environmental pollutants can also contribute to wrinkle development.

 

How To Treat Wrinkles

If you want to minimise the appearance of wrinkles, there are a number of cosmetic treatment options available. Adopting some positive lifestyle habits is also beneficial in your fight against aging. Here are some popular treatments.

Botox

Many women wonder if botox prevents wrinkles? Well, Botulinum toxin type A, commonly known as Botox, works by blocking the chemical signals that cause your facial muscles to contract. Small doses of Botox are injected into targeted muscles, like the forehead, so that they tighten and smooth out the skin. Botox is effective at reducing the appearance of frown lines and crow’s feet, with temporary results visible within a week.

Fillers

Some women prefer to have soft tissue fillers that include collagen, hyaluronic acid, or fat injected into deeper facial wrinkles, to plump and smooth the skin.

Retinol

Topical retinoids, derived from vitamin A, help to increase the production of collagen in the skin. The more plumped up the skin, the less visible the wrinkles. As using retinol can cause the skin to burn in ultraviolet (UV) light, it’s essential to increase your SPF application when using this product.

Moisturizer

Does moisturizer prevent wrinkles? Although a moisturizer isn’t able to target wrinkles in the same way as retinol or botox, it’s still an important preventative measure in your quest to look younger for longer.

When you apply moisturizer to your face, it traps water in the skin, helping it to maintain hydration so that it looks and feels plumped. Skin that is dry and thirsty for moisture makes plump skin cells shrivel, which can result in the formation of premature fine lines and wrinkles.

Moisturizers will also brighten your complexion, which is helpful in making you feel more confident about the skin you’re in.

How To Prevent Wrinkles

Although there is no way of halting the development of wrinkles, your skincare regimen can help you delay the inevitable. Some useful tips: wear factor 30+ SPF whenever you’re outdoors, and reapply it often, even when the clouds are out. Wear a hat that shades your face from the harsh rays of the sun. Long sleeves will help to minimise aging UV damage to your arms. For that sun-kissed look, forget about lying in the sun and use a high quality self tanning product. Moderate your smoking and alcohol habits, drink more water, and eat vitamin packed fruit and vegetables that help to prevent skin damage.

Follow a daily skincare regime that includes:

• washing your face twice a day with a gentle cleanser and moisturize to prevent dryness.
• use a superior quality clay mask twice a week to help to keep skin looking fresh and radiant.
• use anti-aging skincare products that are packed with proven clinical grade ingredients, like retinols, antioxidants and peptides.

Finally, before bedtime, remove makeup and cleanse, tone and moisturize your skin. Dab an antioxidant enriched wrinkle cream at the corners of the eyes and around the lips.

While you can’t change the natural aging process, daily practice of these wrinkle-preventative measures will help to repair damage, and to keep your skin fully nourished so that fine lines and creases are minimized. Your skin really can look healthy and youthful for longer and it's never too late to start taking preventive action.