Wrinkles – The Question On All Our Minds…
It is safe to say it’s happened to all of us. Whether it’s in the bathroom, at a restaurant, or even in the rear view mirror, we’ve all caught a glimpse of ourselves and said, ‘what is that and how did it get there?!’.
We’ve all heard about wrinkles since we were kids. How to earn them, how to prevent them, and most often how to get rid of them…it seems to be a common topic of conversation!
The truth is, not all wrinkles are created equal. Some are very temporary and others are more permanent. Some relate to hydration, others skin elasticity, volume and muscle definition.
Water and Sebum
Ever wonder why your fingers get wrinkly if you spend too much time in the pool? Sebum is a waterproof protective oil produced by the skin that could wash away if you stay in water too long. Once sebum is washed away, water can penetrate and waterlog the outer layer of skin. No one knows for sure why wrinkles appear under these circumstances, but two theories persist:
• The skin expands to allow water to penetrate it and the expanded skin takes on a wrinkly appearance when the person emerges from water.
• The skin is attached to underlying tissue in some places, but not in others. When it fills with water, it becomes puffy in places where there is no attachment and this makes wrinkles appear. You should not try to makes these particular wrinkles go away because they will disappear on their own rather quickly.
Aging and Wrinkles
Many consider wrinkles as a normal result of the aging process. Although individuals who worship the sun, visit tanning salons or smoke cigarettes will have more than their fair share of them. These activities can definitely accelerate the development of wrinkles on the skin.
Younger people don’t have wrinkles because their skin is more elastic due to the presence of a protein (collagen) and fibers (elastin) that help the skin look young and smooth.
Skin has three layers:
• We can see the outer layer that is exposed to the elements of our environment. It is the epidermis.
• The dermis is the middle layer that supports the epidermis.
• A third layer, subcutaneous, is a fatty substance that is responsible for the plump, smooth appearance.
Over time, the middle layer (dermis) loses its stockpile of elastin and collagen. The third layer (subcutaneous) becomes thinner and can no longer give support to the outer layer (epidermis). When the epidermis begins to sag, wrinkles form.
Skin Care Tips
While wrinkles may be considered a natural part of the aging process, it doesn’t mean we can’t do anything about them. Wrinkles can be prevented and become less noticeable when a person takes good care of and nurtures their skin. Good skin care should extend from birth to death and some of the ways to prevent the early development of wrinkles include:
• Avoid direct sun and use plenty of sunblock (SPF30 or higher). The hours of 10 am to 4 pm are the harshest ones that cause skin damage resulting in early wrinkles.
• Tanning booths direct damaging UV light onto the skin, so it is wise to stay away from the tanning salon.
• Smoke from cigarettes sucks moisture from your skin and causes wrinkles to appear at an earlier age.
• Water is very important to skin health. Drink water during the day every day.
• During certain months of the year, natural air is drier than normal. If your environmental dewpoint drops below 45° be sure to moisturize your skin and humidify the area where you spend the most time.
Specific treatments such as chemical peels and lasers can be used to resurface the skin and treat superficial wrinkles, while dermal fillers can be used to address deeper folds in the skin. BOTOX® Cosmetic, Dysport and Xeomin remain the most effective treatments for addressing wrinkles related to dynamic muscle movements and definition lines.
Contact Sanova Dermatology
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