Carlson Laser Aesthetics

Here are a few ways to prevent facial wrinkles:

Wash and Exfoliate: True or false: Dry skin causes wrinkles? Surprisingly, the answer is false. The same environment assaults that cause wrinkles also cause dry skin; dry skin is a by-products of these assaults, rather than the cause of the wrinkles themselves. Even though dry skin doesn't cause wrinkling, it does make existing wrinkles more noticeable. Proper washing and exfoliating will help reduce the appearance of the lines and wrinkles.

The outer layer of skin (epidermis) contains a protective acid barrier that prevents bacterial and fungal growth. Ordinary soaps have an alkaline pH which removes this barrier. Consider applying a topical antioxidant, such as the L-ascorbic acid version of vitamin C, niacinamide or pantothenic acid. Antioxidants reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

You should exfoliate regularly with a physical exfoliant, such as finely ground apricot seeds, or a chemical exfoliant, such as alpha-hydroxy acid (fruit-based acids) or glycolic acid ( derived from sugar cane).

Read the Label: Moisturizer and Wrinkle Creams: Since adding good sources a vitamins A, C and E to your diet is so great for your skin. It makes sense to check the labels on your moisturizers and wrinkle creams for these wrinkle-busting ingredients.

• Vitamin A (a retinol) appears on cosmetic labels as Retin-A (retinoic acid), retinol and retinyl. When applied as a topical cream, these ingredients increase collagen and elsatin (proteins in the dermis). Retinoids also work to repair sun damage and lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• The L-ascorbic version of vitamin C penetrates the outer layer of skin abd increases vitamin C levels by 40 percent. Vitamin C protects against sunburn and can decrease the appearance of rosacea.
• DL-alpha-tocopherol is the most effective topical form of vitamin E. It enhances the effects of sunscreen and slows the formation of wrinkles. Because UV rays degrade or inactivate vitamins C and E, use products containing these ingredients at night or underneath sunblock.

Eat Vitamin-Rich Foods: While we're talking moderation, it makes sense to point out that a balanced diet improves skin health as much as it improves overall health. Certain foods are especially beneficial for the skin. Vitamins A, C and E, as well as carotenoids (found in salmon), and lycopene (found in tomatoes), are great for your skin.

It doesn't hurt to eat these foods, which are rich in vitamins A, C and E:

Vitamin A-spinach, sweet potatoes, papayas, eggs, mangos and cantaloupe

Vitamin C-red bell peppers, broccoli, peaches, papayas, and oranges

Vitamin E-nuts and seeds

Resist Drinking Alcohol and Smoking Cigarettes: There's a famous Greek saying: "all in good measure." When it comes to smooth skin, moderating your alcohol and cigarette consumption is more important than ever.

If you've ever awoken with the hallmark headache of a hangover, you've experienced the dehydrating effects of alcohol. This dehydration affects the skin as well, contributing to wrinkles. Alcohol also causes capillaries to leak. While you're passed out, sleeping it off, water is collecting in your soft tissue, making your face puffy and paving the way for wrinkles to form.

Smoking is another cause of wrinkling. Cigarettes deplete arteries of the nitric oxide that helps make skin flexible. Repetitive muscle movements over a long period of time also cause wrinkling. Also laugh and smile lines may be unavoidable, deeply pruned lips from years of sucking on cigarettes are not the answer to youthful looking skin.

Eat More Fish and Soy: Salmon, tuna, mackerel and other cold-water fish are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which nourish skin and help keep it smooth, glowing and youthful. Other foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which also help protect against heart disease and stroke, include walnuts, flaxseed oil and canola oil. Another age-defying food is soy.

Sleep on your back: Ironically, beauty sleep can actually increase wrinkles. Over the years, habitually snoozing on your side or belly, with your face mashed into the pillow, gradually etches "sleep lines" that eventually become permanent. According to a study, side sleeping contributes to more wrinkling of the cheeks and chin, while slumbering facedown furrows the brow. Sleeping on your back prevents sleep  lines or may even reverse the problem. Getting Z's spurs release of a "youth hormone" called humna growth hormone, leading to thicker, healthier skin and fewer lines.

Wear Sunscreen-even when driving: Ever wonder why age spots are most likely to sprout on the left side of the face? Many people don't realize that UVA rays, the culprits is most wrinkling, easily penetrate car windows, even on cloudy days, accelerating such signs of aging as brown spots and creasing of the left side of the driver's face. The best defense is using broad-spectrum SPF30 sunscreen every day, even in the winter, since the sun's damaging rays are the number one cause of wrinkles. If you drive frequently, you may also want to invest in tinted car windows, which help block UVA.

Article written by: Yahoo Health