Is it possible you could cause wrinkles by how you take care of your skin?
Genetics affect the appearance and behavior of our skin to a certain extent, but how fast your skin ages is largely affected by your daily habits.
That’s good news, because it means you can slow the appearance of wrinkles if you avoid these ten mistakes!
10 Mistakes that Cause Wrinkles
1. Not protecting your skin from the sun.
Dermatologists say that UV radiation from the sun is enemy number one when it comes to skin aging. Though we need the vitamin D our skin produces when exposed to the sun, too much exposure damages the skin’s strength and elasticity, accelerating the formation of wrinkles.
To Do: Avoid exposing sensitive areas of the skin to the sun during peak hours from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Use a safe sunscreen of at least SPF 30 that contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide on your face every day.
Mistakes That Cause Wrinkles 2. Smoking/vaping.
Smoking and/or vaping is horrible for your skin. The nicotine narrows the tiny capillaries that bring blood to the surface of the skin, which slows the ability of the cells to remove themselves, while making it harder for the skin to rid itself of toxins. Nicotine also contributes to the breakdown of collagen and elastin, leading to premature sagging and bagging.
To Do: If you smoke, ask your doctor about options to help you quit. Don’t be afraid to try and try again—most people try several times before succeeding. If you don’t smoke or vape, don’t start!
3. Not providing your skin with pollution-resistant nutrients.
Pollution can easily accelerate damage to your skin. It contains free radicals that alter the genetics of a cell and activate proteins that break down collagen. In a 2019 study, researchers reported that indoor and outdoor airborne pollutants affect skin metabolism, create inflammation, cause oxidative stress (from free radicals), and accelerate aging.
To Do: Eat more healthy fruits and vegetables, as they contain free-radical-fighting antioxidants that help your skin resist free-radical damage. Then apply skin care solutions that contain powerful antioxidants. Good options include solutions with vitamin C, vitamin E, Reiki mushroom, turmeric, niacinamide, CoQ10, and beta carotene.
(Check out our CV Skinlabs products—they all contain powerful antioxidants to help resist pollution-inspired skin damage.)
4. Failing to eat a healthy diet.
Speaking of fruits and vegetables, eat a healthy diet if you want to delay the formation of wrinkles. Eating a lot of high-fat, high-sodium, and high-sugar items floods your skin with ingredients that break down collagen and elastin and accelerate skin aging. Fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds, and lean proteins all have ingredients that help nourish the skin from the inside out, helping it to look its most youthful self.
To Do: Eat healthy foods most of the time. Make a habit of adding more fruits and vegetables to each meal, and steer clear of refined flour and highly processed foods that irritate the skin, cause breakouts, and make wrinkles more noticeable.
5. Eating too much sugar.
You may eat healthy most of the time, but then consume too much sugar. It’s easy to do. Check the ingredient labels on your foods and you’ll see that even items you’d think would be healthy like wheat bread, soup, and yogurt can be packed with sugar. If you have a sweet tooth or a daily soda habit, you’re most likely consuming way more sugar than you should be—not only for your skin, but for your health in general.
Sugar harms the skin through a process called glycation. Sugar molecules bond to proteins, lipids (fats), or nucleic acids, creating advanced glycation end products that harm collagen and elastin fibers in skin.
The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar per day (25 grams or 100 calories) and men consume no more than 9 teaspoons a day (36 grams or 150 calories). Most Americans eat much more than that.
To Do: Cut back on sugar wherever you can. Read food labels to see how much added sugar is in the product you’re considering buying. Look for low-sugar or no-sugar options. Then replace your sugary soda with mineral water, tea, or coffee, and reduce your servings of sugary treats.
6. Neglecting stress relief.
All of us have stress in our lives. If we don’t practice a daily routine to shed it, our skin can suffer the consequences. As we noted in a previous post, scientists have discovered a clear connection between psychological stress and the onset or aggravation of skin diseases like eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis, as well as skin problems like acne and dryness.
When you’re stressed out, the body releases hormones to help you cope. As long as the stress doesn’t last long, you’ll be fine. But if the stress becomes chronic or long-term, these hormones continue to circulate in the body where they can cause skin inflammation, breakouts, redness, and premature aging.
To Do: Adopt a daily stress-relieving activity that you enjoy—something that helps you relax and forget about the day’s challenges. Some good options include walking in nature, meditation, journaling, deep breathing, spending time with positive loved ones, art therapy, listening to music you like, and engaging in your favorite hobbies.
7. Drinking too much alcohol.
Excessive alcohol can dry out the skin, damage the skin’s outer barrier, and create inflammation. Women have to be even more cautious than men. As we noted in this post, research has shown that women’s bodies metabolize alcohol differently, which means that whenever women drink, it affects them more than it does men, and for a longer period.
Alcohol’s negative effects on skin include:
Dryness
Inflammation
Collagen and elastin breakdown (sagging and bagging)
Decreased blood flow (robbing the skin of nutrients it needs)
Disturbed sleep
To Do: If you enjoy drinking, limit the amount you drink to a moderate level. For the best results, drink only on special occasions.
8. Failing to get enough sleep.
While you’re sleeping, your skin is carrying out important repair processes that help your skin recover from the day’s activities and prepare for the next day. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body will produce more stress hormones that can hinder the ability of the skin’s cells to renew themselves. If you are chronically sleep deprived, you’ll see it in your skin’s aged appearance. In fact, just one night of poor sleep can make your skin look older the next day.
To Do: Get up and go to bed at the same time every day, and try to get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Make sure you have a supportive mattress and a quiet and cool bedroom. Avoid taking any technological gadgets (phone, tablet, computer) to bed with you.
9. Not using a quality moisturizer.
There is a strong connection between skin dryness and premature aging. Dry skin signals a problem with the skin’s outer barrier. When it’s healthy, skin is able to hold on to the moisture that it has, and skin looks soft and supple. If the outer barrier is compromised, skin loses moisture more easily and appears dry.
Dry skin also shows wrinkles more easily, whereas moisturized skin is better able to hide them.
To Do: Use a quality moisturizer every day and every night. Read the label on your product to make sure it will really help your skin, not just coat it. Some department store brands are full of fragrances and petrolatum products that do little but coat the skin and smell good. If your skin feels tight an hour or two after application, you’re using the wrong moisturizer.
Try our Calming Moisture and Body Repair Lotion for all-day moisture and hydration. Both products contain quality ingredients that sink deeply into the skin to not only moisturize but help heal the outer barrier so skin can better hold on to its moisture.
10. Failing to stick with a daily skincare routine.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, the saying goes, and that holds true for skin care. There is no substitute for daily, careful skin care when it comes to preventing premature wrinkles.
To Do: Establish a regular cleansing, toning, and moisturizing routine, then stick to it every morning and night, no matter what! Make sure the products you’re using are gentle, safe, and right for your skin. Our Rescue + Relief Spray makes the perfect toner as it hydrates, cools, and moisturizes all at the same time. Then follow with our Calming Moisture for all-day skin comfort.
Have you made mistakes that cause wrinkles?
Featured image courtesy of Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels.