Bad Habits that Cause Wrinkles

As you age, you gain many things. You gain experience, wisdom, love, and understanding. However, with all of these beautiful things comes one of our biggest adversaries: wrinkles. Nevertheless, aging is not the only thing that contributes to wrinkles. There are many things you do that you may not even realize cause premature aging. Read more to discover some of these bad habits you may be guilty of that increase your chances of getting wrinkles. 

Stretching Your Skin When Applying Makeup

The area around your eyes is very delicate and should be treated gently. When you tug on the skin around your eyes to put on or remove makeup, you can actually damage your skin’s collagen and break your capillaries. Stretching your skin also decreases the elasticity of your eyelids, which contributes to the development of wrinkles around the eyes. You can prevent these wrinkles by treating this area very gently. Some makeup artists suggest using light, gentle touches when applying creams and eyeshadows and using cotton pads to remove your makeup at the end of the day.

Leaving Makeup On Overnight

When you come home from a long night out, all you want to do is fall into your warm, cozy bed. However, it is essential that you always remove your makeup before going to sleep. Leaving makeup on overnight locks in dirt and bacteria, which can give you acne and even cause signs of aging. Sleeping in makeup can also break down the collagen in your skin, leaving it dry and prone to wrinkles. Always make sure to remove your makeup before sleeping to prevent clogged pores, irritated skin, and premature aging. 

Unhealthy Diet

What you eat can have a significant impact on the appearance of your skin. Unhealthy foods can speed up the aging process. Foods with excessive amounts of sugar can cause you to gain weight, increase your risk for diabetes and heart disease, and deteriorate your skin. Glycation occurs when sugar molecules react to protein and fats in the body, producing Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). These harmful AGEs accumulate in the body over time and decrease your skin’s elasticity, causing you to have more wrinkles. To maintain smooth skin, dermatologists recommend eating foods high in Vitamin C (fruits and vegetables), anti-inflammatory foods (salmon), and foods filled with antioxidants (soy, green tea). A healthy diet will keep you and your skin feeling and looking younger.

Not Wearing Sunscreen

Sunscreen not only protects you from developing skin cancer, but it also prevents you from getting wrinkles. The sun emits harmful UV rays that penetrate deep into the skin and can even damage your DNA if you are not careful. Photoaging, or premature aging of the skin, can occur when UV rays damage the collagen and elastin in your skin, creating wrinkles. However, spending time in the sun increases your body’s levels of Vitamin D and serotonin, which can boost your mood. Wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 can help prevent photoaging and keep your skin healthy while letting you enjoy your time in the sunshine.

Smoking

Smoking has been found to cause numerous health issues, such as cancer, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In addition to these life-threatening effects, smoking also damages the skin and speeds up the aging process. The nicotine found in cigarettes impairs blood flow, depriving your skin of nutrients and oxygen and leading to the formation of wrinkles.