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Fine lines and wrinkles: What causes them?
Well, fine lines and wrinkles come to us all. And personally, I think we’d all look a little bit strange if we reached our later years in life, with the smooth face of our youth! I like my little lines when I smile, they hold stories of a life well lived.
That said, I’m not a fan of the deep ’11’ lines I developed in my 30’s – or, as I more affectionately call them, my ‘WTF’ lines. Most commonly visible when I am, indeed, trying to work out what the flip is going on!
In a cruel twist of fate, our natural collagen & elastin levels start to decline from our mid-twenties onwards. These proteins are responsible for our plump, firm, and glowing skin. Then, hit us with perimenopause, and you’ll likely see a sharper decline of collagen, thanks to the hormone circus.
But there are other factors that contribute to fine lines and wrinkles, and there ARE things you can do about them! Here are some factors that will speed up those fine lines and wrinkles appearing on your face:
UV exposure, lifestyle choices like smoking, pollution, diet & nutrition, stress, sleep, medications/medical conditions, and genetics. In this blog, we’ll look at ways that you can both prevent and treat fine lines and wrinkles, from the outside in and inside out. Ready? Let’s go!
The Fountain of Youth
Sadly, the fountain of youth doesn’t exist! I imagine it to look something like this if it did. While there is no fountain of youth to make our fine lines and wrinkles disappear, you can take steps to improve your fine lines and wrinkles and stop new ones from prematurely arriving.
This is what we’ll cover in this blog:
- The best product to prevent fine lines and wrinkles.
- How to protect your skin from the inside out.
- Lifestyle factors: Little changes for BIG impact.
- Skincare to strengthen, repair, and protect.
- Treatments that actually work!
1. Your BEST product for fine lines and wrinkles
This simply HAD to be at number one! If you take nothing else away from this blog, please let it be this.
There are two types of UV rays, UVA – A is for ageing, and UVB – B is for burning. You’re exposed to UVA rays 365 days a year, come rain or shine. And UVA rays are responsible for up to 80% of premature ageing. That means they are responsible for the appearance of a LOT of fine lines and wrinkles.
If you choose not to use a sunscreen on your face, then you might as well not read on – to be honest. Because UV rays degrade and destroy collagen and elastin. So they will undo much of your efforts, especially when it comes to products and treatments. In fact, if you’re using active ingredients in your products and having treatments, you’re likely end up with increased damage, as your skin is more vulnerable to UV rays whilst recovering from treatments, or if you are using actives.
Choose a sunscreen for the face, minimum SPF 30, broad spectrum (UVA and UVB), 4/5 star rating. Use a separate product from your moisturiser or makeup, as sunscreen is diluted if it’s in other products, and you won’t get the same level of protection.
2. Prevent fine lines and wrinkles from the inside out
My days as a nutritional therapist will not let me talk about your skin, without advising you on how to look after it through the power of food! There are lots of delicious foods you can include in your diet, that will support healthy collagen production AND protect your skin from free radicals and UV damage.
Antioxidants are amazing for your skin, both in your skincare and in your diet. I’ve created a little guide for you, with my top 15 recommendations for foods that your skin will love – and don’t worry, chocolate is on the list too! I know right… Gotta love the opportunity to eat chocolate where we can! Click HERE to download the guide.
Supporting your skin through your nutrition can make a big difference to fine lines and wrinkles, and the overall health and appearance of your skin. Remember, it’s the largest organ of your body and entirely unique to you. It responds to everything from the inside out and outside in.
3. The importance of lifestyle choices
Stress
Lifestyle choices can make a big difference. There are many lifestyle factors that affect your skin, from where you live (city/country/seaside), your exercise habits, and your day-to-day choices. In this blog, we’re going to look at the 3 S’s: Sleep, Stress, and Smoking.
Stress: Some stress is good for us, not all stress is bad. But long-term or chronic stress can wreak havoc on your skin. When you’re stressed, your stress hormone, cortisol, spikes. Studies have shown that this breaks down collagen in the skin. Declining collagen levels mean more fine lines and wrinkles, thinner skin, and a higher risk of UV damage. Read my blog on stress HERE.
Being in a state of constant stress can also trigger an inflammatory response in the body, which can accelerate the aging process. Inflammation can damage skin cells and impair their ability to produce collagen. And guess what – more fine lines & wrinkles!
Finding ways to reduce your stress levels can really help. It doesn’t have to be big or fancy, just introducing some box breathing daily, spending time with friends and laughing, or going for a walk can really help. There are lots of tips in my blog if you click on the link above.
Sleep
It’s called beauty sleep for a reason. A poor night’s sleep can actually leave you with more visible fine lines and wrinkles overnight!
Your skin is in repair and regenerates mode at night. This is when your body (and skin) recover from the day, rebalance, reset, and repair damage caused by free radicals, UV rays, and all other manners of things. Your body removes toxins, and excess fluids, balances your hormones, produces fresh, healthy collagen and elastin, increased your natural moisturising factors, and basically does all it can to find balance.
Whilst you’re in a deep sleep, your body produces human growth hormone (HGH), which is essential for cell regeneration and repair, including the skin cells. A lack of sleep seriously affects the production of HGH. The consequence of this is that it slows down/disrupts cell regeneration and, you guessed it, contributes to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles!
Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night, where possible. If you need any convincing on the importance of sleep or help on how to improve your sleep, I highly recommend this book – Why We Sleep, by Matthew Walker.
Smoking
Did you know that I won’t offer you treatments in my clinic if you smoke? That’s not because I have an opinion on smoking, I grew up in a family of smokers and most of my friends have smoked over the years.
I won’t offer you treatments if you smoke, because you will be wasting your money – it’s really that simple. You’ll experience poor results, poor healing, and actually increase the potential for damage to your skin, post-treatment.
The chemicals in cigarette smoke damage collagen and elastin fibers in the skin. This is why those that smoke often experience premature ageing, or an increase in the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.
Smoking also causes the blood vessels in the outer layers of the skin to constrict, reducing blood flow to the skin, and preventing oxygen and essential nutrients from reaching your skin. So your skin won’t repair well from treatments.
Cigarette smoke contains a high concentration of free radicals, which can cause oxidative stress on the skin. This damages the collagen and elastin fibres, which contributes to premature aging.
Smokers lines: I treat so many ex-smokers for lines and wrinkles around both the mouth and eyes. Around the mouth, from the act of smoking, and around the eyes, from squinting to avoid smoke going in the eyes.
Smoking has been shown to significantly affect the skin’s ability to heal and regenerate. Cell turnover is slowed down, collagen levels are lower than they should be, and skin is dehydrated & dull, contributing further to the development of fine lines & wrinkles.
Smoking, as with everything, is a personal choice. But if you’re considering investing in big skin treatments, I’d personally recommend against it, as I think you’ll be disappointed with the results.
4. Skin care for fine lines and wrinkles
Retinol gets a mention all of its own, as it is AMAZING for fine lines & wrinkles.
Retinol works by promoting cell turnover and stimulating collagen production, which helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also improves skin tone and reduces age spots. And, if that wasn’t enough – it also refines the skin’s texture leaving it smoother and more glowing.
When you use retinol in your skincare routine, alongside other powerful active ingredients like Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and AHA’s/BHA acids – you’ll really see some fantastic results.
Whilst retinol is a superhero in the fight against fine lines and wrinkles, there are some other amazing active ingredients that lend a helping hand. This isn’t exhaustive, by any means!
Vitamin C is essential to healthy collagen production. It’s a powerful antioxidant that also helps protect your skin. It also evens out skin tone and reduces pigmentation too.
Hyaluronic Acid: Holds 1000 x its weight in water and is a must for hydration. It plumps and hydrates your skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Peptides: These are building blocks for collagen and elastin. They boost natural collagen production and support repair and healing in your skin. Look for copper peptides, matrixyl, and Argireline (this one is known as botox in a jar!).
Niacinamide: Vitamin B3 improves skin elasticity, strengthens the skin’s barrier function, and reduces inflammation. It also boosts collagen production and helps to improve the texture of your skin and reduce pores.
Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs): AHAs are chemical exfoliants that gently dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells. They speed up your cell turnover and help your other products to have better contact with your skin. Look for ingredients like glycolic, lactic, and mandelic acids.
Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs): Salicylic acid is the most common BHA and, like AHAs, it works to exfoliate the skin and promote cell turnover. Although BHAs are more commonly used for acne-prone skin, they can also contribute to reducing fine lines and wrinkles by promoting and boosting cell turnover.
Ceramides: Ceramides are lipid molecules that help maintain the skin’s barrier function and retain moisture. They are naturally found in the skin, but their levels decrease with age. These are great for restoring your natural skin barrier and keeping your skin supple and healthy.
Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant derived from grape skins, red wine, and other plant sources. It stimulates collagen production and also protects your skin from free radicals and damage.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): CoQ10 is an antioxidant that is naturally found in the body but decreases with age. Including this in your skincare can help protect against oxidative stress, promote cell turnover, and improve skin elasticity.
Green Tea Extract: Green tea extract is rich in polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that help protect the skin from free radical damage and inflammation. It also improves skin elasticity, which is great for reducing fine lines and wrinkles.
If you’re already using anti ageing skin care, chances are that you’ll find a lot of these ingredients in your products. If not, then it might be time to change! Switching to medical-grade skin care can really make a difference, as the level and quality of active ingredients are much higher – which means you get better results. You can find out more about skincare ranges and products via the button below. If you need some guidance, then please reach out – I’m happy to help.
5. Treatments for fine lines and wrinkles
So, cards are on the table here! I only offer treatments that trigger natural responses in the body, to boost your collagen & elastin levels, speed up cell turnover and lift & tighten your skin. I love my non-surgical face-lift treatments, radiofrequency micro-needling, and HIFU because the results are outstanding – and they are all about boosting natural processes within your body.
These treatments are amazing for everything from fine lines and wrinkles, through to deeper lines and wrinkles, saggy skin, and improving skin tone and texture. I have offered other treatments over the years, but nothing gets results quite like micro-needling, radiofrequency micro-needling, and HIFU – in my opinion!
In all the years I’ve been in practice, radiofrequency micro-needling has been my favourite ever treatment. I believe you get the most benefit for your investment, as it treats lines & wrinkles, skin tone & texture, AND tightens and lifts the skin. For some clients, combing it with HIFU really helps to give WOW results!
I love that the results from these treatments improve long after you’ve left me. You still see incremental improvements for around 3 months post-treatment with RFM and 6 months with HIFU.
You can find out more about radiofrequency micro-needling and HIFU by clicking on the button below. But I am going to go and talk about some other treatments that can help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, so you have lots of options!
Other treatments to consider
There are a few things you need to be aware of when it comes to treatments for fine lines and wrinkles.
- You need collagen-boosting treatments, to effectively reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
- You’ll need a course of treatment and then maintenance – as collagen levels will continue to naturally decline, due to the ageing process.
- Treatments alone are not a magic wand. To maximise results, combine with the lifestyle, nutrition, and skincare advice I’ve shared, to really maximise your results.
Here are some other treatments you might like to consider:
Chemical peels: These peels remove the dead skin cells on the surface of your skin, and promote healthy, new cell turnover. They help your other skin care products be more effective, as they are applied to fresh skin. They can leave your skin smoother skin, which can reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, and also reduce pigmentation/sun damage. If you have deeper lines & wrinkles, then they will have minimal impact.
Laser treatments: Fractional laser resurfacing can stimulate collagen production, improve skin texture, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. I used to offer fractional laser treatment, but I actually sold my machine after I started with radiofrequency micro-needling, as the results with RFM were far superior and the downtime much less.
Micro-needling: As with all micro-needling, it’s a form of collagen induction. I’ve been a fan of micro-needling for many years, long before RFM made an appearance, and all the skin pens started to pop up! Just be aware that not all micro-needling is created equal. Micro-needling alone can help with very fine lines & wrinkles, but it will have little effect on deeper lines. I always this is a great treatment for 30’s and under when the early signs of ageing creep in. Collagen levels start to decline in our mid 20’s, so starting micro-needling late 20’s/early 30’s can help to maintain collagen levels and keep those pesky fine lines and wrinkles away a little longer.
In conclusion.....
We’ve covered quite a lot of ground here, in the fight against fine lines and wrinkles. I hope you’ve found some helpful tips and advice that you can use.
I truly believe that ageing is a privilege and that we’re blessed to be able to grace. Lines and wrinkles are going to come to us all, but if we can do something to minimise them and prevent premature ageing, so we can feel confident and happy in our skin – then I am ALL for that!
You’ll notice I’ve not touched on injectables. That really is a personal choice, and every treatment has its place. I have clients that have radiofrequency micro-needling and/or HIFU, as an alternative to injectables. And, other clients that have those treatments alongside them. I have gone into them in this blog on fine lines and wrinkles, because they don’t actually treat them, per se – they mask them. But, you’ll find a recommendation for a doctor that offers them, in my Little Black Book.
In terms of getting the best results for your skin, incorporating lifestyle, nutrition, skin care, and treatments will hands down give you the best possible results.
If you’d like some help or guidance, then please reach out. You can also download my Ultimate Skin Guide, via the button below.
Goodbye for now
I really hope that you found my blog on fine lines and wrinkles helpful. If you would like some help with your skin, then please get in touch. I know it can be confusing, with all of the different advice available out there. The truth is, that there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ answer, as so many factors affect your skin. I always work with my clients from the inside out, and outside in – to ensure you get the best possible results.
I offer remote services, as well as clinical treatments. My aesthetics clinic is based in Alton, Hampshire. I’m on the Hampshire/Surrey border, just 15 minutes from Basingstoke and Farnham, and I’m at the end of a direct train line from London Waterloo.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
And, if you haven’t taken my Skin Quiz yet, then please do. It’s fun, takes less than 4 minutes, and you’ll get immediate access to personalised results.
