Isn’t life such a funny concept? This minute you’re in your blooming years, looking as pretty as ever. The next, you’re staring at your face in the mirror wondering where the lines you see are coming from. But you see, crinkles are a normal part of your body’s aging process. And instead of letting them affect your self-image, how about you learn how to get rid of wrinkles?
That’s what this piece will help you achieve. You’ll also see what causes this skin malady in the first place.
Why are Wrinkles Undesirable?
Wrinkles are lines, folds, creases, or sagging skin that form on your skin when your body starts to age. Though they can appear on any part of your body, they most times come on your face, neck, arms, legs, and hands.
As Cleveland Clinic noted, these lines can start to appear on the body after age 25. But the most common age group who have wrinkles are those between the ages 40 to 55. During this age, you can still solve the issue with the right treatment. But from 65 upward, wrinkles become more prominent and difficult to hide or get rid of.
In essence, everyone who grows older will experience sagging skin. But you may be more at risk of getting it early if your skin is often exposed to the sun, you smoke, or your body lacks collagen responsible for skin elasticity and support.
Nobody likes to see these lines on their faces. They’re a reminder of the inevitable—old age. And if you aren’t careful, its appearance can affect your self-esteem. But instead of letting that bother you, embrace it as a necessary part of life and take advantage of the tips on how to get rid of wrinkles.
What Causes Wrinkles?
As you already know, aging causes wrinkles. But other factors are also involved and they include:
- Smoking: This slows down your skin’s production of collagen, thereby leading to wrinkles.
- Facial muscle contractions: Smiling, frowning, squinting, and other facial expressions that involve muscle contractions can cause wrinkles on your face.
- Environmental pollutants like soot, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, etc., can break down collagen when they enter your pores.
- Excessive exposure to the sun.
- Skin type: If you’re light-colored or have blue eyes, you’re more prone to sun damage which can cause sagging skin.
- Heredity: Sometimes, it comes from your genes.
Types of Wrinkles
This skin problem comes in two types:
Dynamic Wrinkles
This type happens as a result of repeated facial movements. For instance, if you often furrow your lips around a straw, you might get lip lines.
Static wrinkles
This type happens when your skin loses its elasticity. And if you have jowls, you’re more likely to have static wrinkles.
How to Get Rid of Wrinkles
Many methods exist for curing wrinkles. And they fall under three categories: natural (home remedies), surgical, and chemical. Let’s look at the best of them:
Stay Hydrated
Water is life. So, try to drink two liters of water every day. You need to stay hydrated and flush out toxins from your body. Also, when your body has enough water, it’ll reflect outwardly.
Chemical Peel
This is a procedure that involves removing damaged outer layers of skin, especially on the face, to make it smoother, reduce scarring, and remove blemishes. Chemical peels are of three types of chemical peels: alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and phenol peel which is the most effective.
Retinoids
This is a derivative of vitamin A that stimulates cell growth and increases collagen production, thus reducing fine lines and wrinkles. Furthermore, retinoids are also great at healing sunburn, fading age spots, and improving your skin’s texture.
They come as prescription or over-the-counter products, such as tretinoin tazarotene, or retinol.
Cosmetic Surgery
Plastic surgery, facelifts, brow lifts, and other cosmetic surgeries are other tips on how to get rid of wrinkles. But before you decide on which procedure is best for you, you’ll need to have a talk with your dermatologist.
Moisturizers
Moisturizers can temporarily reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. They don’t completely get rid of them but rather make the wrinkles look less noticeable.
Aloe Vera
This plant has anti-aging properties. It has collagen-boosting properties that can help reduce wrinkles, help the body turnover dead skin cells, and produce new skin. But while aloe vera gel is great at minimizing lines on the skin, Dr. Manish H. Shah, Fellowship-Trained Rhinoplasty Specialist and Deep Plane Facelift Expert, says it’s not a miracle worker.
In his words shared with Oprah Daily:
“Aloe can help prevent future fine lines and wrinkles, however, it cannot reduce the appearance of wrinkles that are already there,” says Dr. Michele Green, a cosmetic dermatologist in NYC.
Healthy Foods
Don’t just eat anything. Ensure your food is rich in health-benefiting nutrients. Why does this matter?
Per a 2019 research, older Dutch men and women with healthy eating habits had fewer wrinkles. You may not be Dutch but that still applies.
You can start with foods such as avocadoes, chia seeds, cinnamon, egg whites, ginger, miso, oatmeal, salmon, sardines, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, walnuts, etc.
Natural Oils
Natural oils like coconut oil, almond oil, argan oil, castor oil, rosemary oil, carrot seed oil, jojoba oil, etc., are great at improving the appearance of wrinkles. Adopt them into your skincare routine.
Massage
Simply massaging your face every day for three to five minutes with your fingers can prevent and reduce wrinkles. One reason for this is that massage is good for reducing stress which is a common cause of wrinkles,
You can give yourself a facial massage by moving your fingers firmly in a circular motion around both sides of your face.
Antioxidants
Vitamins A, C, and E, and beta-carotene are great antioxidants. They protect you from the harmful rays of the sun and slightly reduce wrinkles. However, you’ll still have to combine them with sunscreen.
And that’s a wrap on how to get rid of wrinkles. Use the tips we shared here to manage the fine lines on your face. If they persist, opt for chemical or surgical procedures or let nature take its course on your skin.
