Most of us simply presume that the progression of wrinkles is a factor of aging. As you get older, the crows start to put their feet on your eyes, and that’s that. However, how bad wrinkles get is less clear-cut.The choices you make throughout your life can increase or decrease the severity of your wrinkles, and also speed up or slow down their progression. In this post, we’ll cover some of the most common factors that exacerbate wrinkles.
The science of wrinkles
Let’s do a quick rundown of the general causes of wrinkles. Your skin’s appearance isn’t just determined by its uppermost layers, but also the tissues underneath, which are collagen-rich. As you age, the elasticity of the collagen starts to break down, leading to less support for the outer layers of your skin, and the onset of wrinkles. Your skin also starts to dry easier as it ages, due to producing less natural moisture and oil – this also hastens the onset of wrinkles.
The causes of wrinkles
Now that we know the process behind wrinkle formation, we can start investigating the culprits. Anything that dries the skin or damages collagen is going to be a major risk factor for wrinkles. While these processes naturally occur with age, there are a variety of triggers that can accelerate them.
Facial stretching
Remember your mother telling you that if you made a funny face too much you’d get stuck looking like that? Well, it was an exaggeration, but excessive stretching of the face through constant grimacing or squinting can make wrinkles worse. For most of us this isn’t noticeable, but if you’re constantly squinting, you may want to look into glasses or contacts to avoid the onset of crow’s feet around the eyes.
Poor skincare
As mentioned above, persistent dryness can worsen wrinkles in the future. Poor skin care can be a major source of skin drying throughout your life. Sometimes it comes down to the specifics – certain skincare products can cause certain people to suffer dry skin. In particular, many acne creams and medicines can cause excess dryness. You should always check with whoever is prescribing your medication for these kinds of side effects.
There are other habits that can lead to dry skin. For example, long hot showers can, perhaps paradoxically, lead to dryer skin in the long run. Sometimes, certain climates or houses are dry, and might necessitate the use of a humidifier to add moisture.
Smoking
Smoking is bad for your health in a myriad of ways. However, it’s not just your lungs that you have to worry about. The combination of chemicals in cigarettes can speed up the degradation of that all-important collagen. That means a smoking habit can slowly wear away at the foundations of your face, leading to a haggard, wrinkled look. And that’s not even counting how your appearance will look with all the nicotine stains on your teeth…Thankfully this is a pretty simple risk factor to avoid – don’t pick up this habit, and you can avoid the link from smoking and wrinkles. If you are a smoker, do your best to quit.
UV exposure
UV exposure causes a variety of skin blemishes and conditions, some of which can even be quite dangerous, such as deadly skin cancers. However, too much exposure to the sun’s UV radiation can also damage the elastic fibers inside your skin, accelerating the development of wrinkle formation. Checking your local UV indexes is important, as is making sure to apply plenty of sunscreen when you’re outside. Being cautious is your best bet when dealing with sun damage and wrinkles.
Vitamin deficiency
Sometimes, the risk factors can come from the inside—your diet can actually have a major effect on the progression of wrinkles. This is a point worth plenty of essays on its own, so we’ll focus on the concept of vitamin deficiency. Essentially, your body needs certain vitamins in order to maintain healthy skin and collagen production.
These include vitamins, C, E and K but the most important is probably Vitamin D. You can find Vitamin D in a variety of food sources, including dairy products, fatty fish like salmon, eggs and mushrooms. Vitamin D is also commonly added to a wide variety of foods today – from your juice to your cereal. But If you’re worried about Vitamin D deficiency, you can also ask your family doctor about supplements.
Fighting back against wrinkles
Being aware of what causes wrinkles can help you slow down their development – but not eliminate them entirely. Thankfully, PSSC has plenty of cosmetic options available for those looking to regain some of that youthful firmness.
Dermal fillers can help add volume, while facial muscle relaxers can minimize squint and frown lines. PSSC also has options like Fractora Skin Rejuvenation, which heat your subdermal tissue to promote the regrowth of damaged collagen, taking the fight against wrinkles right to the source. Contact us today to book your consultation!