7 Surprising Causes of Wrinkles

Throughout each stage of life, hormones influence the health of your skin. For example, as a woman’s estrogen levels decline with age, she may notice that her skin becomes less supple and more prone to dryness and irritation. There are many changes that occur in our skin as we get older, such as fewer natural oils to keep the skin moisturized and reduced cell renewal, collagen, and elastin. That’s partially why older skin tends to be thinner, drier, and less elastic compared to younger skin. The Cross Medical Group team, which offers treatments to address these changes—such as BOTOX® at their Philadelphia area-based practice—notes that while injectables can temporarily reduce the appearance of wrinkles, routine skin care practices also have a major effect on the condition of your skin.

We all know that smoking, sun damage, and chronological aging have a significant influence on wrinkle development. Here are some other factors you’ll want to minimize or avoid in your effort to preserve glowing, youthful-looking skin:

1. Sedentary Lifestyle

Sitting for most of the day at a desk or on a couch is not natural and causes us to lose strength, balance, and mobility. Exercising regularly helps to delay and even reverse the effects of biological aging.

2. Stress

Chronic stress is not only bad for your general health, but can also have a detrimental effect on your skin. High levels of a stress hormone call cortisol cause the composition of proteins in the skin to change, resulting in decreased elasticity. Stress also makes us more likely to repeatedly frown and furrow our brow, which can create and deepen forehead wrinkles and lines.

3. Dehydration

When we’re dehydrated, any wrinkles, discolorations (such as dark circles around the eyes), and other cosmetic problems can look more pronounced on the skin because the cells aren’t getting the water and nutrients they need internally. Although we might think of “water weight” as a bad thing on other areas of the body, it’s exactly what our skin needs. Skin cells become swollen when we’re properly hydrated, giving the skin a plumper, brighter, and healthier appearance.

4. Poor Sleep Position

The position we sleep in at night—such as on our back, side, or stomach—may not seem like a big deal, but it can actually effect the appearance of our skin. A new category of wrinkles called “sleep wrinkles” or “compression wrinkles” have recently been identified. The constant pressure and friction against your skin from pressing into your sheets or pillow and getting creased up can cause collagen to become deformed, like ironing a wrinkle into clothes. We spend around a third of our entire lives sleeping, so your skin routinely experiences mechanical wrinkling. Sleeping on your back is the best way to maintain smoother skin, since your face won’t be pressing into any pillows or quilts.

5. A Jetsetter Lifestyle

Spending time at higher altitudes makes your skin more susceptible to sun damage and decreases blood flow from the skin causing a more washed-out appearance—not to mention the moisture that gets stripped from your skin due to dry cabin air when flying. If all of those factors aren’t bad enough for your skin, there’s also the increase in stress hormones that occurs due to the hassles or anxiety caused by air travel.

6. Washing Your Skin Too Much

Do you tend to wash your face repeatedly and skip moisturizing? Overwashing removes too much moisture from your skin, causing it to look discolored, lackluster, and more wrinkled.

7. Weight Fluctuations

Signs of aging may show up earlier than they would otherwise due to “yo-yo dieting.” Skin sagging often occurs when you repeatedly lose or gain weight, causing the skin to get stretched out and lose its elasticity.

Injectable treatments like neuromodulators allow patients to temporarily minimize certain facial wrinkles with almost no side effects or downtime. For more information on BOTOX®, contact Cross Medical Group, which provides a range of minimally invasive treatments and procedures, as well as the Save My Face pillow for those who cannot sleep on their backs. Call (215) 561-9100 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation if you would like to learn more.