Preventing Wrinkles

There is a lot of information on how to prevent wrinkles, much of it from skincare companies who want you to buy their products. How do we know which actions are the most important and will have the greatest benefit? I have done some research on scientific articles about skin stressors so I’ll try to break it down here.

Part of how you form wrinkles is genetic, and what’s done is done. The good news, according to my research, is that genetics statistically play a very small part in wrinkle formation. The other factors are things you have control over, to some degree, internal and external skin stressors.

UV radiation (sun exposure) is the biggest external enemy of your skin. You probably know that being out in the sun can give you skin cancer, but do you think about it aging and wrinkling your skin? Reading the scientific articles, I was impressed by just how damaging the sun is. There’s a lot of talk about ROS (reactive oxygen species) that I won’t bore you with.. but it’s really, really, really important to stay out of the sun. The free radicals caused by sun exposure decrease your collagen and damage DNA, fats and proteins.

Pollution is another external factor on your skin that you have some control over. External pollution can cause acne, which can disrupt your skin long-term and cause premature breakdown and wrinkling. When I say pollution, think about whatever lands on your skin, not just smog in the air. Regular bathing/washing can protect you from early wrinkling by getting rid of the pollutants that break down your skin.

Internally, the greatest enemy to your skin is smoking. It’s a close second to UV radiation in terms of skin damage and early wrinkling.

Hydration and nutrition are other obvious internal factors for preventing wrinkles that are very important. Technically, you can hydrate your skin internally and externally, but there’s just no substitute for drinking enough water. Lotion should be a great addition to a healthy lifestyle, not a substitute. Nutrition is invaluable as you can actually reverse skin damage by eating properly. Fruits and vegetables have antioxidants that neutralize those free radicals that are ravaging your skin. Some antioxidants gain popularity over others at times and people rush to buy the latest. Glutathione gained popularity for skin lightening, but can be dangerous in some forms. If you are eating a varied, nutritious diet, your body will make or obtain what it needs.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to have great skin. Common sense, good personal hygiene and nutrition will work better than the latest collagen or antioxidant skin cream. Oak Manour soaps and lotions are made with simple ingredients to help you achieve a healthy lifestyle.