Wrinkles and Sagging Skin

Wrinkles are the thin, creased, and sagging skin that is especially noticeable on the face, neck, and hands. Most wrinkles appear on the parts of the body where sun exposure is greatest. These especially include the face, neck, the backs of the hands, and the tops of the forearms. There's not a magic age when everyone suddenly gets wrinkles. Some people in their 20s have little wrinkles around their eyes from squinting or spending too much time in the sun. Skin wrinkles typically appear as a result of aging processes such as glycation or, temporarily, as the result of prolonged immersion in water.

Wrinkling in skin is caused by habitual facial expressions, aging, sun damage, smoking, poor hydration, and various other factors. The hair and nails also change with aging, including graying of the hair, hair loss, and brittleness of the nails. Dry skin with weak collagen and elastin will sag, shrivel, and wrinkle. The skin around the eyelids, jaw, and neck is especially thin, and therefore more naturally prone to aging.

Wind, heat and chemicals and the natural effects of aging cause a certain amount of wrinkling in everyone. Exposure to ultraviolet light, UVA or UVB, from sunlight accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature skin aging. The dermis has an elastic quality thanks to fibers called elastin that keep the skin looking and feeling young. A protein in the dermis called collagen also plays a part in preventing wrinkles. Changes in the epidermis caused by the sun include thinning of the epidermis and the growth of skin lesions such as actinic keratoses, basal cell carcinomas, and squamous cell carcinomas. Sunlight damages collagen fibers and causes the accumulation of abnormal elastin. When this sun-induced elastin accumulates, enzymes called metalloproteinases are produced in large quantities. Habitual facial expressions cause the skin to wrinkle as it looses elasticity.

Treatments and products (including anti-aging creams) promising to reduce, remove, or prevent age-related wrinkles are big business in many industrialized countries.

* Vitamin A Acid has the longest track record of success in treating aging skin and fine lines.
* Creams containing tretinoin must be used on an ongoing basis. They may produce redness and peeling at first, but discomfort can usually be minimized by lowering the cream's concentration or applying it less often until the skin gets used to it.
* Alpha-hydroxy acids: These so-called "fruit acids" include glycolic and lactic acid.
* Antioxidants: These include preparations that contain the vitamins A, C, and E, as well as beta-carotene. Such creams may provide a certain amount of sun protection as well as mild improvement of fine wrinkles.

To minimize skin wrinkling, stay out of the sun as much as possible.

Get Rid of Wrinkles

* Close your lips, take your mouth in the left and then in the right. Practice it 3-4 times.
* Tap the face slowly and lightly with the fingertips to increase the blood circulation.
* Breathing should be proper while doing any of the workouts no matter whether.
* Use your fingers upwards from the lower of your eyes to the sides of the forehead; it relives the stress from the facial muscles.
* Stroke your chin in upward motions using both your thumbs. It helps reducing the double chin. * Blow off air from mouth as you are filling air in a balloon, it's a helpful exercise in filling the flat cheeks.
* Making a smiling face and then holding it for few second and releasing it are as good exercise for the cheeks.
* There are some lightweight, battery operated equipments are available in the market to use for facial exercises.