What Are Skin Wrinkles, Anyway?

wrin·kle

noun

plural noun: wrinkles

1. a slight line or fold in something, esp. fabric or the skin of the face.

As we age, our skin loses its youthful appearance by forming skin wrinkles. Scientifically speaking, skin wrinkles are the result of thinner, drier and less elastic skin. The building blocks of skin, elastin and collagen, are present in much higher amounts in young people and then wane predictably over time to form skin wrinkles. Although the loss of these substances can be partially genetic, there are many environmental influences which affect how and when your wrinkles will show up.

Some of these are:

• Smoking - experts say that the link between regular smoking and the accelerated aging of skin is due to a reduced blood supply to the skin.
• Light skin - people with light skin tend to experience a higher level of sun damage, which usually accelerates the development of wrinkles.
• Hair - some hairstyles provide more shade for the face than others.
• Clothes - people who tend to wear hats and long sleeves usually develop wrinkles later in life compared to other people of the same skin type.
• Some jobs - people whose jobs expose them to more sunlight tend to become wrinkly earlier than others. Examples include fishermen, farmers, sailors, golfers, tanning booth employees (UV exposure), and gardeners.
• Exposure to UV (ultraviolet light) - apart from those mentioned above who have jobs that expose them to more sunlight, people who spend considerable time out in the sun during their leisure hours are more likely to develop wrinkles earlier.
• Facial expressions - people who repeatedly smile, frown, or squint will develop fine lines and wrinkles earlier than other who do not do these facial expressions so often. According to the Mayo Clinic, each time we use a facial muscle a groove forms under the surface of the skin. When you are young the skin springs back, but as it gets older and loses its flexibility springing back becomes harder and less frequent, resulting in more permanent grooves.

Treatment with dermal filler

Thankfully, many of these factors can be manipulated. Even if you haven’t always avoided some of these triggers in the past, there are many ways you can improve the health of your skin and reduce the number of wrinkles you have. These are some of the anti-aging cosmetic skin care regimen that you might consider:

• First and foremost, practice good habits of sun protection. Even when you are driving to and from work, you are accumulating UVA rays. A daily sunscreen of at least a 30 SPF on all of your exposed skin is the most important anti-aging remedy.
• Consider procedures that will exfoliate damaged skin cells. Chemical peels and microdermabrasion are examples of these.
• Encourage your body to build more collagen through procedures such as CO2 laser, micro-needling, or high-quality skin care products that incorporate real growth factors such as TNS Essential Serum by Skin Medica.
• Hydrate your body and make sure you have adequate daily micro-nutrition and supplement intake of omegas, zinc, B vitamins , vitamin D, and high-quality anti-oxidants.
• Educate yourself on the variety of effective, safe, non-invasive procedures now available for wrinkle treatments, such as dermal fillers (Radiesse, Juvederm, Belotero) and Botox/Xeomin.
  

  Master Injector at Camelback Health Care with patient

When administered in the right hands, these treatments will erase the signs of aging skin without changing your overall look.

We know that athletes need coaches, so do patients seeking anti-aging skincare. Creating a custom tailored regimen that incorporates measurable and accountable metrics is the key to keeping your skin looking healthy and young.

Come in for a free skin care consult to discuss any of these options and get educated. We will be your coaches for reversing your skin damage related to aging and restoring the smooth, healthy skin you desire.

Live Beautiful. Live Young.