Everyone is searching for the legendary fountain of youth and some people manage to defy time making us believe they indeed found it. Most teenagers are desperate to make themselves look older. They wear inappropriate clothes and put on a lot of makeup or fix the hair in such manner to leave the impression of adding at least five years to their age. And all these troubles are just to prove they are no longer children, but adults. Once this phase is over, and we turn a certain age we try to obtain the opposite results using the same strategies: clothes, makeup, and hair.
Unfortunately, making yourself look younger takes a lot more effort that one can imagine. Aging is a natural process of all living creatures and not only humans. The first visible signs of age appear on the skin and preventing wrinkles is a personal fight which generated an entire industry worldwide. Now we can choose from a wide range of anti- aging weapons: creams, lotions, surgeries, injections, invasive or non-invasive procedures and so on. Is it possible to turn back the time? If you listen to what marketing in this industry says, it is.
Aging is natural
A wrinkle can be described as fold, crease or ridge in in skin which normally appears as people get older. Usually, the first wrinkles appear on the face mainly because of the constant facial expressions. Smiling, squinting or frowning are actions we repeat hundreds of times each day without realizing and these constant movements of the facial muscles can lead to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles even at an early age. The majority of wrinkles usually appear on the face and neck, the arms and the back of the hands, and the arms because these parts of the body are most exposed to the sun rays.
When we are young, the skin can spring back, but as we get older this property of the skin is weakened. Springing back doesn’t happen so fast and frequent, so wrinkles start to appear. Our skin contains collagen and elastin which work together in keeping the skin stretched. As times passes by, the skin loses the support of these proteins and becomes saggy. Also, with age, skin becomes thinner, loses fat and the texture becomes rougher. Weakened skin is easier to fall under the influence of gravity, which makes it drop. Genetics is another important factor when it comes to how your skin looks like. In certain cases, it looks healthy and glowing even at an older age and in other cases, it looks older at a younger age. Unfortunately, these are factors we can’t influence, but only accept and deal with. On the other hand, there are certain things that are up to us to make the skin look better.
Sometimes it is possible to stop the time
Exposure to different factors causes most of the natural signs of aging, so we do have the power to accelerate or slow down the process. For example, a woman who has a job which keeps her from resting properly, she smokes heavily and she wears a lot of makeup will always look older. On the other hand, with some discipline for a healthy lifestyle, with limited exposure to the sun, regular workout and eating a lot of fruits and vegetables the result can be a glowing and radiant skin and toned body.
There are two important types of wrinkles: surface lines and deep furrows. Fine lines can be reduced with the help of treatments like creams, while the deep wrinkles need the intervention of a specialist in plastic surgery and injection with fillers.
Scientists and doctors did extensive research to find out how different factors influence the aging process of the skin and how their harmful effect can be prevented. Here are some things you can do to reduce fine, surface wrinkles and look younger:
- Stay away from the sun –The UV rays of the sun enter to the deep layers of the skin affecting its elasticity. Avoiding as much as possible the exposure to the sun and using protection lotions whenever going out is a way of reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Specialists recommend applying on face and hands a full spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 15. People who spend lots of time outdoors and don’t use sunscreen often develop a skin aspect which makes them look older than their actual age.
- Stay hydrated – Drinking those recommended eight glasses of water each day is an essential rule for keeping the skin silky, smooth and hydrated. A dried skin is prone to developing roughness and fine lines which make the skin look older. Try to drink a glass of water each morning and make sure you always carry with you a bottle of water and even add a slice of lemon if you feel the need to spice things up a little. Hydrating the skin from inside out is the most efficient form of keeping a glowing look
- Moisturize every day – Drinking water is not enough for a healthy skin. It also needs moisturizing, especially during cold seasons. Skin dries out as we get older and fine lines or wrinkles fade out if the skin is moist. Using a daily moisturizer which contains SPF 15 also protects the skin from future wrinkles
- Get a daily beauty sleep – During a good night sleep the body heals and regenerates, and as a result, the skin has the chance to renew. This is also the best time for the skin to absorb the ingredients of the facial products. Without enough sleep, the skin is deprived of the time it needs to repair.
- Don’t overwash your face – Although it might sound surprising, this beauty tip could save your skin from some damage. Specialists talk about the threat of over washing which takes away from the skin all the natural oils which protect it and keep it moist. Washing your face too often might cause irritation and dryness because it takes away all its essential oils. Without them, the skin won’t look cleaner, but instead, it will look dull and old. Stay clean without being harsh on the skin.
- Eat the right kind of food – fruits and vegetables contain lots of water and many antioxidant compounds which have a significant impact on the skin. Researchers found that antioxidants make the skin look younger by reducing the appearance of wrinkles. A healthy diet will get you look and feel younger
- Fish is a wonderful source of youth – Adding more fish to your diet does wonder for the skin. Not the only salmon is delicious but is full of antioxidants and omega 3
- Practice yoga for the face – It might sound a little strange, but it is a useful trick. Yoga instructors all over the world teach special yoga poses for the face. Our face has many muscles which must be trained just like the other muscles in the body. Performing some simple facial workouts might improve your appearance by making you look happier and younger.
- Ditch the bad habits – Smoking causes premature aging and wrinkle is a warning we keep hearing for years from doctors. Now there are medical studies which back up this information and prove that the cigarettes accelerate the aging process of the skin and make the already existing wrinkles even more visible. Giving up on smoking is good for your skin and overall health.
- Try a homemade facial treatment – Prepare a facial remedy with the ingredients in your house. It is natural and saves you a lot of money on spa treatments. Squeeze a lemon or a lime and apply the juice on the face in the evening before going to sleep. This juice will reduce age spots and remove dead cells, so the result will be a fresh, new and radiant skin.
Turning back the time requires a plastic surgeon
While the fine lines on the face and neck can be prevented or reduced with the help of non-invasive procedures, the deep wrinkles need the touch of a plastic surgeon. Of course, there is an entire plastic surgery industry developed because many people refuse to show their age. As a result, there is a number of procedures one can choose from to obtain that younger look:
- Dermabrasion – This is part of the surgical procedures category, and it involves a controlled peeling of the surface layers of the skin by using the unique abrasive material or with the help of a mechanical tool. This procedure has multiple uses. Not only it reduces wrinkles but also removes acne scars. At first, the skin might feel swelled, red and scabby, but after a couple of weeks these unpleasant reactions fade away, and a new layer of skin starts unveiling. Unfortunately, the results are not immediate, and it might need a few months to fully admire the results. Microdermabrasion is a procedure which sprays small crystals of aluminum oxide all over the skin surface with the help of a powerful vacuum. This way dead skin cells are being removed and the growth of new skin layers is stimulated. Unfortunately, the results of this procedure are temporary and repeated treatments are required, but the perspective of a smoother and fresher skin with diminished pores, wrinkles or sun damage worths the effort.
- Laser therapy – is another procedure which stimulates the regeneration of collagen fibers within the skin. Laser and radiofrequency are being used together to destroy the surface layer of the skin and heat up the dermis, or the underlying skin. This procedure is also invasive for the skin and results can be noticed after the wounds heal. To admire the new smoother and tighter skin, one must be patient for up to a few months. Technology is evolving, and new laser therapies are now available which are less harsh on the skin, so the wounds heal faster. The skin feels refreshed and more firm after several treatments, so this procedure must be repeated to maintain the results. Recent satisfaction studies conducted on laser therapy reported a high percent of happy patients. More than 90% of people declared themselves satisfied with the results one month after undergoing RF treatment, and over 75% of them were still happy with the results even after six months.
- Botox – also known as type A Botulinum toxin is a famous chemical which can make muscles contract and it is used to treat a broad range of medical conditions, including wrinkles. Injected in small doses under the skin it targets the muscles of the face making them stand still. This way the skin flattens and looks smoother, and most importantly the wrinkles are reduced. Botox is used to reduce the lines between the eyes, around the eyes, and on the forehead. The effects of these injections last for about three months, so the procedure must be repeated several times a year if you want to keep the fresh skin look.
- Chemical peels – is another procedure which peels off the surface layer of the skin, this time by using special chemicals. The dead skin is peeling off, and after healing, the regenerated skin presents fewer wrinkles than the one before. Even if you can find on the market some products that can be used at home for chemical peeling, it is advisable to go to a specialist for this procedure to avoid complications.
- Facelift – is a type of plastic surgery, also known as a rhytidectomy. 1 This is an extreme measure which should be taken into consideration after trying other less drastic options. The procedure involves the removal of the extra skin and fat from the face and neck so the skin can look tighter. Unlike the previous methods, the results of a facelift last for about six years, but the skin on the neck will relapse first. Just like any other surgery, facelift involves certain risks and the healing time may be painful and last for weeks
- Fillers – hyaluronic acid, collagen or fat are injected in the deep wrinkles to give the skin more volume and smoothen the wrinkles. Sometimes swelling bruising and redness might appear on the treated areas, but these unpleasant side effects should disappear within several days. To maintain the new look, treatments must be repeated after a few months.
Each of the above procedure is proven to reduce the wrinkles and bring the youthful look onto the face. Before setting any high expectations regarding the results, one should be aware that they depend on different factors, including how deep they are and where they are located.
You are as old as you feel
We live in a society which puts great pressure on appearance. Fitting certain beauty standards is essential to obtain a good social status and sometimes even professional. Ageing is a natural process, and we should be able to embrace it with grace. Age is just a number, and it is more important to feel young and not let a wrinkle ruin your joy for life.
Maintaining a youthful look is not a bad thing as long as it doesn’t become an obsession. It is well known that plastic procedures might cause addiction and once you get the look, you wanted you will do anything to keep it forever. It doesn’t matter which method you choose for making some of the wrinkles fade away as long as things are kept under control and you are happy with the results. Preventing wrinkles from appearing means living a healthy life, eating proper foods, sleeping enough and working out. All these things not only help your skin look better, but also make you feel better. Beauty comes from inside as well, and if you feel happy and confident, that will also show on your skin.
