Many women as well as men believe that aging skin is inevitable, but with the information and technologies we have today, you really can look as young as you feelw. Wrinkles particularly appear on the face, neck, backs of hands, and tops of forearms.Wrinkles occur as part of the natural aging process, when the collagen and elastin in the connective tissue of the skin become weak and break down due to changes in fibroblasts that produce collagen and elastin.
Our skin loses moisture and elasticity, making it prone to wrinkles. Dermatologists have many tools for tackling those little lines that mark the passage of time. They include prescription creams, chemical peels, and Botox. But perhaps the best option is to protect your skin just as it is.
What Causes Wrinkles?
Our skin has two layers: the epidermis (outer layer) and the dermis (below the epidermis). Wrinkles happen in the dermis. The dermis is made up of collagen and other proteins. As we age, our bodies produce less collagen. The collagen is what makes our skin elastic and smooth. Less collagen results in saggy skin with wrinkles. Lots of factors contribute to this process. Here are some:
Sun damage
Smoking
Dehydration
Poor nutrition
Facial expressions (laughing, squinting, etc.)
Pollution and toxins
Natural aging
Sleeping on your side ( with your cheek pushed against your pillow)
here are a few natural remedies to remove wrinkles
Water Intake
Moisture is essential for maintaining healthy skin, and it also helps rid your body of toxins. When your skin is properly hydrated it looks healthy and radiant. However, drinking water doesn’t have an immediate effect on your skin. Proper hydration is important for long-term health, but it offers few short-term gains (to your skin, at least).
Drinking eight glasses of water a day helps your body and skin over time. Just don’t count on it to be a quick fix
Healthy Food
Fruits and vegetables contain many of the vitamins and minerals your skin needs to stay healthy.
For instance, vitamin C (an antioxidant) is known to be essential in the production of collagen. Collagen is a protein that helps the cells and blood vessels in your skin grow. This, in turn, is what gives your skin its strength and firmness.
Some foods that are rich in vitamin C are:
Oranges and grapefruits
Red and green peppers
Kiwis
Guavas
Strawberries
Brussels sprouts
Cantaloupes
It’s also important to eat foods rich in other antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize free radicals.
To get more antioxidants in your diet, think color. The more colorful foods you can eat, the better your skin will look. Foods rich in antioxidants include:
Sweet potatoes
Carrots
Cantaloupes
Squash
Tomatoes
Mangoes
Spinach, kale, and other dark leafy greens
Apricots
Almonds and walnuts
Broccoli
Grapefruits and blood oranges
Pumpkins
Sunflower seeds
Avoid the sun
It’s the No. 1 cause of wrinkles, with dozens of studies documenting the impact. In one study that looked at identical twins, New York plastic surgeon Darrick Antell, MD, found sun exposure was even more important than heredity. Siblings who limited sun time had fewer wrinkles and looked younger overall than their sun-worshiping twins.
Adequate sleep
Yale dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, MD, says that when you don’t get enough sleep, the body produces excess cortisol, a hormone that breaks down skin cells. Get enough rest, Perricone says, and you’ll produce more HGH (human growth hormone), which helps skin remain thick, more “elastic,” and less likely to wrinkle.
Avoid Smoking
Smoking takes away oxygen and nutrients, and it also increases the number of free radicals in your body’s cells, a main cause of skin aging. “The amount of cigarette consumption and the number of years you have smoked are correlated with an increase in premature wrinkles,” states Dr. Breiner.
Avoid Stress
When you’re stressed out, your body releases a powerful aging hormone, cortisol, into your blood stream. “If you have chronic stress, take yoga, write in a journal daily, sing, take a walk, meditate. Do whatever works for you to reduce stress.
Wear sunscreen.
If you must go out in the sun, the American Academy of Dermatology says, wear sunscreen! It will protect you from skin cancer, and help prevent wrinkles at the same time.
Use moisturizer.
“Women, especially, are so concerned with antiaging products they often overlook the power of a simple moisturizer. Skin that is moist simply looks better, so lines and creases are far less noticeable.
Use a Nontoxic Moisturizer
Ladies, admit it. How many different bottles of “miracle” moisturizers are in your bathroom? I know I went through a ton of expensive products until I learned about these magical and natural products. I started using oils instead of lotions and creams about 2 years ago & my skin has never been better!
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is an amazing oil. It is very moisturizing when used topically and reduces age spots, wrinkles, and cellulite (I can testify that it did attack my cellulite! It didn’t zap all of the cellulite away like magic, but it did reduce it within a month).
Argan oil
I moisturize my face with argan oil. Argan oil is a drier oil than coconut oil. I know many people use coconut oil on their face, but it is too oily for my complexion. So I use argan. Argan oil is also very moisturizing, full of antioxidants, and a natural anti-inflammatory.
Don’t over-wash your face.
According to dermatologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center, tap water strips skin of its natural barrier oils and moisture that protect against wrinkles. Wash them off too often, and you wash away protection. Moreover, unless your soap contains moisturizers, you should use a cleanser instead.
Sleep
While we are sleeping, our bodies produce HGH (human growth hormone). This hormone is what induces growth and cell reproduction (including skin cells). When we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies produce cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol slows growth, tissue maintenance, and results in dry skin. The more sleep you get, the more HGH you produce. As we age, we produce less HGH. So we have to “work” (ummm….. I mean sleep!) a little harder to get that magical stuff.
Foods That Can Help
Egg whites
Whip up several egg whites in a small bowl. Massage onto your skin, allowing to sit and dry at least 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and let the natural B vitamins and rich Vitamin E work their rejuvenating magic.
Olive oil
Natural olive oil can help your skin stay soft and supple. Gently massage a few drops on your face before bedtime and rinse with a soft towel. You’ll wake to skin that’s soft and healthy looking.
Lemon juice
Slice a lemon and massage the juice into fine lines and wrinkles on your face. The acidity of lemon helps skin look brighter while reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Breathe in deeply for the added aromatherapy bonus of fresh citrus to revive your senses.
Eat More Fish Like Salmon
Since skin is composed primarily of protein it is important make sure food intake supplies the necessary elements of a well-rounded diet. Fish is a good source of protein as well as other nutrients that allow the body to integrate dietary proteins into the skin.
Soy for Skin Care
There is evidence that certain soy extracts can improve certain aspects of photo-aged skin. There seems to be a lack of evidence that it can improve wrinkles, however.
Choose Cocoa Over Coffee
Certain popular breakfast beverages, such as tea, coffee, and cocoa contain significant amounts of a variety of anti-oxidants. Whether consuming these has a beneficial effect on aging and wrinkles is as yet undetermined.
Banana Mask
This powerfully healthy fruit isn’t just good for eating, but can also be used as a creamy face mask. Mash one banana up with a teaspoon of orange juice and a teaspoon of plain yogurt, then leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. The vitamin A will help fade dark spots and blemishes, while vitamin B will prevent aging, and potassium will moisturize and hydrate skin cells. Vitamin E is known as “the protector” because of its strength in fighting free radical damage and bolstering the skin’s resistance to UV damage.
Egg White Mask
Mix together one egg white with a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and half a teaspoon of honey to reap the antiseptic and antibacterial benefits of honey along with the astringents in lemon juice used to fight off bacteria. Those with oily skin will benefit most from the powerful ingredients in egg whites. It helps to tighten, tone, and shrink pores by reducing excess sebum, otherwise known as the oil secretion from your pores.
Egg whites are full of protein for tissue repair and growth, potassium to preserve the moisture in skin cells, fiboflavin to eliminate toxins and free radicals that are known to cause wrinkles, and magnesium, which slows down the aging process and makes skin radiant. Egg whites also contain lysozyme, which digests the cell walls of acne-causing bacteria.
Cucumber Yogurt Blend
Puree half a cucumber with mint leaves, mix in half a cup of Greek yogurt, and throw it in the fridge for a cool, naturally hydrating face mask. One cucumber contains B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folic acid, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc. It tightens, lightens, hydrates, and tones the skin, while protecting it from dryness, peeling, or cracking. The smorgasbord of vitamins will help to guard from inflammation, and neutralize free radicles, which are known to cause premature aging.
Aloe Vera
The clear gel inside an aloe vera plant has wound-healing and soothing effects when applied to the skin, especially after sunbathing thanks to the vitamins and minerals it contains. Having an aloe vera plant inside your home or growing in your garden is convenient and less expensive than buying the gel by itself because the leaves regrow after they’re cut or removed from the base. Sunburns are one of the quickest ways to damage and wrinkle skin, so applying gel can ease the healing process with its anti-inflammatory properties.
Juice Cleanses
The skin runs on vitamins, minerals, and hydration, so what better way to treat your skin right than by feeding it what it wants? Juicing involves three-day cleanses that contain the best skin-nourishing vitamins and minerals through various fruits and vegetables. The Blonde Vegan has a long list of smoothies, shakes, and juice recipes to quench your thirst and fill your skin with what it needs to fight wrinkles.
Ginger
Ginger works as an excellent anti-wrinkle remedy due to its high antioxidant content. Moreover, it helps inhibit the breakdown of elastin, one of the main causes of wrinkles and fine lines.
Mix a pinch of grated ginger with a tablespoon of honey. Eat this mixture every morning.
You can also drink ginger tea twice daily.
Almonds
Almonds are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin E, iron, zinc, calcium, folic acid, and oleic acid, which combined can delay the aging process and treat wrinkles.
Soak some almonds in raw milk overnight. In the morning, remove the skin and grind the almonds into a thick paste. Apply the paste onto your skin, and even under your eyes to get rid of dark circles. Leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water. For best results, do this daily.
You can also massage almond oil into your skin to delay the effects of aging.
You can lie about your age as much as you like but it’s usually your skin that gives the game away!
Whether you’ve just started noticing a few fines lines or if you’ve been doing battle with wrinkles for years, there’s plenty you can do to reduce them.
Be it lifestyle changes, products or medical procedures we’ve been asking the experts for their advice: