Medically reviewed by Minimalist Health Specialist - Written by Viddhi Patel (Journalist) on 11th Nov 2020
How to get rid of wrinkles? Methods recommended by dermatologists
Here's an ultimate guide to treating and preventing aging signs.
As time goes by, we all get visible lines on our faces, and it is natural to lose some youthful fullness from our faces.
Wrinkles are not all that bad. A few facial lines here & there can be endearing and even add character to your face. But many of us prefer to keep these in check, and it is okay to feel self-conscious about them.
It may make you feel older than you are and force you to go to great lengths to prevent or treat wrinkles like opting for intricate skincare routines, injections, or surgeries.
The boastful marketing strategies and unreal claims might overwhelm you and make it difficult for you to know what’s right and what is just a ploy to get you to spend a bomb on skincare products and services that might “vanish” wrinkles altogether.
All about our sworn enemy- Wrinkles!
Wrinkles occur mainly on the body parts most exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck, the backs of the hands, & the tops of the forearms.
The natural aging process makes your skin thinner and drier; our genes control these manners. This type of aging is medically referred to as “intrinsic aging.”
When you step out in the sun without any protective sunscreen or make the wrong lifestyle choice, it causes your skin to age before time. The “extrinsic aging” type can be prevented with some precautionary measures.
In contrast to thinner intrinsically aged skin, premature photoaged skin typically shows thickened epidermis, blotchy discoloration, deep wrinkles, laxity, dullness, and roughness. Sagging is the gradual loss of skin elasticity.
The choices you made and the damage it caused build up over time, and you start seeing CHANGES in your skin. It may make you appear older than you otherwise naturally would.
The changes are:
- Wrinkles
- Age spots, Liver spots.
- Loose skin
- Spider veins
- Ruddy or blotchy complexion
These changes are also referred to as “photoaging,” “premature aging,” or “sun-damaged skin.” As the damage continues to build, the appearance of deep lines or dry, scaly patches called actinic keratoses (AKs) initiates.
It is a challenge to reverse wrinkles’ appearance once they form, but some steps can be taken to slow down their formation, and treatments available to treat them gradually.
Factors that cause wrinkles.
Our skin loses elasticity with age because when collagen production declines over time, your skin turns drier because it doesn’t have as much moisture or volume as it once had.
This process is natural and bound to happen but can be exacerbated with various factors like sun exposure, pollution, skin type, and certain lifestyle habits like smoking and sleeping less.
Treating wrinkles the right way
The appearance of wrinkles can be lessened and removed to a certain extent.
Topical Treatments
The effectiveness of anti-wrinkle creams available over-the-counter depends partially on the active ingredients. Retinol, antioxidants, and some peptides effectively improve the appearance of wrinkles. But the results with these treatments are limited and often short-lived as these creams are not infused with active ingredients in abundance as with prescription ones.
The two main groups that are used as anti-aging components are antioxidants and cell regulators.
Antioxidants, such as vitamins, reduce collagen degradation by decreasing the free radical concentration in the tissues.
While the cell regulators, retinol, peptides, etc. directly affect the collagen metabolism and influence collagen production.
Retinoids
Vitamin A derivatives, the cell regulators, act on collagen metabolism and stimulate collagen production and elastic fibers.
Retinaldehyde and tretinoin also possess antioxidant effects. Tretinoin, a nonaromatic retinoid, is more robust and is used in 0.05% concentration in anti-aging treatment. It reduces UV-induced early skin aging, like wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity, and pigmentation.
Retinol is the most used anti-aging agent and causes less irritation than tretinoin. Retinol has a robust positive effect on collagen metabolism as well as intrinsic skin aging.
Vitamin A derived prescription-strength retinoid containing medication reduces wrinkles, splotches, and roughness when applied to the skin.
Retinoids like tretinoin, Retin-A, Renova, and Tazorac are among the medical treatments. It has been the most proven and effective way to improve aging signs, such as uneven pigmentation, roughness, and wrinkling.
Granactive retinoid 2% gives you a youthful vibrancy with gentle, safe, and effective serum, which works by boosting cell turnover and stimulating collagen production to erase fine lines and wrinkles, revealing radiant, glowing skin.
These medications may cause redness and peeling, but improvement comes when the unpleasant peeling subsides. Use it for a few weeks before you notice any improvement.
Mandatorily apply SPF as retinoids make your skin susceptible to sunburn, broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum of 30 SPF, and protective clothing is a must.
OTC wrinkle creams
AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids)
The “fruit acids,” as they are called, include glycolic and lactic acid. These fruit acids preparations are generally safe and cause null to more than mild, temporary irritation. The subtlety of the improvement is comparatively palpable.
Antioxidants
The vitamins B3, C, and E are all essential antioxidants, provide sun protection, and mildly work on and improve wrinkles. These, however, do not exempt your use of SPF while using them.
Their ability to penetrate through the skin through their small molecular weight makes them essential in the skincare game.
Vitamin C, the water-soluble, in 5-15% concentrations, has an anti-aging effect by inducing collagen production as well as the enzymes necessary in collagen production.
In-office treatments
Chemical Peels
A chemical solution is applied to remove the top layers of skin. The skin that will grow back after a chemical peel is smoother, and depending on the peel depth, you may need several treatments before noticing differences in your skin appearance.
Redness may last weeks, and scarring, infection, and lightening or darkening of skin color are other potential side effects.
Glycolic acid peels are superficial peels and make slight differences in the intensity of fine wrinkles.
Deeper peels use phenol TCA and penetrate deeper into the skin, and do better work at smoothing fine lines. But deeper peels means greater chances of side effects, scarring, and changes in skin color. It may even be uncomfortable for some of us, so know and ask everything before diving into the process.
Laser resurfacing
The outer skin layer is destroyed and heats the dermis, stimulating collagen fibers’ growth. Smoother and tighter skin forms during and after the healing process.
However, it cannot eliminate excessive or sagging skin. Try to know about the down-time and how many days/ treatments you will have to go through.
Dermabrasion
The procedure “sands” the skin with a rapidly rotating brush and depends on the professional practicing the technique. Temporary redness, scabbing and swelling, scarring, and permanent skin color change are possible side effects.
Microdermabrasion
Like dermabrasion, microdermabrasion removes the skin’s fine layer, stimulating collagen formation in deeper skin layers. It requires a series of treatments to notice modest, temporary results.
Rosacea may worsen after microdermabrasion.
Plastic surgery
Facelifts, brow lifts, other cosmetic surgeries help some people.
Facelifting tightens the underlying muscle and tissues. Bruising & swelling are usually evident for weeks after surgery. The results are not permanent.
Ultrasound therapy
It uses ultrasound as a noninvasive technique to lift and tighten skin on the face, neck, chin, and even chest wrinkles.
Injections
Botox keeps the muscles from contracting, and when the forces are prohibited from tightening, skin appears smoother and fewer wrinkles. It works well on frown lines between eyebrows, forehead, and crow’s feet at the eye corners. It lasts a few months and requires repeat injections to maintain results.
PDT
Photodynamic rejuvenation helps treat fine lines caused by sun exposure.
Be careful while considering cosmetic procedures and consult good, experienced doctors in the field. Convey your goals, and inquire about all the risks, benefits, and costs involved.
The results vary depending on the location and depth of your wrinkles.
Prevention: The better way.
You can, with a few cautions and lifestyle choices, prevent extrinsic aging ever to plague your appearance. Lifestyle choices help prevent wrinkles from developing in the first place and slow down their arrival.
Photoprotect
Limit direct sunlight exposure, especially in the middle of the day. You should be mindful of opting for protective clothing, SPF 30 or higher sunscreen application, and its application every two hours. Opt for makeup products inclusive of SPF. All of these choices make a significant difference in your future skin appearance.
Hydrate your skin
Hydrated skin is plump skin, so moisturizing is necessary. Dry skin desiccates skin cells and promotes fine lines and creases.
Stop smoking
Getting rid of the smoking habit improves skin tone and texture.
Nourish your body with a healthy diet
When your body is getting all the vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants it requires, it can help reduce wrinkles. Blueberries, beets, spinach, kale are foods high in antioxidants. Cut on refined sugar and refined carbohydrates. They accelerate aging.
The prevention of wrinkle formation has an integral approach: to reduce inflammation by topical or systemic antioxidants, which should be ideally used with sunscreens and retinoids to enhance their protective abilities.
Daily skincare may increase skin regeneration, smoothness and temporarily improve skin condition. A healthy and functioning skin barrier is an essential protector against dehydration, penetration of irritants, and other microorganisms.
Beminimalist’s piece of mind
The desired anti-aging therapeutic effect depends on the lifestyle, immune, genetic, emotional, and health status, and the continuous, step by step process, which combines various skin-revitalization and rejuvenation methods.
Wrinkles and pigmentary changes are a direct effect of premature photoaging.
Wrapping it up
The strategies to prevent photoaging include sun avoidance, blocking UV radiation through sunscreens, retinoids to inhibit collagenase synthesis, accelerating collagen production, and antioxidants to reduce and neutralize free radicals.
