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Wrinkles

It?s often been said that a Wrinkle is like a roadmap of your life. But many of us would rather not be reminded of the distance we've traveled. What can you do? First, understand what causes a wrinkle.

What Causes Wrinkles?
The following factors are the most significant:

Aging
A Wrinkle is a by-product of the aging process. With age, skin cells divide more slowly, and the inner layer, called the dermis, begins to thin. The network of elastin (the protein which causes skin to stretch) and collagen fibers (the major structural proteins in the skin), which support the outer layer, loosen and unravel, causing depressions on the surface. With aging, skin also loses its elasticity, is less able to retain moisture, oil-secreting glands are less efficient and the skin is slower to heal. All of these contribute to the development of a wrinkle.

Facial Muscle Contractions
Lines between the eyebrows (frown lines) and lines jutting from the corner of the eyes (crows feet) are believed to develop because of small muscle contractions. Smiling, frowning, squinting and other habitual facial expressions cause a skin wrinkle to become more prominent. Over time, the expressions coupled with gravity contribute to the formation of jowls and drooping eyelids.

Sun Damage
Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (too much sun) can result in premature aging of skin. Premature aging of the skin is called photoaging. The ultraviolet sunrays that cause photoaging damage collagen fibers and cause the excessive production of abnormal elastin. When ultraviolet light damages skin tissue, an enzyme called metalloproteinase is produced. This enzyme creates and reforms collagen. During the process, however, some healthy collagen fibers are damaged, resulting in a disorganized formation of fibers called solar scars. A wrinkle develops when the rebuilding process occurs over and over.

Smoking
Healthy skin perpetually regenerates. While old collagen is broken down and removed new collagen is produced. Researchers have found that smoke causes a marked reduction in the production of new collagen. A lack of new collagen results in the development of wrinkles.

What Are the Treatment Options for Wrinkles?
There are numerous over-the-counter treatment options for wrinkles. Removing skin layers to reduce wrinkles or irregular depressions is an effective way to regain smoother, more youthful looking skin. Dermabrasion (scraping layers away) and chemical peels (dissolving skin away) are two of the traditional methods used in skin resurfacing. Aside from these procedures, two newer techniques: laser skin resurfacing with an erbium or carbon dioxide laser and Botox injections are the latest techniques developed to repair prematurely aging skin and wrinkles. A wrinkle cream might be another treatment for repair and improvement of a skin wrinkle. There many anti wrinkle products on the market today, offering safe and effective results. Consider checking out the cosmetic counters, there is a wide variety of choice in deciding on a wrinkle cream.

There are various anti wrinkle treatments, ask your doctor which procedure is right for you. There is no replacement for your doctor's professional advice. Each person has his or her own individual needs; similarly, each procedure fulfills its own specific need.

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