Face Wrinkles: Can you stop it?

Face wrinkles are often the nuisance of a lot of women’s existence. Some welcome it and some shun it. Wrinkles usually occur due to aging, although a lot of factors have been seen to its early development, such as too much sun exposure, genetics, smoking, and even the environment. There are a lot of anti-wrinkle treatments in the market, each with its own claim. However, there is actually no permanent treatment for wrinkles. It is still inevitable, and yet, there are ways to keep it from happening prematurely.

What causes wrinkles on face?

As the body ages, the skin loses its elasticity and begins to sag. It also becomes drier and its deep fat deposits disappear. These cause the wrinkling of the skin and fine lines to occur. Other signs of aging such as sun spots, pigmentations, and spider veins accompany it.

Another cause is sun exposure, specifically the ultraviolet light that can speed up aging. It also breaks down the collagen and elastin fibers of the skin, its connective tissues, making it sag and wrinkle.

Smoking can also accelerate aging, due to the decreased oxygen content of the body and toxins from cigarette smoke that can also destroy the connective tissue of the skin.

Facial expressions such as smiling and squinting may also contribute to the development of wrinkles, often seen when one ages. Women are also more prone to develop wrinkles around the mouth since they have less sebaceous or oil glands in this area to keep it lubricated.

Poor nutrition may also be a factor in skin aging.
Knowing all these factors, is there any treatment for wrinkles that can effectively prevent it from happening?

How to prevent wrinkles from appearing?

The first anti-wrinkle regimen is to keep out of the sun, especially during midday. The UV rays of the sun are found to be the most damaging to skin. Wear a good sunscreen if you truly need to get out under the sun, or use an umbrella or a wide-brimmed hat to keep out of the sun rays.

Another treatment for wrinkles is to take care of yourself. This means to get enough sleep and rest. Having the right amount of sleep keeps the skin elastic and thick, due to the increased production of human growth hormone. However, lack of sleep leads to the increased production of cortisol, a hormone that is seen to break down skin cells, thus losing its elasticity, and causes wrinkles.

Avoid smoking and places where you are exposed to second hand smoke.
Eat healthy food, particularly fruits, vegetables, and food rich in omega 3 fatty acids to keep the skin young and healthy. Drink coca rather than coffee, which can protect the skin from damage, and increase circulation.
Use a moisturizer after every bath and avoid washing the face too often as this may strip it of its natural oils and moisture.

There are a lot of anti-wrinkle medications that have been seen to diminish and prevent the formation of wrinkles. An example of this is alpha-hydroxy acids that removes the layers of dead skin cells and stimulates collagen production. Retinoids, or vitamin A, can help diminish the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin C, specifically in L-ascorbic acid form is found to protect the skin from the UV rays. Idebenone is an antioxidant that has been found to reduce skin dryness and wrinkles. Growth factors and pentapeptides may also help as a treatment for wrinkles by increasing collagen production.

There are also the popular anti-wrinkle treatments that require medical intervention to decrease or remove those wrinkles. This includes botox, which employs the injection of the Botulinum toxin A to relax the muscles of the face nearest the wrinkle, making it wrinkle-free. Substances such as hyaluronic acid and collagen are also used to fill out the spaces between wrinkles, making it smooth and level. Another medical treatment is laser resurfacing wherein a laser removes the skin’s top layer to jumpstart collagen production on the area of the wrinkle, thus smoothing it out. Chemical peels also work using the same concept. Dermabrasion is a process wherein a crystal is used to remove the top layer of skin to reveal a more even skin layer, removing wrinkles and fine lines in the process.

When you get wrinkles, early or later in life, they are usually there to stay. But there are a lot of anti-wrinkle remedies that can help diminish and prevent it. All you need is to decide which one.