Have you finally blown out the candles for the golden age of 25, and suddenly every beauty influencer you come across tells you to start working on anti-aging skincare before you lose the golden window of youth? If you're reading this, we assume all the videos and advice have gotten to you, but do not worry unlike how it feels you won't wake up one morning and have aged a decade, it is a slow but natural process.
However the early signs can be controlled and prevented, a part which we will help you work on by understanding all the variables that contribute to it.
Wrinkles are a common sign of aging, your skin starts forming creases and lines that appear as folds and ridges, it is common in the areas of your neck, arms and face, but they can appear anywhere on your body. You will start noticing the signs of aging from the age of 25 and see visible wrinkles from the ages of 40 to 55 and they become prominent at the age of 65.
Wrinkles are often caused naturally due to the thinning of skin layers as the collagen protein. declines and the skin loses its elasticity and stretchiness. Much like a rubber band, the skin loses its elasticity over time as the body's cells age and the ability to produce protein becomes slower leading to wrinkles.
However, aging isn't the only factor that causes early signs of wrinkles; more variables can speed up this process. Let's look into some of these reasons.
Sun exposure is the leading cause of skin damage and wrinkling. The harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the sunlight causes the skin to change.
There was a study conducted on 298 Caucasian women from the ages of 30 years to 78 years old they were divided into two groups according to their sun exposure history. The dermatologist based on 22 clinical parameters concluded that over-sun exposure affected 80% of the visible signs of facial aging.
UV radiation causes brown spots and irregularities in pigment, as well as breaking capillaries and red blotches. This damage causes the skin to age.
Smoking isn't just the leading cause of cancer but also a factor that increases the signs of premature aging. A study conducted on twins who had the same lifestyle and sun exposure, but with one twin with a smoking history showed more severe signs of facial aging than the non-smoking twin.
Skin damaged by prolonged use of tobacco smoke turns greyish and wasted in appearance. Smokers in their 40s have wrinkles that are similar to non-smokers in their 60s. While the damage isn't visible in your 20s or 30s it becomes prominent as you age. Constantly puckering your lips to smoke can cause wrinkles around your mouth and eyes. It also reduces the blood flow to the skin constricting its vessels and depleting the skin with oxygen causing what is clinically described as a smoker's face (1).
As we age the production of collagen declines, taking away the elasticity of the skin. Without proper skin care, this process will be accelerated as it leads to more noticeable wrinkles.
While skincare will not stop you from completely aging but rather it slows down the process by protecting your skin from susceptible damage from external factors such as sun, pollution and harsh weather. These factors break down collagen and elastin, but skincare products act as barriers between these factors and your skin.
Regular moisturization hydrates your skin, sunscreen provides protection from sun damage, and serums with vitamins can provide antioxidants needed to help collagen production and protect against free radicals.
Dehydrated skin is a condition that is caused by a lack of water in the uppermost layers of the skin. When the moisture in the skin is dried out it cannot contribute to healthy cell turnover, therefore causing early signs of aging in the facial area.
A study was conducted on 49 healthy females who were divided into two groups and the effects of their water intake on their skin was studied. It was found that women who had higher water intake had better skin health compared to those who had lower water intake.
Dehydrated skin causes the skin to have patches of dryness, increased sensitivity and tightness. These patches are rough in appearance and texture causing the skin to look dull and accelerating the early signs of aging by causing fine lines and wrinkles.
Sleep wrinkles are a very real thing and are influenced by the amount of time you have spent lying in a certain position. While we are conscious about our initial position before entering the REM cycle, once asleep you cannot control the unconscious state of your body's sleeping position. Sleep wrinkles tend to be perpendicular compared to facial wrinkles. You will notice these sleep wrinkles on the forehead, cheeks and lips. These are caused by mechanical compression during sleep.
Using the muscles around your eyes that move when you squint, frown or smile can cause early signs of wrinkles around the side of your eyes which is also known as crow's feet. Lifestyle and genetics play a huge role in the formation of wrinkles in the face. There are plenty of cosmetic and medical treatments that can help prevent or reduce the appearance of crow's feet wrinkles.
Studies have shown a high-fat diet leads to the aging of the skin by causing skin oxidative stress to produce inflammatory damage. There is a close association between sugar and highly processed foods that cause advanced skin glycation. Hence, a high-sugar diet, UV exposure and eating fried and barbecued foods may lead to the accumulation of AGEs and accelerate the aging of the skin (2).
Over-consumption of alcohol will not only affect your liver but also depletes your vitamin levels causing collagen levels to drop too. This results in the skin losing all its elasticity and becoming dehydrated and wrinkled.
Heavy drinkers experience puffy and red faces, alcohol expands the blood vessels which leads to loss of skin tone and a permanent red colour. It also increases the risk of skin infections.
Our body functions on a good eight hours of deep sleep and recovery from the day, however, lack of it may lead to an increase in fine lines, wrinkles, uneven pigmentation and reduced elasticity in the skin.
A study was conducted wherein the subjects were photographed at two different times one after eight hours of sleep and the other after 31 hours of sleep deprivation. Those with sleep deprivation showed significant facial distress compared to those who were well-rested.
Stress not only brings about a multitude of physical and mental problems but it also causes changes in the protein of your skin that leads to reduced elasticity. This loss of protein leads to wrinkle formation. The repeated frowning from stress can also contribute to the formation of wrinkles near the eyes and mouth.
Aging is a graceful and natural process that is inevitable for everyone, but don't let that cause you to age before your time. External factors can be managed through early precautions and efforts. Follow our tips and advice to prevent fine lines and wrinkles. For any serious skin-related issues contact your health care professional at the earliest.
FAQs
1. What habits make you look older?
Habits like poor diet, alcohol consumption, lack of sleep and poor skincare routine make you look older.
2. What is the biggest cause of wrinkles?
Exposure to UV radiation is the biggest cause of wrinkles.
3. What foods increase wrinkles?
Fried and processed foods increase wrinkles.
4. What sleep habits cause wrinkles?
Sleeping on the side or stomach causes wrinkles.
5. How to stop wrinkles on face?
Use a high-quality anti-aging cream to stop wrinkles.
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