As we get older, the skin loses its elasticity. It gets thinner and flabbier, which causes wrinkles. However, the degree to which this effect is visible differs from person to person. A matter of luck, expensive creams or simply moving with the times and using the newest treatment methods within the cosmetics industry?

What causes wrinkles
The occurrence of wrinkles is influenced in two ways: from the inside as a result of skin ageing and from the outside as a result of sunlight, smoking, stress, environmental pollution, the movement of face muscles (frowning, laughing) and the posture we adopt when sleeping. Skin ageing – also called 'intrinsic ageing' – is linked to the years that are going by.

20+
The forehead shows horizontal lines. Lines may also become visible between the eyebrows. The first wrinkles occur around the eyes.

Those areas who develop wrinkles easily

30+
The lines grow deeper and turn into wrinkles.

40+
Wrinkles affect the corium (become deeper), because the skin becomes flabbier and thinner as a result of ageing. Since the skin is losing its elasticity, the face contours are fading. Wrinkles are now clearly defined: the lines around the lips, wrinkles between the eyebrows and thinking wrinkles. At this age, deep wrinkles are also occurring around the nose and chin.

 
Those areas who develop wrinkles easily

50+
The wrinkles become deeper (over 0.05 millimetres) as a result of the menopause, which speeds up the ageing process (the skin becoming flabbier and thinner).

Where do the first wrinkles occur
The average skin thickness measures 2 to 3 millimetres, but with substantial local variations. The skin around the eyes, for example, is extremely thin, i.e. approximately 0.5 mm. This is why the first lines often become visible in this area. The so-called crow’s-feet occur very early because, on average, we blink 25 times per minute. This is 13 million winks per year.

How can wrinkles be prevented
It is sensible to stay out of the sun as much as possible and apply proper sun protection (movie stars even apply sun lotion in winter when it is extremely cloudy), because the effect of UV radiation is far more harmful than the effect of all the other factors together, including intrinsic skin ageing. Quitting smoking is also sensible as free radicals such as nicotine speed up skin ageing. Heavy smokers can have five times the amount of wrinkles that non-smokers have.

Those areas who develop wrinkles easily 

Other easy anti-wrinkle advice is eating varied and healthy food, drinking a lot of water (at least one and a half litres per day), avoiding stress (worry wrinkles!) and sleeping on your back, as sleeping on your side causes wrinkles.

Is it still worth applying creams? Of course. Applying cream keeps the skin elastic and certain substances such as vitamin C and E do away with free radicals, notorious for causing wrinkles. At night, you are advised to use products containing a vitamin A derivative: the weapon against deep wrinkles at a higher age. Applying vitamin A cream during the day does not make any sense, as vitamin A is broken down by sunlight.

• take proper care of your skin
• stay out of the sun
• do not smoke
• eat varied food
• drink a lot of water
• avoid stress
• sleep on your back

How can wrinkles be treated
The threshold of entering a cosmetic surgery clinic wishing to look younger has lowered over the past few years. This has everything to do with the newest treatment methods. Methods that are less drastic and expensive than facelifts. Methods involving shorter recovery periods compared to surgery or laser techniques.

The current anti-wrinkle treatments can be administered during lunch break so to speak. We are talking about the wide range of injectables. They are all over the magazines and are also increasingly featuring on television. Having your face botoxed, very ordinary, isn't it? Anyhow, 'Botulinetoxine', or simply botox, is not a wrinkle filler. Botox paralyses the face muscles for a few months. Those preferring to keep on using their facial expressions can choose from the so-called ‘wrinkle fillers’, which can be divided into temporary implants and long-lasting implants, such as Aphrodite Gold, which have more permanent results.

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