Wrinkles, prevention and treatment

Wrinkles are furrows that form on the skin, especially in those regions of the body where the muscles continuously stress the overlying skin, such as eyebrows, cheekbones, mouth and jaw.

What are they

Wrinkles are furrows that form on the skin, especially in those regions of the body where the muscles continuously stress the overlying skin, such as eyebrows, cheekbones, mouth and jaw.

Gravitational wrinkles are caused by the loss of elasticity and firmness of the skin that accompany aging, while the so-called expression wrinkles are produced by the repetitive and continuous contraction of facial mimic muscles.

A third type of wrinkle is called actinic and is caused by UV rays.

Causes

Wrinkles are the sign of the natural aging of the skin: with the passage of time elastic fibers and collagen present in the dermis lose the ability to counteract the force of gravity.

At the same time, the replacement of aged cells with new cells becomes less efficient, making the surface layers appear to be paper.

These processes begin already around the age of 30 and are accelerated by hormonal changes typical of menopause in women and by factors such as too rapid weight loss, anxiety, smoking, ultraviolet radiation, pollution, irregular life, worries and strong emotions.

In addition, some habits, such as frequently blinking or frowning, continuously bend the skin favoring the appearance of wrinkles.

Remedies

To maintain a young and elastic skin it is important to counteract the depletion of the elastic and collagen component of the dermis, protect the skin from dehydration, avoid slowing down the blood circulation and promote the elimination of toxins.

Products based on phospholipids, vitamin A and reconstituted natural moisturizing factor can help maintain proper hydration of epidermal cells.

In addition, the oral intake of substances such as coenzyme Q10, vitamin E and vitamin C helps to slow down aging. Other topical products promise, instead, a filling or ironing action, but their effectiveness is very limited.

In addition to plastic surgery, which offers effective anti-wrinkle treatments, such as facelifts, but very invasive, aesthetic medicine can also help reduce these imperfections through the insertion into the dermis of substances such as collagen and hyaluronic acid.

Finally, botulinum toxin has been used for several years to paralyze the nerves associated with the musculature that causes the formation of wrinkles; The treatment has, however, a high cost and several possible side effects, ranging from nausea and headaches to paralysis, in the long run, of many facial expressions.

Extra touches

In addition to using specific products to counteract skin aging, to slow down the appearance of wrinkles it is advisable to avoid excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays (both natural and those of tanning lamps), which can make the skin lose elasticity and give hyperkeratosis and elastosis.

Even the intake of anti-aging substances, such as antioxidants, allows, in addition to protecting the entire body from aging, to maintain a youthful skin.

Finally, a toned facial musculature allows the dermis to remain elastic. A few facial gymnastics exercises are enough to achieve this goal.

Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.

The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *