A Guide to Popular Anti-Wrinkle Methods
As we get older, wrinkles are inevitable. This can be a daunting thought for many of us who want to cling to our youth for as long as possible. The good news is though, that in this day and age, we have so much information about our skin and how it ages. When it comes to wrinkles, there is a plethora of knowledge out there on what they are, what causes them and how we can treat and minimize them. We’ve investigated these avenues so you can have a greater understanding of your skin and consider what options may best for you when it comes to keeping your skin youthful and radiant…
What are wrinkles?
Wrinkles are a natural part of the ageing process, and form as we get older. They appear as lines in our skin, and are particularly prevalent in areas such as our forehead and around our eyes.This is because, as we age our skin loses some of its elasticity, meaning that it is less able to bounce back into shape. This can be attributed to several different factors.
What causes wrinkles?
Ageing
The main cause of wrinkles is ageing. As we get older, our skin cells divide slowly, causing the outermost layer of our skin to become thinner and less durable, as such, wrinkles form. Ageing also leads to a depletion of collagen. When we hit about 20 years old, our collagen production process in our bodies begins to slow by about 1% each year, causing our skin to become less elastic and thus, wrinkles form.
Sun Exposure
The sun is arguably one of the biggest contributors to the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Frequent and prolonged exposure to the sun can cause damage to our skin and exacerbate the formation of wrinkles. This is due to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays as it can damage our collagen in our skin that keeps our skin bouncy and flexible.
Facial Expressions
When we make facial expressions, we are contracting our facial muscles. This is why when we frown, we can see frown lines, when we smile, we can see smile lines, and crow’s feet are visible when we squint. Over time, these lines form as a result of ageing and overuse of the muscles causing lines to form permanently.
Smoking
We all know that smoking is not good for our health, and our skin is no exception. Smoking is another factor that can further slow the production of collagen in the body, leading to wrinkles.
How can we treat wrinkles?
Whilst we can’t stop the clock completely, there are treatments and preventative measures that we can take to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as we get older. We’ve compiled a list of some measures you can adopt to help keep your skin youthful and radiant…
Collagen Supplementation
Because one of the driving factors of wrinkle formation as we age is a depletion in the production of collagen, it is a good idea to add a collagen supplement, such as a collagen powder, into your daily routine. Taking a collagen powder such as a bovine collagen, which contains collagen types I, II and III, so is full of anti-ageing properties to keep your skin looking and feeling its best. Collagen supplementation works by stimulating the body to produce more collagen naturally, which then increases our collagen levels. This can help to prevent wrinkles from forming, as well as reducing the appearance of existing wrinkles. Collagen supplementation is a simple, affordable and non-invasive way to reduce signs of ageing in our skin.
Topical Treatments
Another way to treat the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles is through topical treatments such as creams and serums. There are certain ingredients that can help to treat wrinkles such as hyaluronic acid and retinol. Hyaluronic acid is naturally occurring in our skin and helps it stay fresh and hydrated. Our levels of hyaluronic acid begin to deplete as we age, so using a hyaluronic acid serum can help to replace the lost hyaluronic acid in our skin, boosting its moisture content and making our skin appear smoother and more youthful. Retinol is a form of vitamin A and can be absorbed deeper beneath the outer layer of the skin. One of the main functions of retinol is that can boost the production of collagen and elastin in the skin, reducing the appearance of large pores, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Injectables
A more invasive, but very effective way to reduce the appearance of wrinkles is cosmetic injectable procedures such as botox and filler. Botox is a popular injectable treatment that works to treat wrinkles by blocking chemical signals that cause our muscles to contract. This helps to freeze our muscles and the wrinkles associated, smoothing the skin. Filler is another substance that can be injected to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It works by adding volume to the skin, to fill in wrinkles and lines to give the skin a smoother appearance.
Micro-needling
Another minimally invasive but highly effective method of reducing wrinkles is micro-needling. Micro-needling is also known as collagen induction therapy because it stimulates the production of collagen. It does this by creating tiny punctures in the skin, which as they heal, cause new collagen and elastin to form as the skin heals, thereby reducing wrinkle formation.
There are many ways to treat and prevent wrinkles, some more simple and accessible, and some more invasive and expensive. Whatever you find most appealing, there is an abundance of options to help combat the effects of ageing in our skin.
