Finding the right source of information about wrinkle reduction is key to finding the right treatment method for you. For many, wrinkles signify the onset of aging and the loss of youth. Accordingly, people will explore nearly any means possible to delay the appearance of facial wrinkles and fine lines. With such an overwhelming demand, it is no surprise then that there are nearly countless ways which people can try to achieve wrinkle reduction. Whether that means pursuing solutions that come in a bottle, or ones found in a doctor’s office, wrinkle reduction options are certainly not in short supply.
Understanding Wrinkle Reduction Starts with Understanding Wrinkles
To really understand wrinkles your need to first understand that the human body consists of billions upon billions of cells. These cells make up every fiber of our living being. Each and every one of our cells are in a process of regeneration, but something very significant begins to happen starting in our early to mid twenties that changes everything. It is in this stage of our lives when the rate that our cells regenerate is exceeded by the rate our cells degenerate. When degeneration surpasses regeneration, the aging process truly and legitimately begins. Surely wrinkles can’t be far behind.
The specific trigger for wrinkles revolves around what happens to our skin as we age. Over time, skin cells begin to become thinner. The elasticity of our skin which was as springy as a rubber band in our youth, becomes more taut as our body produces less and less collagen. To compound matters and increase the likelihood of the appearance of wrinkles, our fat cells which reside just under the surface of our skin begin to become smaller. Most would think that smaller fat cells must be a good thing; however, when it comes to smooth, wrinkle-free skin, these cells actually provide a buffer against damage that may be present in the inner layers of our skin. Combine these two things – less collagen production and smaller fat cells – and our skin begins to become dryer, lines and creases begin to form, and even saggy skin may develop.
Critical Information About Wrinkles: the Sun is Your Greatest Enemy
One bit of information that is critical in reducing wrinkles is that the Sun is your greatest enemy. As if the betrayal of our body to retain its youthful state isn’t troublesome enough, there are many external factors that can speed up the aging process and allow wrinkles and fine lines to form quicker than they otherwise would. The single greatest enemy for your skin is, unquestionably, the sun.
It may be one of life’s most cruel ironies. The sun has been worshiped for centuries; it is the provider of all life on earth. We take great comfort feeling the warmth of the sun on our faces, and even take vacations to do mostly nothing else but lie underneath it. Yet for all of the sun’s magnificent properties, when it comes to your skin and the presence of wrinkles, nothing could be more harmful. The key, of course, when it comes to the sun is moderation. In proper amounts, the sun actually provides our skin with valuable vitamin ‘D’. The problem occurs – as with many things – when the principle of “excess” is applied. Too much exposure to the sun, particularly if the skin is not sufficiently protected by sunscreen, means the skin becomes vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation. These harmful rays cause our epidermis, or the outer layer of our skin, to become thinner, dryer and less pliable– a perfect formula for developing wrinkles. Continuing to pound our skin with excessive sun exposure causes our skin’s collagen to break down in an accelerating manner, even faster than the natural aging process would incur.
Other Factors which Lead to Wrinkles
Free radicals (also often referred to as simply ‘Radicals’) are molecules which most certainly contribute to the appearance of wrinkles. These molecules act like a rotten apple in a barrel with good apples. They work to harm otherwise healthy molecules by attaching themselves to the healthy molecules. Collagen breakdown is one of the side effects of the presence of free radicals. Things that allow free radicals to become present in your skin include sun exposure, air pollution, and cigarette smoking.
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