Top 10 Reasons for Wrinkles

What are the top 10 reasons for wrinkles?

Whether we like it or not our skin is ageing. As it ages we will inevitably form those undesirable age marks known as wrinkles and there are many reasons for wrinkles. Whether you call them wrinkles, crow’s feet, fine lines, it doesn’t matter. For many women, they are the bane of our existence. For beauticians, it is money in the bank.

With the varied products available through Skindulgence as well as on the market, it is best to understand first what causes wrinkles. This will allow you to eliminate them in the best possible way, to stop them before they start. If however there are elements out of your control or you already have visible wrinkles, we can help you there too with suggestions on how to turn back the clock. Learn the Top 10 Reasons for Wrinkles.

Top 10 Reasons for Wrinkles

Reason #1 – Sun Exposure

If only we knew this when we were in school, but this is the #1 reason for wrinkles. Skipping school to head to the beach and work on our tan are now catching up with us (possibly in more ways than one). When we were young and having a good tan was a priority every summer, we were setting ourselves up for wrinkles when we got older.

The excess sun we took in as teenagers has contributed to the wrinkles and fine lines we have today. The sun’s UV rays destroy the collagen and elastin which keep our skin flexible. It is natural for our collagen levels to deplete as we age, but the sun damage further weakens the tissues and our skin starts to sag and wrinkles appear. To help eliminate additional unwanted sun exposure always use a moisturizer containing sunscreen.

Reason #2 – Free Radicals

In addition to sun exposure harming your skin, there is another element that furthers the damage; these are known as free radicals. Free radicals are by-products of chemical reactions in the body. They are an oxygen element that is missing an electron that needs to be balanced. As they search for an electron to steal from a healthy cell, they end up further breaking down the collagen in your skin. In addition to sun exposure, free radicals can be influenced by pollution and smoking.

Reason #3 – Smoking

Among the many other health concerns about smoking, it is also one of the largest contributors to premature ageing and the formation of wrinkles. There is a long list of reasons why smoking is bad for your skin. Nicotine narrows blood vessels, making it harder to get blood, nutrients and oxygen to the outermost layer of skin. Also, the smoke damages the collagen and elastin within the skin, forming wrinkles. Even the repeated face being made while sucking on a cigarette contributes to wrinkles.

Reason #4 – Facial Expressions

Remember as a kid you would be teased about making funny faces? They’d tell you that if you kept making those faces it would freeze like that? While they weren’t accurate, there is some truth to the tease.

Repetitive facial expressions do leave their mark on your skin. If you make a face and look in the mirror, you’ll notice that temporary furrows form; years of repetitive expressions reduce skin’s elasticity and make these furrows permanent. These expression lines are called frown lines when they’re on your forehead, crow’s feet when they’re around your eyes, and laugh lines when they’re around your mouth. Again call them what you will but they are still wrinkles.

Reason #5 – Gender

This unfortunate reason does not play fair and equal. Women are much more likely to have wrinkles than men, just because they’re women. While the stereotype may be the “wrinkled old wise man”, the truth is that women are more likely to have wrinkles than men. Women have fewer sweat glands and less oily skin than men, which is great when they’re young; however, less oily skin wrinkles much faster than skin that is saturated with sebum. If you notice, men never seem to have wrinkles around their mouth because they have more blood vessels around there.

Reason #6 – Age

We know we can hear the collective “duh, no kidding!” It is, however, a reason why wrinkles form. As we age the collagen and elastin naturally break down. Additionally, our skin produces less natural oils, we have thinning skin and also loss of subcutaneous fat all contribute to the number of wrinkles adding up. Combine the natural effects ageing has on our skin with smoking and sun damage, and you now know why some people look years older than they are.

Reason #7 – Hormones

Our bodies unquestionably change as we age. One of the greatest areas of change is in the change of hormones. Especially for women after going through menopause with a decrease in estrogen production. The lack of estrogen in their bodies leads to the thinning of the skin and a further reduction in collagen.

Reason #8 – Gravity

Gravity is ever-present which means there is no escaping it. Thankfully gravity by itself won’t cause wrinkles. However, skin that is already sagging will be helped along by gravity. Gravity amplifies age-related thinning and sagging to cause drooping eyelids and deeper lines.

Reason #9 – Sleeping Position

The way you sleep can also contribute to wrinkles. As strange as it sounds, years of burrowing your face into your pillow makes the lines you wake up with permanent. People who sleep on their sides tend to have more wrinkles on their cheeks and jawline, while those who sleep face down have more wrinkles on their forehead.

Reason #10 – Poor Nutrition

While eating right is no guarantee that your skin will age gracefully, eating poorly definitely contributes to the number of wrinkles you have. Many research studies suggest too much-processed sugar will break down collagen. People with vitamin deficiencies can also expect to see wrinkles younger than those with a healthy, balanced diet. Eating foods that are high in antioxidants such as acai berries and lychee fruit can help combat free radicals.

As always we appreciate all your emails and comments and don’t forget to share this information with your friends so they too can prevent and eliminate wrinkles and turn back the hands of time.