Wrinkles - How To Reduce The Appearance Of Wrinkles

Wrinkles are a by-product of the aging process. With age, skin cells divide more slowly, and the inner layer, called the dermis, begins to thin. The network of elastin (the protein which causes skin to stretch) and collagen fibers (the major structural proteins in the skin), which support the outer layer, loosen and unravel, causing depressions on the surface.

With aging, skin also loses its elasticity, is less able to retain moisture, oil-secreting glands are less efficient and the skin is slower to heal. All of these contribute to the development of wrinkles.

You can often get an idea of how old someone is by looking at his or her face - specifically the skin. As people age, it's normal to get wrinkles. The weather is warming up, the days are longer and there’s more time to be outside doing all kinds of fun things! But if you're going to be out in the sun, especially on a hot day, you need to stay safe. Let's find out how.

Smoking is one of the worst things kids or adults can do to their bodies. Yet every single day about 4,000 kids between the ages 12 and 17 start smoking. Most middle school students don't smoke — only about 1 in 10 does. And most high school students don't smoke either — about 1 in 4 does (that means 3 out of 4 don't).

Wrinkles on the face are an unsightly and irritating problem. They make our faces look much older than we'd like, and certainly older than we feel. The last decade has seen an incredible amount of research done on why skin ages, potential damage from the sun, how to prevent it, and how to improve the wrinkles and fine lines we already have. Dramatic improvements in laser technology and injectable fillers have helped tens of millions of Americans improve their skin.

Wind, heat and chemicals and the natural effects of aging cause a certain amount of wrinkling in everyone, but it is much worse in people who spend a lot of time in the sun. Years of exposure to the sun cause "photoaging," which includes freckles, yellowing, roughness, visible blood vessels, and dark spots, as well as wrinkling.

How to Reduce the Appearance of Wrinkles

Be sure to drink enough water.

Mist your skin throughout the day with warm water.

One of the more popular ways to reduce the appearance of wrinkles is plastic surgery. Not only are face-lifts an option but also there are now less invasive procedures, like chemical peels, laser treatments, and collagen injections.

Don’t smoke. Some of the research is still controversial, but more and more studies are confirming that cigarette smoke ages skin -- mostly by releasing an enzyme that breaks down collagen and elastin, important components of the skin. Sibling studies done at the Twin Research Unit at St. Thomas Hospital in London found the brother or sister who smoked tended to have skin that was more wrinkled and up to 40% thinner than the non-smoker.

Face creams with chemicals and even natural remedies can help the skin regenerate itself and pull tighter to reduce the look of wrinkles. There are injections that help paralyze the muscles under the skin, making it impossible for furrows to be created. And there are lasers that can remove the appearance of even the smallest of lines and wrinkles.

Get adequate sleep. Yale dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, MD, says that when you don't get enough sleep, the body produces excess cortisol, a hormone that breaks down skin cells. Get enough rest, Perricone says, and you'll produce more HGH (human growth hormone), which helps skin remain thick, more "elastic," and less likely to wrinkle.