You look in the mirror, and wrinkles look back: fine lines around the eyes, deep frown lines between your brows and parenthesis around your mouth. The picture is not pretty, even though wrinkles are a natural part of aging. Although you cannot erase wrinkles completely once they set in without more aggressive techniques such plastic surgery, there are ways to stall wrinkles or make them less noticeable.
Factors Promoting Wrinkles
Wrinkles are determined by two factors: the natural process of aging and the environment. The natural process of aging causes the skin to produce less collagen and elastin, two important connective tissues in the skin. Typically, connective tissue starts to break down after age 30.
The environment can also cause wear and tear on the skin, much of which you can control, such as smoking, sun exposure, pollution, tanning and subjecting your skin to harsh climatic factors.
Ways to Get Rid of Wrinkles
You can diminish wrinkles or prevent premature wrinkles by adopting proactive measures to preserve skin health. Here's how:
Prevention
Are you familiar with the saying, "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure?" In term of wrinkles, that saying can't be more true. Root out factors that contribute to premature wrinkles. Sun exposure is the chief culprit: ultraviolet A and B rays from the sun penetrate deep below skin layers and damage connective tissue. Limit sun exposure, and whenever you are out in the sun, wear a broad spectrum SPF (Sun Protection Factor ) of at least 15 or higher. Tanning produces the same harmful effects as the sun.
If you're a smoker, quit. Nothing damages collagen production more than nicotine. According to Anthony Yong, a scientist at the St. John's Institute of Dermatology, smoking also activates a gene in the skin that causes premature aging.
Nourish and Regenerate Skin
Nourishing your skin with moisturizers can help skin stay supple and keep wrinkles away. Look for these ingredients in the moisturizer that can nourish and regenerate skin:
Antioxidants
When used topically, antioxidants protect skin against cellular damage. Super skin antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, and vitamins A, C and E. According to health.learninginfo.org., French scientists found that applying vitamins C, E and beta-carotene can significantly reduce sun damage and even reverse damage already done. Vitamin A is known to rebuild the skin's collagen infrastructure.
Alpha Hydroxyl Acids
Derived from fruit and milk sugars, the most commonly used alpha hydroxyl acids are glycolic acid and lactic acids. They have the special ability to penetrate and nourish skin. Cleopatra reportedly bathed in milk to improve her skin texture.
Other equally important ingredients include retinol, coenzyme Q10, kinetin, copper peptide, tea extracts and hyaluronic acid.
Nutrition And Other Options
Foods rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids can also nourish skin. Eat a healthful diet of vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts and fruits.
Some deep wrinkles need more aggressive intervention. Consult your dermatologist to choose the best option.
Tags: connective tissue, more aggressive, natural process, natural process aging, nourish skin