Do you feel like Father Time is being a little harsh on you? We all show signs of aging eventually, but some people age faster than others. Genetics play a role, but lifestyle is more important than anything.
If you live a healthy lifestyle, you may be able to rid yourself of wrinkles – at least for a few more years.
When it comes to wrinkles, the best thing you can do is prevent them. Once they appear, they’re difficult to banish. So to start, we’ll cover 6 of the easiest ways to prevent wrinkles. Then we’ll touch on some of the most successful wrinkle-removing methods.
Here are six easy ways to rid yourself of wrinkles.
Moisturize
Regardless of whether you’re waiting on your first fine line or have deeply-rooted crow’s feet, it’s never too late to start moisturizing.
Make it a habit as soon as you can, so you can stave off some of those deep wrinkles until later in life. But here’s the thing about time: it keeps ticking. So even if you have some wrinkles, you’re guaranteed some more at some point or another. Moisturize daily to keep your skin hydrated and fresh.
Avoid excess alcohol
Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it helps the body usher out fluids. When you binge drink, there’s no way you can replenish and drink enough fluids to keep your body running well. Your body needs fluids for essential functions. If you don’t have enough fluid for everything, your body will prioritize what’s important. This means your skin is the last to see proper hydration.
If you’re drinking alcohol more than twice a week, it’s time to cut back or quit. If you have trouble stopping, you may need help. Alcohol is much more addicting than most people think.
Find help online or talk to a counselor about how you can stop drinking.
Keep using sunscreen
If you’re staying away from sunscreen to up your vitamin D intake, stop. It’s giving you wrinkles.
The sun’s rays are one of the biggest causes of wrinkles around. Unfortunately, sunbathing is out of the question without sunscreen. And then there’s the risk of developing skin cancer, which should be higher on the priority list than a few fine lines.
Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, and be sure to get one that’s non-comedogenic. That means it won’t clog your pores.
Sleep on your back
This one sounds like it would be an old wife’s tail, but it’s legit. When you sleep on your side, your pillow pushes into your face and causes your skin to wrinkle up. Over time, these wrinkles can become more permanent.
Of course, sleeping on your back is easier-said-than-done if you’re a lifetime side-sleeper. Try falling asleep on your back and see how long you can stay that way. Over time, you may fully convert to back-sleeping.
If you’re still having trouble, try these tips:
-
- Place a pillow under your knees to help align your spine
- Bring your arms up to the sides of your pillow
- Spread your legs slightly farther than your hips
Eat antioxidant-rich foods
To understand exactly how problematic free radicals are, we need to cover some simple chemistry.
Molecules split into atoms, and electrons fill a shell that orbits those atoms. But sometimes, the shell is left unfilled. These atoms are now called free radicals. Think of free radicals like the desperate guy at the bar. He’s trying and trying to connect with someone, anyone, to fill his needs. But no one wants him because he’s completely unstable (just like a free radical).
In the case of the atom/free radical, it’s trying to connect with the electrons it’s missing instead of a romantic partner.
When oxygen molecules continually split into unpaired atoms (free radicals), we call it oxidative stress. This is what causes wrinkles. And that’s where antioxidants come in.
When you eat processed foods, your body produces free radicals. When you breathe, your body produces free radicals. It’s normal to have some free-radicals, but too many can lead to wrinkles.
To fight free radicals, eat antioxidant-rich foods. Berries, nuts and dark chocolate are good examples. As for veggies, you’ll want to load up on leafy greens like spinach and kale.
Vitamin C is a particularly powerful antioxidant, so try to eat foods that have a lot of this vitamin. Bonus: those foods will also have other nutrients and antioxidants.
Get lots of sleep
You don’t need someone to tell you this, but your body doesn’t function well without sleep. While you’re sleeping, your body is resting and regenerating. Your liver is working to clean out the toxins, and it gets to make some progress because you’re not adding new ones.
Try for eight hours each night. If you find you’re waking up before the alarm every morning, you can try cutting back to 7 hours.
Interestingly enough, everything you can do to prevent wrinkles will also benefit your overall health, so it’s a win-win. And if you’re trying to fight wrinkles that have already settled, try products with retinol, vitamin C and/or hydroxy acids. Together, with prevention and treatment, you may just rid yourself of those bothersome wrinkles.
Leave a Reply