How to Prevent Wrinkles: What Helps to Avoid & Stop Wrinkles on the Face?
There comes a time you look in the mirror and realize that your skin is no longer as smooth and wrinkle-free as it used to be. It's a universal experience, and although there's no shame in having wrinkles, it can be disappointing for a lot of people.
Although it's impossible to prevent wrinkles forever, there are things we can do to limit the effects of aging on our skin. Aging is inevitable, but the good news is that a lot of the things that cause wrinkles are actually external, and we can control some of them to keep our skin looking younger for longer.
We've rounded up the most effective ways to prevent wrinkles, from the best skin care products to healthy lifestyle choices, plus some professional treatments that are actually worth considering. Here's your definitive guide to preventing wrinkles and maintaining a youthful, radiant complexion for a little longer!
What Causes Skin Aging?
Wrinkles, sagging, and crepey skin are all inevitable signs of aging, but why does this happen? Whether it's facial wrinkles, saggy knees, or loose arm skin — they're all affected by two types of skin aging: intrinsic aging and extrinsic aging.
Intrinsic aging is the natural aging process when your body slows down over time. Your skin loses its strength and elasticity when your natural collagen and elastin production processes slow down. Collagen and elastin are two proteins that are responsible for firm, bouncy, and youthful skin. Collagen fibers form the structural foundations of your skin — without them, the skin begins to lose its shape. Your skin will also lose a lot of its natural moisture with age, so it becomes thinner, drier, and more prone to wrinkles.
Extrinsic aging is when the natural decline of your skin health is exaggerated by external factors. These factors include sun exposure, environmental toxins, stress, and certain habits like smoking or drinking alcohol. Many of these external factors damage your collagen and elastin supplies and allow harmful free radicals to build up in the body and negatively impact your skin.
More helpful reading: Why do we get wrinkles?
12 Natural Ways to Prevent Wrinkles
Here are the most effective ways to limit the signs of aging on your skin, without having to undergo any procedures:
1. Wear Sun Protection
An incredible 80% of extrinsic aging is caused by sun exposure, so the most important thing you can do to prevent wrinkles is to wear UV protection.
Sun-damaged skin will look much older than it should. This is because the sun's UVA and UVB rays penetrate your skin and damage the collagen fibers in your dermis. You might not see any major effects right away (other than a tan or a nasty sunburn), but over time this sun damage accelerates the aging process, allowing wrinkles and sagging skin to happen earlier than they should.
To avoid sun damage, it's important to apply sunscreen every day. Protect facial skin with SPF 30 or higher (we prefer SPF 50), and don't forget to apply a body sunscreen if your skin is exposed. Sunscreen can also help protect your skin from blue light, which comes from screens like your phone or computer and can cause similar skin damage.
2. Eat a Healthy Diet
Did you know that your diet can affect how your skin ages? The truth is, the foods that you eat can either nourish your skin from within, or they can cause damage.
A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and protein will help your skin look healthier and younger. The antioxidants found in these foods that are good for your skin can stave off free radical damage and protect your skin's collagen from harm. Healthy fats like salmon, avocado, and nuts can also help plump and hydrate the skin. You should also consider these collagen foods, which can help boost your natural collagen production.
On the other hand, unhealthy snacks high in sugar can trigger harmful free radicals that contribute to skin aging. Although there's no harm in a few sweet treats, sticking to your recommended daily allowance for sugar will help keep your skin in good shape.
More helpful reading: Is sugar bad for your skin?
3. Boost Collagen Production with Supplements
Collagen is the key to your skin's youthful appearance, so any effective anti-aging treatment will focus on protecting your existing collagen and/or boosting your body's production of collagen. The easiest and most effective way to increase collagen in your skin naturally is with a high-quality collagen supplement.
Taut Liquid Collagen Drink is our most powerful collagen supplement with a formula that tackles skin aging from all angles. With 13,000 mg of marine collagen peptides, this high-dose collagen drink delivers everything your body needs to increase its natural collagen production. Even better, it's packed with skin-loving ingredients like elastin, grape seed extract, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and ceramide to promote stronger, healthier, and more hydrated skin.
One tiny bottle per day can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, lift sagging skin, and brighten your skin tone for a more youthful, radiant complexion.
More helpful reading from RenewSkin inc.: What produces collagen?
4. Add Vitamin C to Your Skincare Routine
Vitamin C is a powerful ingredient to keep in your skincare routine. It has antioxidant properties that can protect against UV rays and free radical damage, keeping your skin healthy. Even better, it plays an important role in the production of collagen in the body, so it can both protect and increase the strength of collagen fibers in the dermis.
Vitamin C skincare can reduce fine lines, pigmentation, and redness for a brighter, more even skin tone. Use vitamin C alongside hydrating, soothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid or aloe vera for truly plump and supple skin.
5. Moisturize Daily
As skin ages, it loses its natural moisture and volume, so hydrating ingredients are key to any anti-aging skincare routine. The best moisturizer won't just prevent dry skin, it can also help prevent wrinkles. First of all, dry skin wrinkles more easily, so it's crucial to keep your skin hydrated if you want to maintain a youthful appearance. Secondly, dry skin can have a dull, ruddy tone and texture that makes you look much older than you actually are.
Alongside your daily moisturizer, it helps to give your skin a boost every now and again with a hydrating face mask. Taut Collagen Mask is a luxurious, anti-aging sheet mask infused with collagen, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and botanical squalene designed to give you plump, radiant skin in just 15 minutes. Our unique formula contains only the best quality ingredients to boost collagen and improve skin elasticity, helping to prevent and reduce wrinkles.
6. Remove Dead Skin Cells
The buildup of dead skin cells can make your skin flaky, dry, and rough, and this can make your complexion look dull and wrinkles appear more pronounced. Exfoliating regularly can help limit the appearance of wrinkles, plus it will refresh your overall complexion for a brighter, more radiant look.
We recommend that you exfoliate your skin with alpha-hydroxy acids (such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, and mandelic acid). Alpha-hydroxy acids gently dissolve dead skin cells, giving your skin a natural glow without having to use any harsh scrubs (like sugar scrubs or microbeads). If you're prone to acne and oily skin, you could use salicylic acid, which is a beta-hydroxy acid that dissolves oil and kills bacteria, too.
7. Get Plenty of Sleep
Beauty sleep isn't a myth — getting a good night's sleep can do wonders for your skin. While you sleep, blood flow increases and your cells work hard to repair and rejuvenate your skin. This can impact your production of collagen, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, calming inflammation, and avoiding puffiness and dark circles. 1
To help limit the appearance of wrinkles over time, try to get 7 or more hours of sleep a night. Practice good sleep habits like avoiding screen time for an hour before bed, having a hot shower or bath before bed, or spritzing some lavender scents on your pillow before you hit the hay.
8. Exercise Regularly
Working out isn't just good for your muscles and your heart health, it's also great for your skin. Working out regularly improves blood flow throughout the body, and this brings plenty of oxygen and nutrients to the skin for a natural, radiant glow. 2
Regular exercise can help slow down the effects of aging skin, making sure your skin is healthy and youthful for years to come!
9. Manage Stress
Stress is a big contributor to unhealthy skin. Cortisol (the stress hormone) can trigger skin inflammation, and over time, this can aggravate skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and acne. Even worse, it can hurt your body's collagen supplies and dry out your skin, leading to premature skin aging. 3
To combat the effects of stress on your skin, try to incorporate activities that boost your feel-good hormones into your routine. These might include exercise, meditation, cooking, walking in nature, seeing friends, or therapy.
10. Avoid Smoking
Cigarettes are packed with harmful chemicals that won't just cause negative health conditions, they'll also hurt your skin.
When you smoke cigarettes, nicotine and other chemicals enter your bloodstream and constrict your blood vessels. This reduces the amount of oxygen and essential nutrients that can reach your skin. Cigarette smoke can also expose your skin to harmful free radicals, which damage collagen and elastin fibers in the skin.
Smoking greatly speeds up the formation of wrinkles all over your body, most especially around the mouth and eyes from repetitive facial expressions like pursing lips and squinting. Smokers' lips are also a common problem, as your lips can become darker, drier, and more wrinkled when you smoke cigarettes.
11. Limit Alcohol Consumption
Although it's fine to enjoy a few drinks every now and again, the reality is that alcohol can have an array of negative effects on your skin. First of all, it dehydrates your skin, which can leave you with a dull, ruddy complexion that shows wrinkles more easily.
The real link between alcohol and skin aging, however, comes from inflammation. Drinking in excess can cause inflammation throughout the body, and this releases enzymes that break down collagen and elastin in your skin. This leads to premature wrinkles and sagging skin, as well as puffiness and dark under-eye circles.
So, if you want to prevent wrinkles, it's best to moderate your alcohol consumption. According to the CDC's dietary guidelines, the limit is 2 drinks or less per day for men, and 1 drink or less per day for women. 4
12. Don't Use Too Many Products
With all of the anti-wrinkle creams and anti-aging products on the market, it's easy to get sucked into creating an overly complex 12-step beauty routine that also costs a fortune. The truth is that complex skincare routines with too many different ingredients can actually irritate the skin. And skin irritation can lead to inflammation, which can end up exaggerating skin aging.
Instead, it's best to keep your skincare routine simple and efficient. For your daily routine, a gentle cleanser, an antioxidant serum, and a moisturizer will do the trick. Exfoliate 2–3 times per week with a light alpha-hydroxy acid formula, and treat your skin with a deeply hydrating face mask once or twice per week for an extra youthful glow.
Otherwise, you don't need a huge variety of different anti-aging products. A simple skincare routine and healthy habits are the best way forward.
In-Office Treatments to Prevent Wrinkles
Sometimes it pays to get help from the experts. Here are some of the best professional treatments for preventing wrinkles:
Botox
One of the most effective treatments that actively prevents wrinkles is Botox, which is a type of anti-wrinkle injection that freezes certain muscles in your face. Your dermatologist can target specific areas to prevent your skin from moving, which will in turn prevent the formation of wrinkles.
It's an effective treatment, but the downside is that you'll need to maintain your results by topping up your injections every 6 months or so. Also, some people don't like the fact that it freezes areas of the face, which can impede your natural facial expressions.
More helpful reading: How long does Botox last?
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are powerful exfoliating treatments that remove an outer layer of skin in order to reveal a fresher, more youthful-looking layer below. They work by using exfoliating acids (AHAs and BHAs), similar to the chemical exfoliants you'll find in stores and over-the-counter products. However, a chemical peel from a board-certified dermatologist is much stronger and will go further in preventing and reducing the signs of aging skin.
Microneedling
Microneedling is a professional treatment that uses a roller device with tiny needles to create microscopic wounds in the skin. This triggers a natural healing response in the body, which kicks your skin cells into gear to produce more collagen.
One of the many benefits of microneedling is that it thickens and strengthens your skin, which can help prevent and reduce wrinkles, even out skin tone, and shrink your pores for a more toned, taut look.
The #1 Natural Treatment for Aging Skin
With thousands of anti-wrinkle treatments out there, it can sometimes feel overwhelming trying to find out what really works, and what's just marketing hype.
The best way forward is to keep things simple, using a consistent skincare routine, nourishing your skin from within, and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits. There are some great professional treatments available, too — but these can be more costly and require regular maintenance.
To prevent and reduce wrinkles naturally, we're firm believers in the power of collagen supplements. By providing your skin with the right nutrients, expertly processed and formulated to target your skin cells, you can effectively combat the signs of aging.
With Taut's Intense Transformation Program, you can see the effects of a powerful collagen supplement in as little as three weeks. This beauty bundle contains a three-week supply of our signature Taut Liquid Collagen Drink, formulated with premium collagen peptides to prevent lines and wrinkles, antioxidants vitamin C and grape seed extract to protect skin from harmful free radicals, plus super-hydrating hyaluronic acid and ceramide to give you soft, plump skin. To see results, simply take one bottle of Taut Liquid Collagen every evening for three weeks straight.
Pssst! You can save up to 15% off Taut Collagen products when you subscribe to our auto-ship service:
https://www.renewskinco.com/collections/auto-ship-service
References:
-
https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/workout-affect-skin
-
https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/moderate-drinking.htm
