Introduction.

As we age, our skin undergoes many changes, which will inevitably include the development of wrinkles. Is there a way to delay or even reverse them? This is probably the number one thing that my facial clients and people, in general, ask me about regarding skincare. My answer is- it depends!

When people refer to wrinkles, they often group fine lines into the same category. There is a difference between the two, though, and depending on which you are referring to, skincare products may be able to help. In this post, I’ll explain the difference between wrinkles and fine lines, their causes, and how to treat them.

The difference between wrinkles and fine lines.

The word ‘wrinkles’ is often used interchangeably to describe both true wrinkles and fine lines, although there is a difference between the two. Fine lines, as the name suggests, are subtle lines that form mainly from repetitive expressive facial movements and your skin’s natural loss of moisture and elasticity. They are typically shallow and may only be noticeable up close.

Wrinkles, on the other hand, are much more pronounced. They form deeper creases that are usually the result of the natural aging process, which includes the breakdown of collagen and elastin and loss of fat tissue.

What causes fine lines?

As I mentioned, fine lines form primarily from the loss of moisture in your skin, paired with repetitive facial movements like smiling, frowning, or squinting. Moisture refers to the amount of oil in your skin, and as you age, your skin’s oil production will typically wane a bit. This change is primarily due to decreased hormone levels, especially androgens, which stimulate oil production in the skin.

Hydration is crucial for maintaining plump, resilient, and supple skin, and when your skin loses moisture, it becomes prone to dehydration. Moisture loss and dehydration will cause a breakdown in skin elasticity, which is your skin’s ability to stretch and return to its original shape. Moisture loss can also lead to a decrease in your skin’s volume and density.

Everyone’s face naturally moves, which causes the skin to fold along the same lines repeatedly. When you are younger, your skin is able to bounce back from these expressions. However, when you pair these expressions with a loss of moisture and skin elasticity, fine lines will begin to appear.

What causes wrinkles?

When left untreated, fine lines eventually turn into wrinkles. As your skin loses moisture and elasticity, it loses its ability to rebound, and fine expression lines can begin to deepen and turn into more permanent wrinkles.

Wrinkles also form from a breakdown of collagen, elastin, and fat, which are your skin’s support structures. As we age, our body’s natural production of these diminishes, and the existing fibers and tissue can degrade due to factors like enzymatic reactions and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress refers to environmental triggers like UV radiation from the sun and pollution from the air; these stressors will introduce free radicals to your skin, which are unstable atoms that damage your cells. Free radicals cause enzyme reactions that break down collagen and elastin, creating an imbalance that results in wrinkles and sagging skin.

When your skin’s support structures begin to break down, it can also cause the shifting and redistribution of fat cells. This is most noticeable on your face when the fat cells from your cheeks begin to sag, forming deeper wrinkles around the mouth.

Factors that affect the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

Fine lines and wrinkles are a result of the natural aging process, but certain factors can cause them to form earlier or later in some people, such as genetics and lifestyle. Genetics can play a huge role in your skin’s resilience to aging. Gene variations affect how quickly collagen and elastin are produced and maintained in your skin, as well as your skin’s thickness and density; thinner skin generally has less collagen and a weaker support structure, whereas thicker, dense skin is more resilient and less likely to wrinkle. People with dry skin naturally have less moisture, so generally, theirs is more likely to wrinkle than those with oily skin.

Lifestyle factors are also key in the formation of lines and wrinkles. Some people naturally have a more animated face and make bigger expressions, which can cause fine lines to appear sooner rather than later. Some other lifestyle factors include prolonged sun exposure that leads to sunburn or exposure to pollutants from living in large cities, which will damage your skin’s structure. Chronic inflammation caused by diet, smoking, and some medications can also break down your skin’s structural support.

How do you prevent fine lines and wrinkles?

The best way to prevent fine lines and wrinkles is to focus on moisturizing your skin, reducing the degree of movement to the area, enhancing blood flow, and minimizing any potential lifestyle triggers.

Moisturize.

To keep your skin moisturized, I always recommend using a good face oil, like our Holy Grail Face Oil. Oil is what your skin naturally produces to repair and protect itself, so using an oil-based product as a moisturizer will give your skin the best result. If you can keep your skin consistently well-moisturized, this will go a long way toward preventing fine lines from forming.

Reduce Movement To The Area.

Many people think of Botox as the best solution to reduce facial movements. I personally am not a fan, as I don’t believe the long-term effects have been studied thoroughly, and I have concerns about its impact on the lymphatic system. Instead, what I like to do and recommend to my facial clients is to focus on the movements of your face and work on reducing the intensity of the expressions that cause fine lines to form. In the same way that focusing on good posture ‘trains’ your body to naturally have better posture, softening certain facial expressions, such as frowning, can train those muscles to work less, resulting in smoother skin.

Enhance Blood Flow.

Blood flow is so important to the appearance of your skin. Healthy circulation is essential for transporting nutrients and oxygen to your skin cells and vital for synthesizing and maintaining collagen and elastin. The best thing you can do for healthy circulation is to spend a few minutes a day massaging your skin, as this naturally boosts blood flow. I like to set a timer and spend at least 5-10 minutes a day massaging my skin with our Holy Grail Face Oil, and I always notice a visibly brighter, plumper, healthier look to my skin when I’m done.

Minimize Lifestyle Triggers.

There are many things you can do to cut back on the lifestyle factors that cause wrinkles to form. A huge one is to make sure you are not letting your skin burn when you are exposed to the sun. Sun exposure is healthy for your skin because it allows your body to produce the necessary vitamins and hormones. However, prolonged exposure where your skin is turning red or burning will damage the tissue and underlying structure, leading to faster wrinkle formation. Avoiding dietary sources of inflammation, such as high alcohol and processed food consumption, can go a long way toward keeping your skin looking healthy and youthful. Ensuring you are properly cleansing your skin at the end of every day to remove any dirt or pollutants is also key. I never go to sleep at night without cleansing my skin with our Fountain Of Youth Cleansing Clay.

Can you reverse fine lines and wrinkles that have already formed?

Yes, I believe that you can to an extent. By following the preventative methods I previously mentioned, most fine lines can be minimized or even completely eliminated over time. As far as wrinkles go, if they start off as fine lines, they can usually be lessened, particularly with massage and reducing excessive movement to the area. For deeper wrinkles caused by fat loss and the breakdown of collagen and elastin, you may be able to achieve a slight softening, but generally, these will not go away completely.

Suggestions for treatment of fine lines and wrinkles.

Here are my suggestions for the treatment of fine lines and wrinkles:

1. Start using a good moisturizer. I always recommend our Holy Grail Face Oil, which is what I personally use. If you don’t want to use that, I would suggest looking for a face oil that is rich in essential fatty acids and contains skin-safe ingredients.
2. Keep your skin clean. Always make sure to cleanse your skin properly to remove any impurities that can harm it. Here is a link to an article I recently wrote about the best way to cleanse if you would like to read more about that. I use our Fountain Of Youth Cleansing Clay every night before bed to ensure my skin stays clean and fresh.
3. Massage your skin. I have found that the best way to do this every day is to set a timer- 5 minutes is good, but 10 minutes is best, and decide on the time of day you will do it. Morning is good, but I prefer evening, as your skin repairs and regenerates overnight, so the enhanced blood flow may be extra beneficial. You can use your hands or a tool for facial massage, like our Beauty Tool. Here is a link to a video I made demonstrating some techniques to use it.
4. Train your muscles. Spend some time in front of a mirror making the facial expressions that are causing the fine lines or wrinkles you want to treat. Place your fingers lightly over those areas and make the expressions. Notice how intensely the muscles are moving, and work to reduce the intensity just a bit. Once you are aware of how these muscles move, softening them becomes second nature, just like having good posture.
5. Make healthy lifestyle choices. If you will be out in the sun for a while, make sure to use an SPF (I am partial to organic, mineral-based ones). Limit your consumption of alcohol. If you smoke, try to reduce the frequency until you can quit altogether. If you can, avoid heavily processed foods. These choices all go a long way toward the health and appearance of your skin.
6. Choose natural options for more intense treatments. The previous suggestions can make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. For some people, you may need or want more intense treatment options. As I mentioned, I am not a fan of Botox, but there are plenty of other natural treatments out there that work well for fine lines and wrinkles. Microneedling will stimulate the growth of collagen and elastin and is minimally invasive. PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatments use growth factors sourced from your own blood to give your skin a more youthful appearance. Radiofrequency treatments such as Morpheus8 are highly effective at improving your skin’s texture and tightness and use only energy to do so.

Conclusion.

While skincare products are essential for maintaining healthy skin, when it comes to treating fine lines and wrinkles, they should be seen as a part of a holistic approach to skin health that includes massage, protective measures, proper nutrition, and lifestyle choices. While these tactics can go a long way towards enhancing the appearance of your skin, it’s important to remember to embrace your skin at every stage of your life, with all its changes.