Ways to Prevent Wrinkles

By Alex Currie - 2008-01-01 Find more articles like this in our Skin Disorders category.

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Wrinkles are just about on a par with death and taxes when it comes to inevitability but, even if you can't actually prevent them, there are things you can do to delay the onset of wrinkles.

Fine lines and wrinkles start to appear as we get older, however, there is no set age for wrinkles to start appearing, that depends upon your skin type and lifestyle. The first fine lines that signal that wrinkles are developing are greeted with horror by many people, but it is possible to defer the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Making a few simple lifestyle changes will enable you to keep your skin young-looking for longer.

Smoking And Wrinkles

Smoking is about the worst thing you can do to your body. Smoking increases your risk of lung diseases such as emphysema and cancer and makes you vulnerable to unpleasant bronchial disorders. Smoking also affects the gums by causing them to shrink, thereby causing your teeth to become loose. Smoking also causes premature aging of your skin and accelerates the appearance of wrinkles. Smoking causes a decreased blood flow to the skin and also reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood. This deprives the skin of oxygen and essential nutrients. The skin loses elasticity and the result can be seen in sagging and premature wrinkles.

Protecting Your Skin To Prevent Wrinkles

Exposure to harmful UV rays will accelerate the onset of wrinkles. UV light in small amounts is beneficial because it helps the body produce vitamin D, but medical studies have shown how regular prolonged exposure to sunlight without protection damages the skin. The damage will be present long before it becomes visible and, by the time you can see the effects of exposure to sunlight, wrinkles will be noticeable and the damage will be irreversible. Unprotected exposure to UV light causes burning, damage to DNA and skin cancers. It is important to use sunscreen whenever you are going to be exposed to the sun in order to prevent premature aging of the skin and early development of wrinkles.

Water As An Anti-Wrinkle Treatment

Dry skin which is prone to flaking is not attractive and lack of moisture in the skin is also a major cause of wrinkles. To keep your skin cells plumped up, you should make sure your body is sufficiently hydrated every day. You need to moisturise inside and out, in order to avoid wrinkles. Make sure to drink plenty water. The amount of water needed varies from person to person and is affected by metabolism, climate and levels of activity. While there is no recommended daily "dose", the general consensus is that the average healthy adult living in a temperate climate should consume 2-3 litres of water a day

Moisture Is A Must.

As well as making sure you keep your body's hydration at a healthy level, you should apply moisturiser to your skin every day. Moisturiser should be applied twice a day: in the morning before applying makeup and last thing at night. The day time moisturiser needs to contain SPF (sun protection factor) appropriate to the climate where you are living. If the atmosphere is dry, your skin will benefit from the use of a humidifier; this is particularly important in the winter when central heating is in use.

Of course, it is impossible to halt the aging process but its visible affect on your skin can be slowed down so that the appearance of wrinkles starts later rather than sooner.

Alex Currie reviews the Best Anti Wrinkle Products and publishes articles on the subject of anti-aging skin care at BestAntiWrinkleProducts.com