Medically reviewed by Minimalist Health Specialist -  Written byAheli Sen (Fashion & Beauty Expert)  on 10th Nov 2020

Does Dry Skin Cause Wrinkles?

Does Dry Skin Cause Wrinkles?

Here is the thing! The older we get, the more our skin starts to wrinkle out, and we stress out and wonder how to make it better. Let us look at the primary cause of the same and get an insight into how different skin types react to wrinkling, and have a good understanding of where to start and when to help deflect the signs of aging

First things first, what are the causes behind wrinkling? 

Well, that is rather obvious. Aging causes the same but let us delve a bit deeper.  

Causes of wrinkles: 

  • Dry or dehydrated skin
  • Skin thinning out due to old age. 
  • Skin losing elasticity. 

These are the three main contributors as part of old age that gives us wrinkles. The older we get, the more our skin thins out. It starts losing elasticity because of which skin loses its power to protect itself from damage. Lastly, it stops producing enough moisture to help the skin maintain shape.

The physical causes of wrinkles are also a thing. Our various facial expressions make the skin wrinkle in parts from a very young age, and as we grow older, these wrinkles only get more prominent.

Wrinkles are also formed differently depending on the race you belong to. It is so because every skin tone has a different structure and functional differences. Research shows that people who have more melanin, like the Asians and the Blacks, have a more compact epidermis that makes skin thicker and produces less facial wrinkles. 

Other factors that cause wrinkles are as follows: 

  • Sunlight.
  • Pollution. 
  • Smoking
  • Medications
  • Environmental Factors
  • Genetic Factors.
  • Dehydration

Now that we have established what mainly causes wrinkles let us discuss whether it's accurate to say that dry skin causes wrinkles.

It is pretty accurate, and now we shall mainly focus on this aspect.  

Now how are we establishing this myth as a fact?  

Well, when you look at a dried fruit or vegetable, the appearance of the same looks wrinkly. Why does that happen? Well, obviously because the said fruit or vegetable lacks enough moisture in it to regain its shape. Thus, for us, too, dry skin exaggerates the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

The type of skin that one has affects the kind of wrinkles that the skin can form and what its appearance is going to be like.

Oily skin makes up for skin to remain supple, and thus, it helps smooth out fine lines and the formation of so. The same goes for normal skin, where the skin produces enough moisture to retain its smooth appearance.

Applying a good moisturizer helps when you have just started. 

What You Can Do to Help Dry Skin and Wrinkles 

While almost every other moisturizer can improve fine lines' appearance, your skin needs a lot more than just a temporary solution. To have a long-lasting, significant difference, your skin needs a unique moisturizer specially made for wrinkles containing state-of-the-art ingredients proven to fight the signs of aging that include uneven appearance skin tone, loss of firmth and fine lines.

The best way to protect dry skin from wrinkling is to initiate using creams and serums, which run the extra mile. Also, using serums and lotions that contain antioxidants, ingredients that restore the natural balance of the skin and contain SPF of a minimum of 30 for application before going out into the sun is quite crucial. 

These are some preventive measures that could help you:

  • Antioxidants help fight the daily assault of the environment on the skin. These boost skin health and keep toxicity at bay.  
  • Ingredients that help restore the skin's natural balance can help skin look entirely transformed, renewed, fresh, and rejuvenated on many levels. They are a fantastic group of differently effective ingredients that help the skin reignite younger-looking skin appearance. 
  • Skin-replenishing ingredients are substances that skin can no longer produce by itself or have lost and can't make more of due to aging, unprotected sun exposure, and using skincare products that are either harsh on the skin or contain aggravating agents.

    Making sure to give these substances back to the skin is the best way to help keep the skin feeling incredibly soft, hydrated, and radiant. Those wrinkles just starting to appear will take on a plump and smoother appearance, to reveal a youthful look you thought was lost forever—but there is one more crucial step: Sun protection. 
  • Sun protection is always the cherry on top. As important as all the above ingredients are to improving skin for the short term and a long time, it is still crucial to use a sunscreen that is effective and is rated SPF 30 or higher for 365 days a year. We know that sunscreen used topically is not as eye-catching as the latest anti-wrinkle miracle ingredient, but without it, you have no way of helping your skin resist visible signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. 
  • Using Niacinamide serums also really helps people starting with skin aging. It boosts moisture in the skin and helps prevent the skin from losing its hydration. Niacinamide helps the skin grow a ceramide or a lipid barrier that helps retain moisture, preventing dry, flaky skin accentuates the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 
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Usage of Propylene Glycol is also helpful in preventing aging to the best extent. We start aging after a point in our lives because our skin loses its natural moisturizing factor with experience advancement. Skin starts looking dull, becomes saggy, and wrinkles form. Propylene glycol, which provides moisture or substitutes the natural moisturizing factor of skin, helps slow down aging.

What to eat to combat wrinkles caused by dry skin: 

1. Avocado:

These are also called nutritional powerhouses. Avocados are loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. They are rich in antioxidants and vitamins, which can protect your skin from radical damage and restore the skin's natural suppleness.

2. Black sesame seeds:

Filled with essential fats, amino acids, oleic acid, potassium, and fiber, all of which are necessary ingredients for healthy and beautiful skin

3. Pumpkin seeds:

This godly seed is packed with vitamin E, zinc, sulfur, and Omega-3 fatty acids, which help in healing, nourishing, restoring, and hydrating the skin. These seeds are best for the skin when consumed raw as their healthy fats are destroyed upon exposure to too much heat. 

4. Omega-3 fatty acids:

Beneficial to both the body and the skin, food that is rich in Omega-3's help the body respond to irritation and draw water to skin cells to make the skin plumper by making it hydrated, therefore, reducing wrinkles. Salmon, tofu, flaxseeds, shrimp, soy, and halibut are fantastic choices for supplying the Omega-3s to the body. 

5. Selenium:

It is a type of mineral that helps preserve the skin's elastin, keeping skin smooth and firm. Foods rich in selenium include canned tuna, brazil nuts, turkey, oysters, and low-fat cottage cheese.

6. Tomatoes:

Lycopene, an essential antioxidant found Acne-marksin tomatoes, helps prevent UVA and UVB damage, acting as a natural SPF. No, it cannot act as a substitute for sunscreen. However, it is said that eating two tomatoes gives your skin a sun protection factor of 5, which means you will have 50 minutes before you start burning. 

7. Vitamin C:

This vitamin is essential for collagen production and helps improve the skin's ability to renew itself. Some vitamin C-packed foods include dark leafy greens, broccoli, peppers, strawberries, oranges & papaya. Papaya is a superfood for dry skin as it's even packed with vitamin E, a nutrient that protects the skin from free radical damage & is essential for fighting wrinkles. 

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Final Note:  

Some simple changes to your daily skincare routine and your diet can make a massive difference in your skin's overall appearance. Starting early to take care of the skin also makes a huge difference.

As mentioned above, a good diet and beginning to use the right moisturizer or serum at the right time will ensure the best outcomes.

Moreover, it is to be noted that while all of the above may help delay the formation or, instead, accentuation of wrinkles, they cannot prevent the same from occurring as nothing can overturn the natural processes of the body.