What causes wrinkles? How to avoid fine lines

Skin is an interesting and fickle organ. Not only is it your largest organ, it also has more than one layer, is filled with hair follicles and fat deposits, nerves and blood vessels, and is often a pain point for many people, old and young alike. People have issues with acne, freckles, spots, discoloration, but most commonly complain about wrinkles. What is a wrinkle and how can you prevent it?

What makes a wrinkle?

Wrinkles happen in common areas where skin folds and flexes. They happen because as you age, your skin loses elasticity. What you are left with is thinner, less elastic skin that doesn’t “stretch back” after it’s been moved or folded. Think of it like this: when you are young, your skin is a lot like rubber. You can bend it and flex it, and it stays smooth and supple. As you get older, your skin becomes more like paper. When you fold it, the crease stays behind, even if you smooth the paper back out. Wrinkles can be a lot more visible and apparent as volume behind your skin dissipates.

What causes wrinkles?

The main cause of wrinkles is simply due to old age. There is no fool-proof and absolute prevention of wrinkles, since, despite our best efforts, we all still age. Still, you can reduce the look of wrinkles and keep premature wrinkles from happening. Here are some other causes of wrinkles:

Exposure to UV light

Did you know that UV light, which is present in sunlight, can break down the elastins in your skin? Since your body becomes less able to replace the elastin and collagen in your skin as you age, it’s possible you could be damaging much-needed connective tissues unknowingly. This is why it’s important to put on sunblock, or use a makeup that has SPF in it.

Smoking

Smoking tobacco can cause the aging process to accelerate. It’s why people say “smoking makes you look older” — truthfully, it does. Since it accelerates the aging process, your body may not be able to produce elastin and collagen prematurely, causing wrinkles and fine lines to form.

Repetitious facial expressions

“If you keep making that face, it’ll get stuck that way!” In a sense, this is true. If you constantly lift one eyebrow, you will likely see creases forming above your eyebrow on your forehead where the skin lifts and folds. If you make a certain set of facial expressions all the time, your wrinkles will form in that shape too. Try changing up your expressions!

Preventing Wrinkles

We’re sure you’ve heard everything there is to know about preventing wrinkles: Don’t smoke, use sunscreen, use moisturizer, protect your skin from the sun, and eat a healthy diet. Still, if you already have wrinkles and want to get rid of them, we can help. Contact us today to see what kind of wrinkle reduction methods will work best for you.