Can You Prevent Wrinkles?

 

According to most ads, wrinkles are a woman's worst enemy.  There are all sorts of recommended products or even surgery we could use to keep from showing wrinkles.  The thing about wrinkles is that they are a part of the aging process but there are things we can do to cut back on the number and severity of the ones we get.

The best way to prevent wrinkles is to start when we are extremely young but most of us don't think about it until we are a bit older.  We can still do things to prevent wrinkles.

First off, skin looses its elasticity as we age because the body produces less collagen which is what keeps the skin firm.  In addition, factors such as sun exposure, smoking and other life style choices, and pollution can speed up the loss of collagen.  In addition, over time, the skin becomes thinner, and drier which contributes to the formation of wrinkles.

Although genetics can play a part in when a person gets wrinkles and how severe they are, it is possible to do things to make wrinkles less noticeable. One of the best things to do is to protect yourself from the sun with sunscreen, a wide brimmed hat, light colored clothing, and sunglasses with UV protection.  The sunscreen needs to have an SPF of between 30 and 50 while the light colored clothing can reflect the sun and the clothing should be long sleeved.  Even when it is overcast, it is important to wear sunscreen and everything else because one can get sunburned as easily.

Include retinoids in your skin care routine because they've been shown to increase collagen production in your skin.  Retinoids or retinol are derived from Vitamin A.  In addition retinoids are noted to help regenerate skin while helping to increase the number of blood vessels. One thing, be sure to test it on your skin before you begin using it because some people are more sensitive to retinoids.  

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize because it helps keep the skin hydrated and most moisturizers have nutrients the skin needs. As you age, it becomes more and more important to moisturize your skin so it doesn't dry out and wrinkle.  Look for hyaluronic acid and vitamin C in the ingredients list because these two ingredients have shown they can keep wrinkles from forming or getting deeper. 

Furthermore, it is important to drink lots of water to help hydrate your skin from the inside. In addition, drinking enough water helps flush toxins from your system, helps with digestion, and helps keep your body temperatures steady. In addition, having a healthy diet helps keep your skin healthy which reduces the formation of wrinkles. The best diet has less red meat and unhealthy snacks in it.  Instead, it has more fruit, vegetables, flax seed, avocados, salmon, and olive oil because these are all good for your skin. 

Another way to decrease wrinkles is to sleep on your back.  When you sleep on your side or front, you are pressing the skin which can cause your skin to form wrinkles. If you are a side sleeper or stomach sleeper, think about switching to silk pillows because they do not produce as much friction as cotton does.

Do not smoke because the smoke from tobacco damages both the elastin and collagen production. In addition,  the nicotine in the cigarettes cause blood vessels to constrict which reduces the blood flow to the skin so your skin does not get as much oxygen. Furthermore, fewer nutrients are being transported to the skin so it isn't as healthy. 

One other thing, try to relax your face.  It is the repeated movements such as squinting, frowning, or pursing the lips can cause wrinkles to form faster. One way to cut down on squinting is to get your eyes checked to make sure you aren't doing it to see better or make sure you wear your sunglasses regularly outside. 

You won't eliminate wrinkles completely but you can cut down on their formation by following the above suggestions.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.