The natural process of aging will always cause some wrinkles to form on your face. There are some facial wrinkles that can be avoided, and one kind is the faces that you make.

Try to see yourself in the mirror and make faces like frowning, wrinkling your nose or grimacing. You’ll notice that wrinkles will form on your face. These wrinkles become more obvious over time and won’t disappear when you stop frowning.

Wrinkles can also be formed due to damage caused by the sun. The ultraviolet rays from the sun damage skin cells, resulting to the less elasticity of the skin. When your skin becomes elastic, it begins to sag. It’s like elastic rubber band – when exposed to the heat, it becomes less elastic and sags.

Less common cause of wrinkles is weight-loss. Obese people who become thin have more obvious wrinkles. Stretch marks are evident.

Sleeping on one side of your face can also cause wrinkles. The weight of your head against the pillow pushes the skin in your cheeks thus creating little folds and wrinkles on your face. Wrinkles could become more permanent if you always sleep on one side of your face.

Another culprit for wrinkle formation is cigarette smoking. Skin of the smokers in their 40s looks like the skin of people who are in their 50s or 60s. Normal aging process accelerates due to smoking, thus wrinkles are formed earlier. Wrinkles around the lips and mouth of the smokers are obvious.

To avoid premature wrinkles, follow these simple tips:

• Stop smoking.

• Avoid frowning, grimacing, and making ugly faces. This does not mean having no expressions at all. Just don’t exaggerate these expressions.

• Wear sunglasses when you’re out in the sun to help protect your eyes and to avoid squinting which causes wrinkles to form around your eyes.

• Limit the amount of time you spend under the sun. Outdoor activities should be scheduled early in the morning or late afternoon when the sun’s rays are not strong and harmful.

• Apply sunscreen to the areas of your body that will be exposed to the sun before you go outside. Reapply the sunscreen after you have been in the water or when you have been perspiring.

• If you want to lose weight, do it slowly and safely. Crash diets make you lose too much weight and are dangerous to your health. It is sure to cause premature wrinkles on your face.

• Avoid sleeping on your side, if possible. Place a pillow under your knees to make sleeping on your back comfortable. (Many photography models do this to avoid premature facial wrinkles.)

• Vitamins E and D help reduce skin damage from the sun. Take the recommended daily allowance.

• Take care of your skin. Use mild cleanser when washing your face daily and blot your skin dry. Avoid rubbing your skin dry with a towel – this damages the tender skin of your face. If your skin is scaly and dry, apply moisturizing cream. When applying make-up, instead of rubbing, blot on your foundation especially under your eyes. Rubbing stretches and damages the skin, causing wrinkles.