A suggestion to prevent wrinkles : make sure you get enough sleep
 Wrinkles, the tiny pleats or lines in
the skin are caused by the loss of elasticity of the skin. Wrinkles are caused by the passing of
time - it is an inevitable process - and therefore associated with "getting and being old".
Everybody will get wrinkles eventually. But some sooner than the others. Why? Because,
besides the passing of time, many other factors are responsible, for their creation.
Wrinkles are genetically determined, but other factors will speed up the process, like air
pollution, stress, exposure of the skin to the sun. Even though ( for now ) it is impossible to
alter the ageing process of the skin, we can still slow down their creation.
Suggestions to prevent wrinkles
- Be gentle with your skin and take good care of it. Remove your make-up every night, even if you
are very tired. Use a moisturising cream to keep the moisture levels of your skin
intact.
- Protect your skin against harmful external influences and get sufficient sleep.
- The sun is always on top of the list of 'wrinkler creators'. Sunrays increase the amount of
free radicals in your skin. Free radicals can be interpreted as elements that damage the skin.
Collagen, which keeps the skin supple, is torn down and the skin loses its elasticity. That is why,
it is important to protect your skin from the damaging influence of the sun. Use a suntan cream
everywhere and at all times. Preferably with a factor 15 at least, whether you are just going to
the shops or to work, whether the sun is shining or it is cloudy outside.
- Air pollution: It isn't easy to protect your skin against air pollution. It is better to live
and work in an environment that offers clean air, but we do not always have that choice. Something
that does help your skin a little is applying some day cream in the morning. At least that way your
skin carries some protection. Besides that, it is very important that you clean your skin in the
evening (see suggestion 1)
- Do not smoke! Smoke isn't just hazardous for your health, it doesn't make us prettier either.
It narrows the blood vessels. The skin gets less oxygen and necessary nutrients and it becomes less
elastic. Furthermore, the "face" you make when smoking creates tiny lines around the mouth and eyes
(so-called "dynamic wrinkles")
- Make sure you get enough sleep. Your skin regenerates at night. That is why, it is very
important to get sufficient rest.
- Sleep on your backside. It is not beneficial for your skin if it is pressed against a pillow
all night. Chinese women figured this out very early. They slept on their back with a porcelain
pillow that kept their heads in the right position.
- Eat healthily and drink at least 1,5 liter water per day. A healthy diet and sufficient water
are the essentials for a radiating beautiful look. Beauty comes from within, so make sure you get
enough vitamins, minerals, amino acids Especially fish is known to be good for your skin.
- Avoid quick diets. Extreme or strict diets are good for nothing, not even your skin. The yo-yo
effect makes the skin lose elasticity causing wrinkles even quicker.
- Always wear sunglasses when it is sunny. When the sun is bright, we automatically squeeze our
eyes. The skin around the eyes is very tender and therefore more prone to lines and wrinkles. The
more you squeeze your eyes, the more wrinkles you will create eventually (dynamic wrinkles). The
same thing goes for all other facial expressions you make. We are not going to tell you not to
laugh to prevent you from getting wrinkles (laughter is healthy). But do try to relax your face
from time to time. Especially stress and tension can make you grin all day and night. That will
eventually create wrinkles, lines and pleats.
So try to prevent tension and stress! Tension and stress are hazardous for your body and don't
benefit your skin.
It is impossible to reverse the ageing process of the skin. But apart from keeping a good
sleep hygiene, there are creams available that can slow down the creation of wrinkles. These
creams, however, are prescription drugs:
a. retinoic acid (better known as retin-a), family of vitamin a. Retin-a influences
the metabolism of the skin and removes a thin layer of skin (like a kind of chemical scrub), which
exposes the smooth skin underneath Retin-a is often prescribed in cases of acne.
b. alpha hydroxy acids (aha), are acids derived from milk, fruit and cane sugar. AHA's
remove dead skincells and stimulate the production of collagen. The effect of AHA's is milder than
that of retin-a, which can make your skin very sensitive (especially towards sunlight) , red and
irritated. |
