Wrinkles are a common sign of the aging process.  However, dermatologists and skin care professionals alike agree that the appearance of wrinkles can be delayed, and sometimes reversed, with a few simple lifestyle changes.

As we get older our body's start to break down over time.  Little by little it gives away, and it is this aging process which causes wrinkled skin and other signs of visible skin damage.  In addtion the passage of time, exposure to sunlight and other environmental influences can accelerate the breakdown process.

Collagen and elastin fibers give the skin its firmness, tautness, flexibility, strength, thickness and resiliency, or lack thereof.  Together they contribute to the matrix of the dermis layer of skin which in turn either gives the appearance of youth or of aging.  In most individuals, around 25-30 years of age, the production of both of these fibers begins to decline and, unable to keep up with the rate of fiber breakdown, the signs of aging begin to appear.  To add insult to injury, as a person ages, the layers of both the epidermis and dermis become thinner.  Subsequently, the subcutaneous tissue, containing fat stores, moves closer to the surface.  As it makes its appearance, cellulite (the fat stores of the subcutaneous tissue) become visible through the skin. 

The free radical theory of aging contributes the process to the attack of certain molecules known as free radicals.  These molecules are in need of an extra electron and they roam the body in search of their missing component.  In many cases, the stealing of electrons from molecules that are needed by the body accelerates the aging process.  In a later section we will discuss how to eliminate and slow the affects of free radical damage with the use of antioxidants.

Overview of wrinkles

Wrinkles formation and causes can be linked to or influenced by several factors:   

Cell membrane level deterioration - the cell membrane can be considered the “walls” of a cell, selectively allowing particles to come in or go out.  As the body ages the cell membrane also grows older and becomes less efficient.  Over time, the membrane loses some of its fluidity and flexibility changing into a more rigid and hard structure.  This hardening of the membrane makes it much more difficult for molecular movement to occur into and out of the cell.   When membrane fluidity decreases, the waste products of the cells and the presence of free radicals builds up inside the cell.  The presence of extra free radicals in the cells cause damage to the cell’s proteins, mainly the collagen and elastin fibers, the very fibers which give the dermal layer of skin its thickness, strength, and firmness.

Free radicals can be thought of as “scavengers”, they want an extra electron and they don’t care where they get it from.  In many cases their target ends up being the proteins of the skin cells.  When the free radicals attack and carry off one of the electrons from the proteins, the proteins are damaged and usually destroyed.  And, if those damaged proteins happen to be collagen and elastin fibers – wrinkles and other skin related imperfections appear. 

The diminished membrane fluidity also contributes to lowering the levels of nutrients and oxygen inside the cell.  With less Vitamin C able to pass through the increasingly rigid and impenetrable cell walls, collagen production decreases.  Vitamin C, along with vitamins A and E also work as antioxidants attacking free radicals before they can destroy the skin’s collagen and elastin fibers.  Without these vitamins the cell’s aging process is accelerated as is the appearance of skin imperfections.

Overexposure to UV light - too much UV light in any form (the sun, tanning beds, and other mechanical forms of ultraviolet radiation) is considered to be the skin’s worst nightmare.  Overexposure to UV light causes damage to the proteins of the skin by producing large numbers of free radicals inside the cells. 

Lifestyle choices - unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as smoking and heavy alcohol consumption, are not just bad for the internal organs; they also wreak havoc on the skin.  Like the other two examples, smoking and over consumption of alcohol eventually lead to the formation of free radicals.  As described above, free radicals are scavengers in search of an electron.  When they snag one from the protein fibers of the skin’s dermal layer – collagen or elastin fibers – the dreaded wrinkles, sags and fine lines rear their unwanted heads.   

In all of the above cases, the decreased production and damage to the collagen and elastin fibers leads to abnormal “cross-linking” of these proteins.  The result of cross-linking is the appearance of wrinkles, sagging chin folds, droopy eyelids, and flabby skin.  Fortunately, there are some easy ways to prevent and decrease the damage done to the fibers of the dermal layer and in some cases to increase the body’s production of collagen and elastin fibers. 

The most common advice heard from skin care professionals and dermatologist to prevent and reduce the appearance of wrinkles is a change in lifestyle.  The list below shows several methods that can easily and inexpensively be implemented in everyday living to decrease the materialization of unwanted signs of skin aging.

Diet – replace simple carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.  These foods have high quantities of antioxidants – the enemies of free radicals and the heroes of youthful, healthy looking skin. 

Start a supplementation regime.  Helpful supplements, minerals and vitamins include zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, magnesium, calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, green tea extract, grape seed extract, and hyaluronic acid.  More often than not, a good multi-vitamin along with a few supplements will cover most bases.  

Sunscreen - wear sunscreen of SPF 15 or more when outside for any extended period of time.  Stay out of intense, direct sunlight – usually between the hours of 11 AM and 3 PM.

Sleep - get a good night’s rest, every night.  Your body needs to be fully rested and have time to repair itself from each day of wear and tear.

Stress reduction - lower everyday stress levels to reduce the secretion of cortisol and other stress related hormones that can cause damage to your body during excessive and prolonged periods of stress.

NOTE:  Always consult a health care provider before beginning a supplementation regime to ensure that the additions will not interfere with current medication and to determine the proper amounts of each supplement.