If you've always been careful to use sunscreen, avoid cigarette smoke-filled rooms and drink plenty of water, you may be dismayed to discover the sudden appearance of fine lines and facial wrinkles in your twenties or thirties. Dealing with wrinkles before you've even left your teenage acne in the rearview mirror can seem unfair, and those dealing with unwanted facial lines can find themselves dropping big bucks on department-store facial masks and treatments designed to slow the aging process.
These treatments can sometimes help, but the secret to obtaining seemingly ageless skin often lies in getting down to the root cause of your fine lines. By identifying the issues that are preventing you from getting the smooth skin you'd like, you'll be able to unwind the aging process and start with a fresh face again. Read on to learn more about your options, both non-medical and medical, to stop fine lines and wrinkles in their tracks.
Look at Dietary and Environmental Factors
In most cases, a sudden uptick in wrinkles can be purely cosmetic and therefore easily reversible. If you've been drinking more alcohol (or coffee) than water lately or have switched to an especially sodiumheavy diet, your wrinkles may be the result of dehydration. When your body is in greater need of water, it takes this water from any possible source, including your skin cells. A single night of heavy drinking, especially in a smoke-filled bar or pub, can leave you rocking brand-new wrinkles during your hangover. Reducing your sodium and alcohol intake and focusing on greater water consumption may plump out these wrinkles without even requiring you to change out your facial wash.
Stress and lack of sleep can also be contributors to wrinkles. These can usually be resolved by switching to a silk pillowcase to eliminate the red, puffy, pillow-lined face that greets you in the morning or by engaging in mindful meditation to lower your heart rate. Taking anti-inflammatory supplements, from Vitamin C to turmeric, can also have some anti-aging effects.
Begin a Skin Care Regimen
If you're like many, your skin care routine hasn't changed much since your teen years. Giving your face a good splash of water (or even a full wash) at night or in the morning may be as far as you go when it comes to caring for your skin, and you may choose your facial products based on what's on sale, not what's best for your skin.
Because of this, a change in your skincare routine may make wrinkles more noticeable. If you've gone from an oil-based makeup remover to a drying astringent, you may note new wrinkles under and around your eyes. Although the cellular structure of your skin likely hasn't changed, the amount of surface water your skin cells are holding likely has, reducing the pillowy appearance of fully-hydrated skin cells.
Choosing facial cleansers and moisturizers that are targeted toward your specific skin type and skin issues can go a long way toward reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles. If you begin to notice irritation, you should discontinue your use of a skin product, but in all other cases, trying a few before making a selection may help you choose the one best suited to your unique skin.
Contact a Dermatologist
If taking these preliminary measures hasn't done much to eliminate the appearance of these wrinkles and lines, it may be time to contact a
dermatologist. Dermatologists are trained in a wide range of skin treatments, from laser skin resurfacing to Botox, and will be able to work with you to find a solution that fits your skin and your lifestyle. Whatever you do, don't despair-no matter how much you feel you've visibly aged over the last few years, clear, wrinkle-free skin could be in your immediate future.