8 Things That Cause Wrinkles

I confess that I can be vain as a peacock at times. In some respects, this seems to be increasing with age. For example, I am obsessed with having wrinkle-less skin. I am 33 now and have been taking very good care of my skin since my early 20s, and I've been using high quality anti-wrinkle creams in conjuntion with facial exercises (although I don't do the latter as often as I should). The following is a list of common no-nos that will lead to, or are thought to lead to, wrinkles. If you're like me, you'll want to avoid all of them, just in case everyone is right!

The Sun

It's no secret that if you spend the first 30 years of your life toasting your skin, you're going to look like a leather bag by the time you're ready for your mid-life crisis. I grew up in the NE part of America, and everyone spent way too much time at the shore. When I was a kid, we laughed at the women who went out in floppy hats and white stuff smeared all over their faces. Well, guess who got the last laugh there?

The sun loves you, but she's not in love with you. Don't spend all of your time trying to bask in her attention -- like all females, she will burn you when she's had enough. And if even if she doesn't, her UV rays and heat will slowly and steadily break your skin down. I have spent the last 15 years OUT of the sun whenever possible. I have very few lines in my face at 33 and those I have are only noticeable if I smile like a moron. Be nice to your skin; avoid the sun unless you know how to care for your skin while you're out there.

Smoking

It only takes 10 years of smoking to create irreversible skin damage by smoking. Not only do the carcinogens wreak havoc on your insides, they will eventually do quite a number on your face. If you don't believe me, just take a look at a Bingo Granny and you'll see what I mean. Smoking constricts blood vessels whose job is to nourish your skin -- if the good stuff can't get through, that's going to be a problem. You also stand a very good chance of getting smoker's pucker; a lovely ring of lines around your mouth.

Pollution

Some of us can't help where we live, but where you live plays a part in what your skin looks like as you age. If you spend your life living in Manhattan or L.A., your skin is going to be subjected to a lot more crap than, say, someone living on a cattle ranch in the middle of Nowhere, USA. Smoke (including cigarette smoke), car exhaust, factory emissions and other things like this linger around even when you can no longer see them. I'm not saying you have to live like Laura Ingalls, but you may want to reconsider living in the center of a major city.

Sugar

Scientists are now claiming that a high-sugar diet leads to a breakdown in good collagen -- and without good, strong, Level III collagen, your skin is going to break down very quickly. In fact, they say that too much sugar in your diet actually changes Level III collagen to Level I. Not good. If you need evidence of that, diabetics are known to wrinkle more rapidly due to their body's struggle with managing sugar. So easy does it on the sugar, y'all!

Facial Expressions

You're probably thinking frowning and things like that cause wrinkles. They certainly can, if done frequently. But the thing which people do most often is usually smiling, and those are the wrinkles we see first and most obviously. I'm not saying don't smile... but you may want to invest in a good eye cream to help counter this early on.

Dehydration

This doesn't have to necessarily mean people who are seriously in need of something to drink, like soemone who's just run a marathon. This applies to anyone who doesn't consume enough water on a daily basis. Skin needs to be moisturizing from the inside out and if you're not doing this, it may eventually take a toll on your skin. Although, if you've got naturally oily skin, this may not be a big issue for you.

Poor Diet

We've already discussed too much sugar in the diet, but if you've got too much of anything, it's got to be filtered somehow and your skin will be assisting in that process. Grease, sugar and other unhealthy things are not going to help save your skin. Vitamin deficient skin is also going to be prone to wrinkling.

Crappy Cleansers and Creams

When I was about 22 I bought a facial cleanser from a very popular company whose products line the shelves of every grocery store. That facial cleanser did so much damage to my skin in one washing that I was afraid I would wrinkle before I was 25. As a teenager and young adult I'd always bought the more expensive products you see in the drug store, but those products are, generally crap. Yes, they are cheap. But you'll actually find that you need a lot of more of them, and they don't work nearly as well, as the more expensive brands which only take a dab and last for eons. If you want good skin you need to be using good products -- or at least avoid the bad ones. If the high-end products are too expensive, I'd try something homemade and natural before using something you can get at the local grocery store.