Many of us are concerned with the appearance of wrinkles (effectively treated by BOTOX®, Juvéderm™, Laser Skin Tightening and other procedures), feeling as if they make us look older or less healthy but most of us aren’t sure how wrinkles form in the first place. We’d like to provide some background on wrinkles by looking at the natural and external causes behind them.
How Wrinkles Form
When we’re young we don’t have wrinkles because our skin is still stretching and holding in moisture much better than it is able to when we get older. The middle layer of our skin (dermis) is primarily responsible for stretching due to the elastic quality of specialized fibres (called elastin). Along with collagen, elastin in the dermis is essential for preventing wrinkles and keeping skin looking young and fresh.As we age the dermis layer gradually loses this elastin and collagen, however, and the skin begins to thin and have a more difficult time getting sufficient moisture to the outermost layer of our skin (the epidermis). The innermost skin layer (the subcutaneous) also loses its natural fats, making plumpness dissipate. The combined effects of these phenomena leads to the epidermis sagging and the formation of wrinkles.
What Makes Wrinkles Form More Quickly?
There are a few lifestyle factors that can lead to wrinkles forming more quickly as we get older. Obviously all of us develop wrinkles at different ages (and at different levels of severity) but there are internal and external causes that can explain why some people begin to get wrinkles in their 20s and others don’t see any until they’re in their 50s.The main factor is sebum, the natural oil produced by the skin. Sebum keeps the skin moist and healthy, thereby reducing wrinkles. Some people have more sebum than others, due to genetics but there are also ways to protect what natural moisture your skin has by paying attention to various external drying agents.We can prevent wrinkles from forming (or worsening) by avoiding some of these causes in our daily lives. Quitting smoking, staying out of the sun at peak hours (between 10am and 4pm) and always applying enough sunscreen prior to going out at any time, avoiding tanning beds, drinking plenty of water and moisturizing dry skin (especially during colder times of the year) can all add up to a slowing of wrinkle formation and the preservation of our skin as we age.