WRINKLES
Some women see them
as the bane of their existence, and they actually go through all means they
could possibly afford just to get those wrinkles off their faces, the means
ranging from expensive creams to Botox to plastic surgery and facelift. Our
culture and society is so youth-oriented that wrinkles, especially on women,
have become totally undesirable
Why do we get
wrinkles?
Wrinkles are mostly associated with aging. As we age,
the cells of our skin become thinner and lose elasticity because of the
decreased levels of collagen production in our body.
The skin cells also divide more slowly, thus delaying
repair and renewal of the skin. Also, as we age, the fat cells just under
the outer layer of our skin, which makes the skin look supple, get smaller
and lose their ability to fill out whatever gaps created by the damage that
occurs in the inner layers of our skin. And so our skin sags, becomes dry
and develops wrinkles as we age.
Wrinkles also develop because of
skin damage, the skin damage coming mostly from exposure to sunlight. Spending
too much time under the sun with minimal or no protection at all causes the
skin to be vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation.
Sunlight causes the outer
layer of the skin, which is the epidermis, to become thinner, and
encourages the overproduction of melanin, which eventually leads to skin
cancer. Continued sunlight exposure also causes the collagen in our skin
to break down more rapidly, faster than natural aging actually does. Loss
of collagen results in loss of elasticity for the skin, therefore to skin
wrinkling.
The development of free
radicals in the skin also causes it to wrinkle. Free radicals are
unstable oxygen molecules in the body that lack an electron; oxygen
molecules need two. Free radicals also contribute to the speedy
breakdown of collagen in the skin.
How do
free radicals develop in the skin?
This happens
through continued exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun,
air pollution and cigarette smoking.
We are
probably not aware of this, but gravity also plays a role
in why we get wrinkles. Gravity pulls at our skin, causing
sags and jowls to form.
Getting wrinkles is a natural process. It is something
we cannot avoid, and it is something that starts
happening in our twenties and thirties. Facelift and
other cosmetic surgery cost an arm and a leg, but
there are cheaper ways and more effective ways of
arresting the formation of wrinkles in the skin and
keeping our skin looking younger for longer.
Ways to diminish
wrinkles:
First is to keep our skin
well-protected from UV ray exposure. This means
laying on product, such as creams and lotions, that
have SPF protection all over the skin. Another is
proper nutrition and hydration. Eat lots of fruits,
vegetables and fish that are rich in vitamins and
minerals that fight the development of free radicals
in the body. Also, drink plenty of water and fruit
juices to keep the body hydrated, and avoid too much
black tea and coffee.
Tips to Diminish
Wrinkles:
1) Get as much sleep as possible as well, as much as
eight hours every night.
2) Sufficient rest keeps the body from being
stressed, since chronic stress accelerates the aging
process.
3) Lastly, give up smoking because smoking
dehydrates the skin and burns away the nutrients of
the body.
4)
Don't forget to drink at least 8 glasses of water
daily.
5) eat
veggies rich in Vitamin A, such as carrots, celery
and spinach.
Wrinkle Removal Recipe:
Banana is wonderful as an anti-wrinkle
treatment.
Mash 1/4 banana until very creamy. Spread all
over face and leave for 15-20 minutes before
rinsing off with warm water followed by a dash
of cold. Gently pat dry.
Wrinkle Remover:
Green Thompson seedless grapes! It has one
of the ingredients in those big time
expensive wrinkle creams.
All you do is cut a grape in half and
gently crush it on your face and neck.
Make sure that you get the
"crows-feet" and the lines around your
mouth. Leave it on for twenty minutes
or so and rinse with tepid water and
pat dry.
Repeat every day and before you
know it... those nasty old lines
will be hard to find!