Wrinkle Causing Bad Habits

No one wants wrinkles in their clothes… let alone their faces! We all want to prevent these tell-tale signs of aging from appearing, so we get spa treatments and use products that will keep our skin looking younger, longer. Despite this, wrinkles may still form because of bad habits you were unaware you were doing. Avoid these wrinkle-causing bad habits and achieve healthier skin even as you age.

While you may achieve a good night’s sleep laying on your stomach or side, you’re also stressing your skin. Sleeping on your face for a third of your life damages your skin by causing creasing which can eventually turn into wrinkles. In addition to being the most common cause of wrinkles, these sleeping positions result in poor blood circulation which contributes to the formation of eye bags and dark circles under your eyes. If you have trouble sleeping on your back, place a pillow under your knees to stay in place or invest in a satin pillow cases to minimize the stress on your face and reduce sleep lines.

While on the subject of sleep, crashing after a long day with a face full of makeup is just inviting wrinkles. The makeup and environmental pollutants that build up throughout the day seep into your pores, breaking down elastin and collagen, preventing your skin’s recovery and speeding up the aging process. Always cleanse and moisturize your skin before bed and get a good night’s rest to allow your skin to breathe, repair and rejuvenate.

One of the easiest ways to prevent wrinkles is to invest in a pair of sunglasses. Direct sunlight in your eyes can cause you to squint more than you should. The simple act of squinting over a long period of time results in the formation of crow’s feet and wrinkles across the forehead. Protect your skin by wearing sunglasses all year-round, because the sun is even brighter reflecting off of the snow.

Similarly, constantly frowning can form fine lines on your forehead. Pursing your lips too many times can cause premature wrinkles around your mouth. So, smile more… it makes you look a lot better and keeps your skin wrinkle-free.

Drinking plenty of water is great for healthy skin, but drinking straight from the bottle or through a straw can have the same effect as squinting. You overwork facial muscles when sucking fluids out of a bottle causing our the muscles in your mouth to contract and form wrinkles called puppet lines. Simply pour your drink into a glass and avoid them entirely.

Last, but certainly not least, is what you take into your body and how it gets there. Smoking and alcohol are some of the most common bad habits a person should kick. Cigarette smoke dehydrates the skin and speeds up the normal aging process. The nicotine in cigarettes causes blood vessels in your skin to narrow which impairs blood flow and cuts off the flow of oxygen and important nutrients. And tobacco can also damage collagen and elastin, reducing the strength and elasticity of your skin. Alcohol is alright, but only when consumed in small quantities. As a diuretic, alcohol dehydrates your body of the essential moisture and nutrients your skin cells need to repair and rejuvenate damaged skin fibers.

Now that you know what bad habits you may have been unconsciously doing to prematurely age your skin, you can minimize their effects and prevent new wrinkles from forming. Good skin care isn’t just about making healthy choices, but recognizing the bad habits and nipping them in the bud.