What Causes Wrinkles, And Can You Really Get Rid Of Them?

Wrinkles almost seem to pop out of nowhere. You could look at your face in the mirror day in and day out without noticing anything different. But then, suddenly, you'll see something subtle like crow's feet or forehead lines, and everything changes. Ideally, we should accept these signs as a normal part of life, but societal messaging has conveyed otherwise.

We've always been taught that wrinkles are something we should avoid like the plague. Every time you walk through the beauty section of a supermarket, you'll find countless products that claim to fight the signs of aging. Many celebrities who have managed to keep up their youthful appearance through the years due to cosmetic procedures have instead attributed their success to diet and exercise, making us further question why we're aging differently. We've been made to believe that wrinkles are only something that elderly people have. But in reality, subtle wrinkles can show up as early as your twenties, and they're completely normal.

Once aging becomes evident, we might start looking into alternative medicine that can help with this, as well as cosmetic procedure prices and skincare products that aid in getting our youthful skin back. But the truth is that regardless of how much we try to run from them, wrinkles and other signs of aging will show up in one form or another. However, you can stave them off for a bit by taking a few precautions.

One of the biggest culprits for wrinkles is sun exposure. According to a study, the sun is responsible for up to 80% of the signs of facial aging. The UVA and UVB rays in the sun can penetrate your skin, interfere with your collagen, and cause it to break down a lot faster, which in turn, can lead to loss of skin elasticity. In general, collagen is a natural factor that plays a big part in the wrinkling of your skin. Collagen is a protein that keeps your skin nice and tough, but over the years, our body naturally produces less collagen.

Everybody knows that smoking is horrible for your internal organs, but not everyone knows the ill effects it can cause on the biggest organ in your body. As board-certified dermatologist Gary Goldenberg explained to Mbglifestyle, "Smoking decreases the amount of oxygen delivered to tissues. Therefore, tissue cannot regenerate and is more likely to become damaged and die."

Another subtle factor that can affect wrinkling is your sleeping position. If you sleep in any position that causes you to rub your face against the pillow, you may be contributing to wrinkling by causing your skin to crease throughout the night every day. There are certain facial expressions like squinting and smiling that we repeat constantly as well. Over time, the ridges formed by these expressions loosen and cannot go back to their original tight state.  

Since the sun plays such a big part in aging, you need to keep yourself well-protected by applying sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 daily. Dry skin can further add to wrinkles and make you look older. To combat this, you need to nourish from the inside out. Drink plenty of water every day to hydrate your skin on a cellular level. Before you head out for the day, be sure to moisturize to keep your skin happy on the outside.

While it's quite hard to control how you sleep, you can try your best to sleep on your back. As far as facial movements go, try to minimize the expressions that you have control over. If you squint a lot, try to increase the font on your devices. Also, try to naturally boost your collagen levels by eating an antioxidant-rich diet and incorporating retinol into your daily skincare routine.

As far as getting rid of wrinkles goes, that might be a bit more complicated. Your best bet will be a cosmetic procedure such as botox, facelifts, laser treatments, or fillers. If you're looking to take a cheaper route, you can try using a Vitamin C serum or retinoids while eating a well-balanced diet. You should know that the results aren't guaranteed, and they may take far longer to appear. To decide what's best for you, determine the time, effort, and money you're willing to spend.