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As we get older, the skin stops producing collagen. Collagen is the protein in the skin that supports skin elasticity and suppleness (1). This loss of collagen weakens the tissues and makes the skin less firm. And then, the skin starts to squeeze into folds and creases called wrinkles.
There is so much beauty in the smoothness of skin and the supple, youthfulness of well-defined features. However, the appearance of the wrinkles gradually fades off that smoothness. Hence, there is a need to take intentional actions to bade these wrinkles and keep them away for as long as possible. And numerous skincare products promise this solution.
However, in this article, we share what wrinkles are, what causes them, and some helpful tips to take care of these skin wrinkles – home remedies you can carry out easily.
Wrinkles
Everyone will have one. If you don’t have one yet, it will appear as you go through life’s aging processes. Wrinkles appear first in the areas where much exertion happens (2). Then, during our daily interactions, the skin on the face is stretched in smiles, frowns, concern, confusion, and various facial expressions that cause the tissues to move in multiple directions.
Also Read – 10 Natural Juice Recipes for a Wrinkle-Free Youthful Skin
At a younger age, these stretches are heavily supported by collagen – the protein present in the skin. However, the body stops producing this collagen at an older age, thinning out the skin strength and reducing skin elasticity. Hence, the skin cannot retain its full elasticity and suppleness (3). Wrinkles appear as tiny creases, folds, or ridges over small surface areas. They may be seen as fine surface lines or deep furrows.
What causes wrinkles?
- The Aging Process – Your first wrinkle may be visible as early as when you are 25 or wait until 55 to appear, and this progresses as the years go by. As you get older, your skin loses its strength and ability to protect itself from damages (4). At 65, you will have more visible wrinkles.
- Exposure to Sunlight – The most exposed areas of the skin start to wrinkle faster than the protected areas. Sun damage may cause wrinkles.
- Incorrect repairs of broken and injured elastic fibers and collagen fibers (5).
- Habitual Sleeping Positions – Reinforced compression of specific body parts may result in fine lines.
- Heavy loss of bodyweight – A sudden body mass loss may result in skin sag.
- Exposure to ultraviolet light
- Dehydration – Inadequate consumption of water may cause skin dryness.
- Health conditions and medications.
- Environmental factors
- Regular smoking reduces blood supply to the skin and dries out the skin. Dry skin is more prone to wrinkles.
- Alcohol intake – Alcohol may dehydrate the skin
- Lifestyle factors
- Genetic and hereditary factors
- Facial expressions – Your daily facial expressions, the smiles, frowns, and every expressive feature that makes for everyday fun living result in fine lines. As you age, these fine lines crease deeper into wrinkles.
- Skin type – Melanin skin may be less susceptible to skin damage (6).
Common areas where wrinkles appear?
Wrinkles appear commonly on
- The face
- Neck
- Back of hands
- Chest
- Arms
26 Home Remedies to reduce and manage the Appearance of Wrinkles
1. Massage Your Skin Using Olive Oil
Gently massage your face generously with olive oil. Work your way through your neckline, jaw, chest, and areas primarily exposed to daily sunlight. This activity improves blood circulation to the target areas and enhances collagen production, making your skin elastic and supple. You may also consume olive oil in your meals.
2. Consume Food Rich in Antioxidants
Antioxidants protect the skin from free radicals delaying the aging process. In addition, what you eat daily replenishes your body from within. Therefore, you may intentionally add some food rich in antioxidants to your meal plan. They include milk, leeks, nuts, onions, grapes, eggplants, apricots, lean meat, carrots, seafood, mangoes, berries, artichoke, beets, dark chocolate, pumpkin, and an extended list of food you may discover (7).
3. Reduce Active Daily Exposure to Ultraviolet Light Rays
The sun is the primary source of UV light. And it is the most apparent cause of skin wrinkles. So daily, make conscious efforts to reduce your exposure to direct sunlight. If you must spend time out in the sun, use sunglasses, well-covered clothing, and hats.
4. Use Sunscreen Generously
The use of sunscreen should be integrated as part of your daily beauty routine. Generously apply sunscreen, at least SPF30, on your exposed skin areas daily, and reapply at least every 3 hours (8). Also, make use of skincare and beauty products that contain SPF.
5. Avoid Smoking
Smoking regularly may dry out your skin and expose it to damages resulting in wrinkles.
Also Read – 10 DIY Anti-Aging Face Masks for Wrinkles You Should Try at Home
6. Use Pomegranate Face Pack
The pomegranate has antioxidant properties. You may make the pomegranate seeds into a paste and apply them generously to your skin. Massage gently in circular motions for 5 to 6 minutes. Leave it to sit until it dries. Wash off with lukewarm water. Repeat the process weekly.
7. Drink Green Tea
Green tea is a rich source of antioxidants, and you may not have to worry about heavy calorie numbers. Instead, you may replenish your body with cups of your favorite green tea to reduce skin wrinkling.
8. Get Good Sleep and Rest
When you deprive yourself of sleep or do not get adequate sleep, you expose your skin to damages. The stressed body may produce cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that breaks down the skin cells (9). When you get adequate sleep, your body produces the human growth hormone (HGH) (10), which helps maintain skin elasticity and reduces wrinkling.
9. Use Rosewater for Cleansing
Use rosewater on your skin; it soothes the skin, reduces inflammation, and tightens skin pores effectively. Apply rose water to your targeted skin areas with your cotton pad or swab.
10. Wash Your Sweaty Face
After doing strenuous activities that cause you to break a sweat, wash off the sweat immediately. Long accumulated sweat may irritate your skin.
Also Read – Care For Dry Skin – 24 Best Skin Cleansers To Try
11. Use Warm Honey
Put raw natural honey in a bowl and heat up mildly to improve its fluidity. Apply generously on your face and massage gently in a circular motion. Allow it to dry, and wash it off with lukewarm water followed by gently rubbing ice cubes over your face. Repeat the process.
12. Moisturize Your Skin Daily
Whether your skin is oily, dry, or sensitive, make sure you moisturize your skin daily. Moisturizing your skin keeps it moist, hydrated, and supple. This keeps dryness away and reduces the appearance of lines and creases.
13. Massage skin using Coconut Oil
Massage your skin gently in a circular motion using coconut oil. They may protect your skin from UV light which damages the skin (11). Also, consume coconut oil in your meals to increase the body’s good cholesterol (HDL) – high-density lipoprotein. The HDL may help reduce the risks of other diseases too.
14. Use Pineapple Pack on Your Skin
Pineapple has strong anti-aging properties. Fresh pineapple may be blended into a paste and applied generously on the skin. The mask may be left on for 25 to 30 minutes and allowed to dry. Then, wash off the mask, and moisturize your skin.
15. Apply Milk Cream
Feed your skin some healthy fat by applying milk directly to your skin. Massage gently in a circular motion. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Wash off.
16. Engage in Anti-Aging Face Yoga
You may try some anti-aging face yoga. They may tighten your face muscles and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Do this daily.
17. Use Milk and Lemon Mask
Make a mask using proportionate quantities of cold milk and lemon. Apply on the skin and massage gently. Leave it to dry. Wash off with clean water, and moisturize your skin.
18. Use Almond oil
Massaging your skin with almond oil may help manage and reduce skin wrinkles. In addition, Almond oil has skin rejuvenating and moisturizing properties.
19. Use Aloe Vera Gel
Apply aloe vera gel on your skin daily, preferably at night. Aloe vera contains alpha hydroxyl acids, and these acids have anti-aging properties.
20. Avoid Harsh Skin Products
Treat your skin kindly, do not apply harsh, heavy alcohol-based products on your skin.
21. Stay Hydrated, Drink Adequate Water
22. Use Vitamin E Capsules
Vitamin E may help in triggering collagen activity in your skin. Mix vitamin E capsule with glycerine into a paste. Apply the paste to your skin and massage gently until evenly distributed. Allow it to dry for 10 to 15 minutes. Wash off, and moisturize.
23. Develop a Daily Skincare Routine
Develop a skincare routine and follow up with it meticulously. Use the appropriate cleaners, toners, sunscreen, moisturizers, and make-up for your skin type.
24. Avoid Washing Your Face Too Often
Avoid washing your face too often. This is most likely if you have oily skin. Washing your face often may strip it of moisture and natural barrier oils that protect it from wrinkles.
25. Pay Attention to Habitual Sleeping Habits
The repetitive compression of specific skin parts may result in skin creases, fine lines, and wrinkles.
26. Exercise
You may get actively involved in various exercising activities that may increase the blood pumping activity of your heart, improve blood circulation, and enhance overall body health.
Also Read – Behold The Power of These 12 Essential Oils For Wrinkles
Lifestyle Factors that may Prevent Skin Wrinkling
Some of your daily activities may help prevent the speedy development and appearance of skin wrinkles. Some of which include
- Avoiding prolonged sunlight exposure
- Consuming healthy food – Food rich in antioxidants, tocopherols, flavonoids, carotenoids, lactobacilli, and essential omega-3-fatty acids.
- No smoking – Smoking speeds up skin aging processes (12).
- Avoid Stress – When you stress yourself, your body is triggered to release the cortisol hormone. Cortisol may break down collagen protein fibers in the skin.
- Reduce alcohol consumption – Alcohol may cause dehydration which will dry out your skin. When your skin is dry, it is prone to damages and wrinkles.
- Apply sunscreen generously to your exposed skin areas. This may include the face, hands, legs, chest, and arms.
- Stay hydrated – Take adequate quantities of water daily.
- Limit your sugar intake
- Protect exposed skin areas using sunscreen.
Summary
Everyone will develop wrinkles. Usually, they start to emerge from the age of 35, appearing as deeper creases of fine lines. They may be found on various areas of the skin but most especially on the skin areas daily exposed to the UV sun rays. The first wrinkle you notice will most likely be on your face. Other parts include the neck, chest, back of the hand, and arms. Although wrinkling is a natural occurrence, you may not like to see its early appearance and may want to keep it away for longer or manage the already visible ones better. Some remedies may reduce skin aging processes. Also, preventive measures that you may follow for better skin management.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Can you stop the wrinkling process?
Some lifestyle factors may significantly reduce aging processes. They may not stop completely, but the skin elasticity and suppleness will be improved. This may decrease the speed of the aging process and the appearance of wrinkles.
What causes wrinkling?
The reduced activity of the collagen protein. This results in weaker skin tissues, leading to visible creases, folds, and skin sag.
What food reduces wrinkles?
Foods rich in antioxidants may protect the skin from free radicals and reduce skin damages and wrinkles. Foods such as milk, leeks, nuts, onions, grapes, eggplants, apricots, lean meat, carrots, seafood, mangoes, berries, artichoke, beets, dark chocolate, pumpkin can help.
Does alcohol make you age?
Alcohol dehydrates your skin. When your skin is dehydrated, it becomes dry, and dry skin is prone to damages.
References –
- “Collagen” – wikipedia.org
- “Wrinkles” – mayoclinic.org
- “What causes wrinkles?” – medicalnewstoday.com
- “Wrinkle (skin)” – wikipedia.org
- “Aging as a process of accumulation of Misrepairs“- arxiv.org
- “Wrinkles” – webmd.com
- “Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging” – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- “Sunscreen Gel” – webmd.com
- “How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?” – webmd.com
- “23 Ways to Reduce Wrinkles” – webmd.com
- “How to Get Rid of Wrinkles” – healthline.com
- “10 skin care secrets for healthier-looking skin” – aad.org
