Fine lines and wrinkles are an inevitable part of the aging process. They are often the most telling sign of aging and one that leads people on a frantic search for the magic elixir or treatment to get rid of them.
Whether you already have fine lines and wrinkles in situ, or are looking to prevent them appearing or at best from worsening, there are several key practices that you should adopt into your lifestyle to help minimise the signs of aging.
We rounded the top must do’s recommended by dermatologists and skincare experts to help treat and prevent fine lines and wrinkles to ensure beautiful, flawless, wrinkle-free skin at any age.
H2O & Hydration
Up to 60% of the human adult body is made up of water so keeping it hydrated is super important for a number of reasons but one very good one is that it helps minimise wrinkles. Keeping your skin hydrated will ensure that it retains its radiant plumpness to ensure wrinkles and fine lines are kept at bay. When skin is dehydrated, it loses its parlour, wrinkles appear and it becomes duller.
Being severely hydrated takes a toll on your skin so aim to drink plenty of water (at least 8 glasses per day). Staying hydrated helps reduce puffiness, improve complexion, reduce wrinkles, reduce pore size, tighten and firm the skin, slow down aging, as well as balance the pH levels of the skin.
Anti-Sun/SPF
Skin damage caused by excessive UV exposure is irreversible. Scary thought right? So protecting it to help stop the signs of aging and permanent damage is essential. Of course the best way to protect against the sun is to stay out of the sun, wear a hat or carry a sun umbrella.
All great, but the pièce de résistance is using a top quality, high-spectrum sunscreen formulated especially for the face. It is the best gift you can give yourself in the fight against wrinkles.
Excessive UV exposure increases the amount of free radical damage to skin cells which results in the onset of early aging. This leads to reduced skin cell turnover, loss of collagen and elastin (the scaffolding of the skin), which leads to ‘collapse’ and that is when wrinkles and fine lines appear. A top quality broad-spectrum sunscreen helps to limit the amount of UVA and UVB rays that can cause damage to your skin.
There are 2 types of sunscreen available:
(1) Physical sunscreen: these contain titanium dioxide and zinc oxide that act as a shield to deflect UVA and UVB rays.
(2) Chemical sunscreen: these contain oxybenzone, avobenzone and octisalate that act as a sponge to absorb the harmful UVA and UVB rays.”
Whichever option you choose, choose one of them! Your skin will thank you for the protection and wrinkles will be kept a bay for just that little bit longer.
Collagen
Here I go on again about collagen but this is the bomb when it comes to sustaining the integrity and structure of your skin and keeping it plump and lush. Collagen is one of the main proteins produced by your body to preserve elasticity and firmness in your skin. Collagen levels decline as we age so supplementing your diet with collagen is essential for a beneficial boost that will result in firmer skin that appears more hydrated and less likely to show wrinkles.
If you are wondering how to boost collagen naturally, read more about the foods to include in your daily diet that can help stimulate collagen production in the body.
Alternatively, introducing a daily collagen supplement is the best way to consume around 8-10mg, which is the ideal amount of collagen to show positive results.
Vitamin A
Collagen’s partner in crime is Vitamin A works synergistically to stimulate collagen production leading to firming, plumper skin with less wrinkles.
Products that contain vitamin A include retinol, which has been nicknamed the golden standard of anti-aging skincare, boosting skin health to help you look younger, more radiant and glowing. Another positive benefit of Retinol, other than stimulating the production of collagen, is to encourage skin cell renewal in the lower dermal layers to separate sooner and migrate to the surface much quicker, boosting newer, healthier and fresher skin cells to the surface of your skin.
Sleep
In the quest for wrinkle-free, beautiful skin and a glowing complexion, sleep should be at the top of your priority list. During sleeping hours, your body goes to work to boost blood flow to your skin to help repair, replenish and rejuvenate so you wake with a healthy, radiant complexion.
If you don’t get enough sleep, your skin can look pale, dry, and drab, ashen, or lifeless because sleep deprivation leads to a decrease in blood flow to the skin.
So how much is ‘enough’ sleep. Research published in the journal ‘Clinical and Experimental Dermatology’ suggested that seven to nine hours sleep per night led to skin that was more moisturised and more able to repair itself better after being exposed to ultraviolet light compared to other people who slept five hours or less.
The Take Home for Wrinkle Fighting Tips
Some people are blessed with good skin, it is just in their genes, but don’t let that fact make you give up on your question for wrinkle-free skin. There are things that you can do to make a significant difference to the health of your skin and reduce wrinkles.
The best foundation that you can wear is healthy, glowing skin so you should do all you can to ensure you maintain the integrity, keep it hydrated and protected.
Be good to it, you are going to wear it everyday for the rest of your life.
