March 14, 2019 | Categories: Beauty & Skin Care
At some point during your long, healthy life, you’re going to get at least one wrinkle. And we’re pretty sure no man or woman has ever welcomed fine lines with open arms. While there are plenty of ways to try to erase the wrinkles that have already appeared—like Botox, lasers, and plastic surgery—there are things you can do right now to minimize the appearance of fine lines and slash the risk of wrinkles in your future. Here are easy ways to keep skin smooth and wrinkle-free for as long as you possibly can.
“The single biggest thing with aging is our genetics, says Andrew Ordon, MD, board-certified plastic surgeon, and co-host on ‘The Doctors.’ “You’re born with certain DNA and that determines your aging probably more than anything else.” But beyond that, the easiest way to prevent aging is by maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle. That means eating a healthy diet, only consuming alcohol in moderation, getting plenty of sleep, exercising, minimizing stress, being careful in the sun, and of course, avoiding cigarettes and recreational drugs. [source: Dr. Ordon]
Sun damage is one of the biggest causes of wrinkles, fine lines, and skin looking older sooner than it should be, says Dr. Ordon. “We can see the changes of sun damage in the skin; it adds more wrinkles.” Use a moisturizer with that contains broad-spectrum SPF 30, even if you’re just sitting in the car or your office all day, suggests Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical professor, Yale School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology. Sun exposure through car and office windows can cause damage. Protect your eyes with sunglasses, wear a hat, and avoid those times of the day when the sun is most intense, says Dr. Ordon. [source: Dr. Ordon] Read this sun protection guide for athletes.
Add more salmon, soy, and fruits and veggies to your diet. Salmon is a potent source of an essential fatty acid known as omega-3, which helps keep skin plump and youthful looking, as well as preventing wrinkles and inflammation. [source: WebMD.com] Recent research has shown that people taking a soy-based supplement showed signs of improved skin structure and firmness after just six months of use. [source: WebMD.com] You know that it’s always a good idea to add more fruits and veggies to your diet, but it’s the antioxidants in your produce that fight damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules that can damage cells), which helps skin look younger and more radiant overall. Diet vices like sugar and alcohol should be consumed sparingly as they can dehydrate and dull your skin’s complexion, make wrinkles more apparent. [source: WebMD.com]
It’s never too early to start a skin-care routine. Taking care of your skin by washing it daily (no going to bed with makeup on), using a moisturizer with SPF, applying a night cream or moisturizer, and exfoliating two to three times a week will help prevent wrinkles. Exfoliating stimulates your skin to produce more collagen and elastin, says Dr. Ordon. If you’re not already using a product with retinols, it might be time to start. These ingredients have an active impact on wrinkle formation and are good to add to your nighttime skin care routine. [source: Dr. Ordon] Using a retinol product can help promote collagen production, and decrease collagen breakdown, says Dr. Gohara. If you maintain a continuous skin-care program at a relatively early age, you are going to have less aging changes. “Those deep lines form after just prolonged long-term use of those muscles leading to the deeper lines. If you start treating them early on, the deeper lines are never really formed,” says Dr. Ordon. [sources: Dr. Ordon and Dr. Gohara]
Read the full article on HowStuffWorks.com.
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