Wrinkles – almost half of the women and the dermatologist experts are studying them! Often seen as beauty spoiler, they generally mark their presence with the age. So what brings them? Here I will discuss the key causes that form the wrinkles with the line of the face.

Read on!

The skin’s structure – a key factor!

Our skin is made up of two layers. The outermost layer is called the epidermis and is mostly made up of dead cells and hardened cells. Below the epidermis lies the dermis. Wrinkles can form at any of these two layers. Whenever there is a loss in skin elasticity and firmness skin is more susceptible to wrinkles. A decrease in skin’s capability to retain moisture also makes it more vulnerable to facial wrinkles.

What are the “Lines of face”?

Face is the index of the mind. The lines on your face have a lot to say about your mood and health. They are the most common facial areas around which muscle activity occurs. The most common facial lines are

• Horizontal lines on the forehead also called as worry lines
• Right vertical lines between eyebrows
• Left vertical line between eyebrows
• Deep horizontal grove at top of nose
• Crow’s feet, small lines coming out from outer corners of the eyes. They are more prominently seen when a person smiles.
• Deep vertical line at the side of mouth
• Laugh lines
• Vertical lines above top lip

Why do wrinkles start appearing?

As you age the skin loses its ability to hold moisture content required for good elasticity. The production of collagen and elastin also slows down breaking down the overall structure of skin. Fat under the dermis also starts waning leading to sagging and skin bags. Aging also slacks down the natural healing capabilities of skin and makes the healing process slower. All these make the skin weaker and thinner.

Facial lines and wrinkles may fall under two types namely deep lines and fine lines. Fine lines usually form due to over exposure to sun, pollution and other factors and cannot be attributed to facial movements. They usually form due to irregular thickening of the dermis. It is the deep lines that are mostly affected by facial movements and lines of the face. Each smile, frown or any facial expression contributes to your facial lines and wrinkles. Deeper lines or furrows are formed by muscle activity on your face. These lines usually start out as dynamic lines and are strengthened as static lines over time making the furrows permanent.

Why do wrinkles appear along the lines of face?

Most of the activity of facial muscles happens around the lines of face placing more strain on those areas. As the skin becomes less elastic, it is not able to retain its old texture after you stretch and make grooves under your skin whenever you make an expression. The skin is unable to go back to its previous state and when these expressions become a repeated habit, the lines become prominent forming permanent furrows.  For example constant worrying expression can cause wrinkles along worry lines to appear on forehead as we tend to wrinkle our forehead when we are worried.

How can you Delay the wrinkles from appearing

Sticking to healthy habits and making few changes to your lifestyle can prolong your youthful appearance. Regular exercise especially facial exercises, good sleep, positive thinking, healthy eating habits and a healthy sex life are all important for a radiant and healthy skin. Moisturizers and anti-ageing creams can also help you retain moisture and supply the necessary proteins for your skin. Some other clinical treatments that deal with wrinkles include resurfacing, implantation, botox and cosmetic surgeries.