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How do I Avoid Face Wrinkles?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Face wrinkles are a natural consequence of aging, and it may be impossible to avoid all things that cause them. As people age, skin doesn’t produce collagen and elastin, which keep skin tight, to the same degree. It’s not clear that replacing these by using moisturizers that contain them really works. It might be better to say there are ways to get rid of face wrinkles through a variety of plastic surgery methods, but few ways to completely avoid them.

Nevertheless, there are some things people can do to reduce facial wrinkling, and many of these behaviors need to begin early in life. The biggest thing people should avoid is sun damage to the skin, which will accelerate the aging process. It’s recommended people avoid spending time outside in the sun in peak sunny hours and to always use sunscreen when outdoors, even if the weather isn’t sunny. Women may be able to accomplish this by using a good foundation with a high SPF. Men should find a light sunscreen with a high SPF.

Wearing sunglasses can help prevent wrinkles around the eyes.
Wearing sunglasses can help prevent wrinkles around the eyes.

In addition to sunscreen, adding clothing or other accessories that shade the face may help forestall some face wrinkles from developing. Sunglasses with protection against the sun’s rays are highly recommended. Hats can also be helpful, since they may shade all or most of the face.

Other recommendations to forestall wrinkle development are equally important. Smoking causes wrinkling, and what may start as a habit to look “mature” ends up making people look much older than they really are. Again it’s best if people decide not to smoke early in life, but if people are smokers, they should quit.

A diagram of younger skin and older skin showing how the decrease in collagen in older skin can lead to wrinkles.
A diagram of younger skin and older skin showing how the decrease in collagen in older skin can lead to wrinkles.

Extremely thin people tend to look older earlier too. While it’s important to maintain a healthy weight, recognize that a small amount of fat in the facial region keeps the skin smoother. Being of normal weight may allow you to appear more youthful than being very skinny. Being overweight, on the other hand, may have a premature aging effect and cause more face wrinkles.

Wearing sunscreen outdoors is a good way to keep the skin healthy and prevent wrinkles.
Wearing sunscreen outdoors is a good way to keep the skin healthy and prevent wrinkles.

Other things that are thought to help keep wrinkles from developing include reducing stress, which may cause premature aging. Some people swear by meditative techniques or exercise like yoga for stress reduction. Staying well hydrated is suggested to lower wrinkle development too. This means drinking eight to twelve glasses of water a day and also using a light moisturizer on the skin. Skin treatments that contain citric acid, salicylic acid or retinol might be suggested too, especially for people in their mid thirties and up.

Hats that protect against the sun's rays can help you to avoid wrinkles, as the hat will shade most of the face.
Hats that protect against the sun's rays can help you to avoid wrinkles, as the hat will shade most of the face.

Some suggestions for avoiding face wrinkles are hard to follow. Wrinkling does occur as a result of facial expressions, and some feel this means people should not make facial expressions, and should never spend time making funny faces. Most people would find this advice fairly ridiculous. Keeping the face impassive at all times is not going to avoid all wrinkles. People will still need to chew food, for instance, which works the jaw. It is true that all facial movement ultimately contributes to wrinkling, but a lifetime of no facial movement would be impossible to achieve and would make people far less interesting in appearance.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Heavanet

I think that diet also plays a roll in how we age and how many face wrinkles we will have as we get older. Sugar and saturated fats are not good for the body, and people who eat diets high in both usually do not look healthy or have smooth skin.

On the other hand, eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fish is good for your health and your skin. Compare how people of similar ages look who have bad diets in contrast to those who eat healthful diets and I guarantee you will see fewer wrinkles on those who eat good foods.

Rundocuri

My mother swears that sleeping on her back has helped her avoid excessive facial wrinkling as she ages. She also uses a satin pillow, which she says helps to smooth out the skin on your face when you do roll over on your side during sleep. I don't know if there is a lot of truth to these tips, but my mother does look remarkable for her age! She doesn't have many face wrinkles at all.

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    • Wearing sunglasses can help prevent wrinkles around the eyes.
      By: Pavlo Vakhrushev
      Wearing sunglasses can help prevent wrinkles around the eyes.
    • A diagram of younger skin and older skin showing how the decrease in collagen in older skin can lead to wrinkles.
      By: Alila
      A diagram of younger skin and older skin showing how the decrease in collagen in older skin can lead to wrinkles.
    • Wearing sunscreen outdoors is a good way to keep the skin healthy and prevent wrinkles.
      By: Dirima
      Wearing sunscreen outdoors is a good way to keep the skin healthy and prevent wrinkles.
    • Hats that protect against the sun's rays can help you to avoid wrinkles, as the hat will shade most of the face.
      By: Christian Schwier
      Hats that protect against the sun's rays can help you to avoid wrinkles, as the hat will shade most of the face.