What Your Wrinkles Say About Your Lifestyle

Everything from how you sleep, what you eat and how you cope with stress all contribute to those sneaky lines that pop up as we get older. By getting to the root of the problem, you can learn how to remove face wrinkles fast.

The legendary comedian Phyllis Diller once said: “If you don’t have wrinkles, you haven’t laughed enough.” 

It turns out there’s some scientific fact to that wise phrase. 

Skin experts Nataliya Robinson and Dr Aamer Khan have shared with The Sun all the ways the good and not-so good parts of our lifestyle are impacting on those little lines on our face. 

We bet there are a few factors that will prove very surprising. 

Sleep position 

If one side of your face is more wrinkled than the other, it could well be because you sleep on it more. 

“Lying on a pillow for hours on the same side of your face can lead to poor blood ­supply and lack of lymph flow,” Nataliya told the newspaper.. 

This can lead to permanent collagen de-formation and allows wrinkles to form more easily on the affected side of your face.

Yeah, turning over isn’t an option right now. | Photo: iStock

Dehydration 

Does your skin hold a light pinch when you tug at it, or does it spring straight back into place? Dehydrated skin doesn’t have as much spring as it should, and it will also look dull and show fine lines on the sides of the face. 

The good news is it can all be perked up with added moisture – both on the inside and outside. 

“They are not true wrinkles,” Dr Khan said. “Once the skin has been hydrated, the lines should disappear. Think of it as the difference between a plum and a prune.”

Laughing 

We wouldn’t want to prevent these, but it’s good to know where laughter lines can pop up. 

“Laughter lines appear in the creases from the nose to mouth, caused by the repeated movement of smiling and laughing,” Dr Khan said. 

“While some people have prominent laughter lines, others of a similar age might not have any – but that’s not to say they haven’t shared the same level of happiness. Factors such as skin type and tone determine how early in life you are likely to start seeing laughter lines.”

Smiling is good for you. | Source: iStock

The sun 

If you have pronounced crow’s feet on the outer corner of your eyes, then they may well have been caused by sun exposure. 

“Although a little sun can be good for us, excessive UV ray exposure weakens skin cells and blood vessels,” advised Dr Khan. “This damage results in lines and wrinkles as well as broken capillaries and pigmentation. Crow’s feet – the tiny fine lines around the eyes – can deepen into furrows if you’re not using a daily SPF30 cream or higher.”

Stress 

There’s no end to what stress causes the body, and wrinkles are no different. When you are stressed, you frown, and it plays a big part in disrupting skin-balancing hormones. 

“Stress and anxiety increases the production of the hormone cortisol, which degrades collagen, leading to lines and wrinkles forming,” said Dr Khan. 

The damage is often seen in a furrowed brow and vertical grooves up to the forehead. 

Smoking 

This is a definite no-no!

Beside the internal damage that ciggies cause, the repeated action of puffing on a cigarette can lead to permanent wrinkles. 

“Smoking creates free radical formation that is bad for skin cells, collagen and the lymphatic system which can cause skin to look dull,” Nataliya said. 

“More obviously, spider web lines around the mouth, aka marionette lines, are usually a sign a person smokes.”

Avoid at all costs, not just for your skin. | Source: iStock

Worrying 

Deep creases around your chin can be a result of long-term worrying and all you want is to know how to remove face wrinkles fast.

“As the mouth muscles tend to turn downwards when we’re stressed and disappointed, the chin is a common place for worry lines,” said Nataliya. 

Lines on the forehead can also emerge from this behaviour as we often hold tension in that area. 

Sugar 

This might make you put down that 3pm chocolate bar. 

“Too much sugar makes our adrenal glands work harder, which can lead to visible skin issues,” advised Nataliya. 

When we consume sugar, our bodies go through ‘glycation’ whereby toxic compounds that damage elastin,  collagen and even DNA are produced.

Signs of excess sugar damage are generally seen around the eyes in the form of dark circles and under-eye ­wrinkles.

This article was first published in Kidspot and was republished on theAsianparent with permission. 

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