Wrinkles
(previously published in The Experts Magazine)

Question: I have always taken good care of my skin, but, lately I feel that I need more help. Every time I look in a mirror, I see another wrinkle happening. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer: It's good that you have always taken care of your skin. People who give their skin daily care will retain a youthful appearance longer than those who have never done so. Once the skin has been neglected, it is more difficult to improve its appearance and undo damage that has been done by neglect.

As we age, we tend to lose our natural moisturizing factors and produce less sebum or oil. This results in the inability of the skin to hold enough water in the surface cells. The skin becomes dry (dehydrated), flakey and dull-looking. Collagen fibers giving the skin its elasticity; start to break down; and the elastic tissue deteriorates, causing wrinkles. Small brown spots of pigment appear ("liver spots" or "age spots") and the small broken capillaries show beneath the surface of the skin (especially on the nose and cheeks).

By the age of 35, fine expression lines begin to appear around the eyes, mouth and forehead.

By age 45, the expression patterns on the face begin to deepen - again mainly the eyes, mouth and forehead. The skin shows a loss of elasticity, especially around the eyes. A double chin may start to show and the neck may appear crepy in texture.

By the age of 55, the skin becomes looser and the folds and sagging tissue around the eyes will be more pronounced. The cheek-bones become more prominent and the naso-labial (nose to mouth) folds become much more distinct. An overweight person will likely notice the formation of a double chin. As we age, the skull may remain the same or even start to shrink, while the skin continues to grow. This causes the skin to sag.

By age 65-70, the contour of the face changes and there are even deeper folds and lines due to the loss of muscle tone. The cheeks and jaws become flabby and the nose and chin appear to be more prominent.

Drooping tissue around the eyes cause them to appear smaller, and lines on the neck deepen and the skin becomes even more loose and crepy.

How quickly one ages is mostly due to heredity (yes you can blame your parents), and we really don't have a lot of control over our genes. However, we do have a say in our lifestyle habits. Premature aging of the skin can be postponed by:
• A daily skin care regime plus a regular facials, using good quality products (feed the skin from the outside)
• Good nutrition - a well balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables (feed the skin from the inside)
• Regular exercise and plenty of water (at least 8 glasses per day) to aid in the elimination of toxins and wastes through sweating etc.
• Get enough sleep. A lot of growth and repair at the cellular level happens while we are sleeping, so don't skimp on it.
• Stress management - take time to do something you enjoy. Laugh lines are at least good lines - it takes less facial muscles to smile that it does to frown.

If you are already using a good cleanser, toner or freshener, and lotion on a daily basis, you may want to add a night crème to your routine. Another good addition is an eye crème formulated specially for the thin skin in that area. It doesn't hurt to use an eye crème on the lips as well, as that is often one of the first places to wrinkle, especially with smokers.

Exfoliation of the dry, flaky dead cells on the surface of the skin is also important. Removal of this dull coating with a gentle exfoliator for the face will result in a much fresher look.

If your skin has always been dry, it will likely be thinner and more sensitive than normal or oily skin types. This does not mean that dry skin needs extra oily crèmes, as they are thought to slow down the production of sebum. All skin types benefit from hydrating or water-binding moisturizers. When applying cleansers and lotions, remember to use gentle upward movements. Constant rubbing, pulling or wrong massage movements can weaken collagen fibers, resulting in wrinkling of the skin.