There are several surprising causes of wrinkles that many people don’t know about. While bad genes, sun damage, free radicals are all obvious reasons for why some may age quicker, there are also strange yet true catalysts that can induce the formation of wrinkles.
New studies suggest a range of activities may contribute to the formation of wrinkles. While controversial, these factors have been identified, studied and published by credible sources.
Here are of some of the most surprising causes of wrinkles:
Sleeping On Your Face
The American Academy of Dermatology has pointed out that both sleeping on the side of your face and sleeping directly on your face can cause wrinkles. You know those pesky lines that show up on your face after a long night of sleep? Those don’t necessarily go away, but stay as indentations under your top layer of skin until years of sleeping form deeper and deeper wrinkles. The AAD’s suggestion is to sleep on your back, saying it’s the best way to keep from forming unwanted wrinkles.
Running
In 2009, Annet King released an article in Psychology Today suggesting that intense running may be good for waistline but bad for your skin. Subsequent studies have supported this notion. Though running can help improve the body in numerous ways, many believe that it can weaken the elasticity of fibers in your face. Causes are theorized to be from oxidative damage. Oxidative damage comes from the body causing less oxygen to flow to the face to help secure enough oxygen for the rest of the body. This is known as oxidative stress and it is likely to damage skin cells and the elastin that supports collagen fibers.
It is also believed, if you’re an outdoor runner, that the extended exposure to the sun causes even harsher results.
To help prevent wrinkles from running, try switching your exercise routine to a moderately intense workout. Walk instead of running, try yoga or pilates. Moderately intense exercising can actually produce antioxidants that help with the removal of free radicals. Always wear sunscreen when exercising outdoors.
Repetitive Movements
Any motion that you continue to do throughout the day that is unnatural to a body’s normal routine can cause wrinkles. Two activities that have been proven to do harm are chewing gum and drinking from a water bottle. Chewing gum makes you use your mouth and jaw much more than someone normally needs to. This can lead to wrinkles around the mouth, on the cheeks, and under the nose.
Drinking from a water bottle is no better, or, the repetitive motion of puckering the lips while drinking from the bottle. Small wrinkles form around the lips similar to a smoker. (Smoking can also cause these specific lines, in addition to promoting free radicals which hasten wrinkle formation.) To help prevent this kind go wrinkles, try keeping gum chewing to a minimum, and for water bottles, use a cup with a wider mouth so you don’t have to pucker the lips.
Divorce
A study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons showed that divorce could be a major reason for wrinkles. Using sets of identical twins, the AAD suggested that environmental factors could cause wrinkles despite genetic makeup; divorce being one of the most major causes of wrinkling and aging between a set of twins. “Twins that had been divorced appeared nearly 2 years older than siblings who were married, single, or even widowed.”
Though there isn’t very good advice provided on how to prevent divorce (other than perhaps pre-marital counseling and learning the phrase, “yes dear”), certainly practice a healthy at-home skin care regimen that consists of drinking plenty of water, hydrating and moisturizing the skin. This will help your skin thrive despite the more turbulent times in life. Injection specialists can also assist you in wrinkle prevention using non-surgical procedures such as Botox(r) and Dysport(r) which will help reduce facial unnecessary extreme motions caused by anger sorrow or stress (while still appearing natural in facial movement.)
Anti-Depressants
Along with divorce, the ASPS noticed twins that used anti-depressants were more likely to look older than those who didn’t. Though they’re not completely sure why anti-depressants caused more wrinkles, the ASPS suspects the continuous, untargeted relaxation of facial muscles that anti-depressants can cause might account for sagging muscles and loss of elasticity.
Undesired wrinkles can be an indication of aging, stress, or lifestyle choices. These are just some of the more surprising causes of wrinkles that both men and women can experience. For more questions about how to prevent and minimize the signs of aging, contact Dr. Dayan’s team of aesthetic medical professionals to schedule an appointment or consultation.
