Why You Should Stop Worrying About Wrinkles

Few things in life are guaranteed and unfortunately, getting wrinkles in one of them.

The reason is plain science: young skin is able to retain hydration, pliancy, and suppleness, while aging skin is less resilient. After we turn 20, our skin begins to produce less elastin and collagen, resulting in less youthful-looking skin after several years.

Elastin is a protein that gives skin its stretch and plasticity, while collagen is a structural protein that holds skin taut. Dryness is the result of a diminishing count in glycosaminoglycan molecules, which attract and hold water within the skin, resulting in a loss of moisture.

Add to those factors every time you smile, frown, or express any emotion on your face, and you’ve got the secret sauce for forming wrinkles.

Habits may also play a role in how your skin forms fine lines and wrinkles. Studies demonstrate that smoking regularly may increase the rate of collagen disintegration, and therefore aid the formation of fine lines. Consuming sugar has also been linked to a quicker collapse of collagen and elastin in the skin. The issue can be easily fixed by avoiding foods high in processed sugar or simple carbohydrates, as well as refraining from cigarettes.

Eating a diet rich in antioxidants may, conversely, stave off the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. Antioxidant-rich foods keep skin looking fresher and less wrinkled. Simply reach for foods with beta-carotene, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E to reap the benefits.

Other behavior that speeds the appearance of wrinkles includes vigorous exercise, excessive alcohol ingestion over time, immoderate sun exposure, and chronic lack of sleep. When the body is exhausted the stress hormone cortisol is fabricated and fragments the skin’s healthy structure, which in turn produces wrinkles. A good night’s sleep will help keep cortisol-induced wrinkles to a minimum. And when it comes to sun protection, adding sunscreen to your daily skin care routine will help your skin combat the wrinkling effects of the sun.

And of course there’s moisturizer, which may help keep the skin supple. By curtailing these behaviors and replacing them with more beneficial practices, you can forestall the appearance of deep-set wrinkles. Though a few well-placed fine lines are the mark of a life well lived, you can both decrease the frequency of wrinkles and slow the aging process by maintaining a healthy diet and mindful lifestyle.