We all know what wrinkles are. They can be seen on your face or body, especially if they are deep. Do you ever wonder why you get them? Our idea is to look into the anatomy of wrinkles. Understanding how wrinkles are formed will help you be more knowledgeable about what you can do to fix them. It’s difficult to see what you can achieve with so many serums and wrinkle creams promising to reverse wrinkles. Most of us are skeptical about lofty claims. This kind of marketing copy can be confusing and distracting, in fact.

Let’s take a closer look at what wrinkles are. A wrinkle is simply a depression or crease on the skin’s surface. There are many types of wrinkles, and different classification systems for them. On a simpler level, they can be divided into three broad categories.

• Fine lines are thin lines that are difficult to see from afar. Fine lines are more common than deep ones. Some fine lines are more severe than others. The eyes are a common spot for them.

• Deep lines can be described as furrows or grooves. These lines are easily visible and usually appear to be straight and long. Examples: nasolabial folds, forehead lines, glabellar lines.

• The result of skin overlapping is called a fold. This happens later in life, when the skin is more loose and sags.

You can also look at wrinkles by determining if they are motion wrinkles and non-motion wrinkles.

• Wrinkles in Motion only appear when you smile or make a specific facial expression such as smiling. These wrinkles can be explained by muscle movements. These wrinkles can appear even if you don’t make any expressions at all after a certain point.

• Wrinkles at Rest are visible when you don’t move a muscle. These wrinkles can be caused by sun damage, other damage sources, or intrinsic (natural) ageing.

What causes wrinkles?

Think of your skin like a drape. Our skin drapes over the structures beneath our skin when we are young. This drape loosens as we age, revealing folds and wrinkles. Wrinkles can be caused by loose skin. Skin also becomes saggy.

Is there something that causes the drape to change over time? There are many biological changes that occur in skin, which can lead to wrinkle formation. These are the main changes you will notice.

1. Fat loss is one of the side effects of natural aging. The cheeks lose fat which causes the skin to sag and makes it appear hollower. There’s less volume in the facial area if there is less fat. There’s less skin to drape over if there’s less volume. The skin is still there, but it covers less. So skin develops folds. Gravitation can be blamed for the folding and sagging of your skin. Everything is pulled down by the earth’s gravitational (unless there’s something to resist it, like bone). This is why breasts and buttocks become sagging with age. Over time, the skin tissue begins to deteriorate. Where does the skin go when it becomes weaker? It can only go down!

What can be done?

There are no topical products. There are both surgical (fat replacement) and non-invasive cosmetic options (injectables fillers). It is best to eat a healthy diet with sufficient fat (the good ones). Sometimes, we see women who are so determined to lose weight that they don’t eat any fat. They have a hollowed appearance and dry skin. It can be difficult to regain lost facial volume. It is best to not lose facial volume in the first place. The value of facial volume is very important. Injectable fillers are very popular because of this.

Fat is not a bad thing! Even if you are older, a little more fat is good. You’ll actually look younger. You’ll also be less likely to sustain bone injuries. Your skin requires lipids as well as essential fatty acids to maintain a strong barrier function.

2. Our skull shrinks at 60. As hard as it might be to believe, Because we don’t produce as much bone, our bones shrink.

What can be done?

Again – almost nothing. You can only ensure that you get enough Calcium and Magnesium from your diet in order to keep healthy bones. Exercise to reduce bone loss. Weight bearing exercises can help increase bone density and bone mass.

3. Collagen is more abundant than other proteins in the body. Collagen fibers are a type of scaffolding in skin that provides structure and supports it. There are many types of collagen fibers found in the skin’s dermis layer. An enzyme is responsible for reducing collagen levels in the skin when there is inflammation. The enzyme called collagenase is part of a group known as MMP enzymes. MMP stands for Matrix MetalloProteinases. Collagenase’s job is to remove old collagen and make new collagen. It is the body’s response to injury (a wound), or to damage to collagen through other means such as ultraviolet rays or toxic chemicals. As we grow up, collagen is made at the same speed as it is broken down. As we age, however, this rate slows. As collagen continues to degrade, the rate of this degradation is increasing. This means that less collagen is being made and more collagen is being broken down.

What can be done?

First, you must prevent collagen damage as much as possible. Here are four key steps:

• You must protect your skin from the sun. You can protect your skin by using sunscreen, covering it with clothing and accessories, and keeping out of direct sunlight. UV radiation can damage DNA and proteins, as we all know. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals caused by pollution and the sun.
• Watch your sugar intake. Glycation is when excess sugar binds with collagen and renders it dysfunctional. It can also cause inflammation.
• You should avoid inflaming your skin. Inflammation is the process that causes the release of MMP enzymes. This is a long and complex process. Inflammation can be caused by many things. You cannot control over-cleansing, exfoliating, picking at your skin, using the wrong products, or exposing your skin too much sun.
• Avoid secondhand smoke and don’t smoke. Tobacco smoke can accelerate skin aging. Tobacco smoke triggers inflammation, but also generates more free radicals that the sun. These free radicals can stay around for many days!