Fine Lines and Wrinkles: What Are They, What Causes Them and How Can I Prevent Wrinkles?

Facial lines and wrinkles, also known as rhytydes, along with deep furrows are one of the most common reasons women run to the cosmetic counter for miracle anti-aging creams or to their local dermatologist to erase these facial blemishes.

Knowing what fine lines, wrinkles and deep furrows are and how they are caused is important to preventing them. Knowing what exactly they are, how facial lines, wrinkle and deep furrows form, how to prevent them and even how to treat them is important information to know for those that want to have or keep a youthful and radiant face; free of fine lines, wrinkles, and deep furrows.

What are Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Fine lines are simply-those lines on your face, usually around your mouth, nose, eyes, and forehead that are not deep lines; but are noticeable especially without make up on. When you use the wrong kind of makeup, the makeup will settle into the fine lines and cause them to be more noticeable.

Wrinkles can occur anywhere on the face, are not straight lines usually and are deeper than fine lines but not as deep as deep furrows.

For a better explanation of fine lines and wrinkles; look to Glogau's Classifications and Fitzpatrick's Classifications of fine lines, wrinkles, and deep furrows.

Glogau's Classifications of Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Mild: very few wrinkles or fine lines that requires little to no makeup at all

Moderate: early wrinkling with sallow complex that require some makeup

Advanced: more persistent wrinkling with the need to wear specialized makeup to help decrease the appearance of the fine lines and wrinkles

Severe: all over fine lines, wrinkles and furrows that make up will not cover and often will require some form of dermatological advanced treatment if the person desires to be free of the wrinkles

Fitzpatrick's Classification

Class 1:fine wrinkles, early fine wrinkles that can be covered with makeup or nothing a microdermabrasion couldn't fix easily

Class 2: Fine to moderate deep wrinkles and a moderate number of lines. Makeup may be enough to minimize the appearance and a microdermabrasion may help to reduce or erase the wrinkles at this stage with several treatments

Class 3: fine lines and deep wrinkles with deep furrows, microdermabrasion would need to be extensive. A chemical peel may be suggested or another more invasive cosmetic treatment may be needed to reduce or eliminate this class of wrinkling.

What Causes Fine Lines, Wrinkles, and Deep Furrows

Aging of Course Can and Often Will Cause Wrinkles

Aging is not always the cause of fine lines and wrinkles because even those in their early twenties sometimes deal with them. However, aging is one of the top reasons, if not the number one reason for wrinkles to occur. By definition, fine lines and wrinkles occur due to irregular thickening of the skin; usually the top layer of skin is first affected. As we age, our body's ability to hold in the moisture is lessened as is our ability to produce the collagen necessary for skin suppleness as well as elasticity.

Sun Damage

Overexposure to the sun dries out the skin, especially the epidermis that holds moisture in our skin to keep a fresh and moisturized complexion. Overexposure to the sun causes fine lines and wrinkles because the UV rays from the sun or tanning bed damage the skin cells and often go deep into the layers of our skin damaging each layer.

Smoking

We all know that smoking is bad for your lungs, can lead to heart disease, bad breath, yellow teeth, and a stinky house-but, most don't know the effects it has on the body's aging process. Smoking or being exposed to second hand smoke causes us to age prematurely and thus causes the aging and drying out of our skin leading to fine lines and wrinkles.

Constant Facial Expressions and Stress

People who often keep constant facial expressions, such as those who furrow their eyebrows when they concentrate, are angry, or stresses are often left with deep furrow wrinkle between their eyebrows and lines on their forehead. Stress robs the body of so many nutrients and mineral because of the side effects of stress which may include insomnia, poor eating habits, and depression. The insomnia does not allow the body to rest and repair itself. Most of the repairs to damages within our body and our skin are done during the times that we sleep.

Poor eating habits during these times lead to poor nutrition and dehydration. Our skin needs these vital nutrients and hydration in order to stay vibrant and not cause us to have advanced aging symptoms such as wrinkles, fine lines, and deep furrows.

Depression can sometimes lead people to the above unhealthy lifestyles as well as excessive drinking and abuse of illegal and prescription drugs. These factors can contribute to poor skin health and the body's health overall.

In case you were not aware, the skin is a body organ, your largest organ and it is the one most exposed to the environment and often most affected by our lifestyles. Other than the natural process of aging, you can prevent many of the fine lines and wrinkles, as well as deep furrows from happening to your facial skin by being healthier overall. Prevention is the best treatment for premature aging. The other treatments include wearing sunscreen (most cosmetics contain SPF now), eating healthy, staying hydrated, keeping a beauty routine of applying a good moisturizer to your skin, don't smoke, and steer clear of drugs and alcohol. These attempts at prevention will go a long way in keeping your skin free from fine lines, wrinkles, and deep furrows. However, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and more invasive cosmetic treatments can reduce or eliminate any active wrinkles you have now.

Sources:

http://dermnetnz.org/site-age-specific/wrinkles.html

http://wrinkles.ygoy.com/2010/06/03how-to-avoid-fine-lines-and-wrinkles-under-eyes/

http://www.thestevensinstitute.com/peels.cfm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/smoking/AN00644