How to Prevent Premature Wrinkles

Getting older and displaying the signs of aging in the form of wrinkles and fine lines is inevitable. However, too many people make themselves prone to premature wrinkles, which occur way before its time. Learn how to keep your skin looking fresh and wrinkle-free for many years to come.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sunscreen with SPF
• Skin care products with SPF protection
• Moisturizer
• Eye Cream

1. 
    
   Skin care is important no matter what age you are.

   If you're young, it is important to start warding off premature wrinkles now. Already experiencing wrinkles? Then it's time to beef up your anti-aging skin care routine and use quality products made for your skin type that target wrinkles and fine lines.

2. 
    
   Sunscreen is one item that can make or break whether you'll age well or terribly.

   The key to avoiding premature wrinkles is early prevention. You're never too young to start a skin care routine! Preteens who love the sun do the most damage to their skin long-term so if you're not using quality sunscreen with SPF, you'll pay the price when you get older.

3. The key to sunscreen is reapplication! Follow the rule of thumb and reapply at least every two hours if you plan on being in the sun for a long period of time. If you're playing sports, swimming or doing physical activity that will result in excessive sweating, you may want to reapply more often than every two hours. Buy sunscreen according to the activities you'll be doing.

4. 
    
   Now you can protect your face and still look good with makeup products that contain SPF.

   Don't like slathering sunscreen on your face? Then search for skin care products that already contain SPF. Invest in a good facial moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15. There are also makeup products like foundation and powder that are formulated with SPF as well. These are ideal for use on the beach, at the pool or just running everyday errands.

5. 
    
   Take care of dry skin and you won't have to worry about fine lines and wrinkles sneaking up on you.

   Dry skin is the most prone to getting premature wrinkles so moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Even if you don't have a dry skin type, chances are your skin has gotten dry patches. Make sure you apply moisturizer during your skin care regimen in the morning as well as before bed. The more moisturized your skin is, the harder it'll be for fine lines and wrinkles to penetrate.

6. 
    
   Smoking only serves to enhance fine lines and wrinkles.

   Stop smoking! Aside from obvious reasons, smoking can cause your skin to look slack and dull...not to mention that you can easily develop "smoker's lines" on your upper lip area. These types of fine lines are extremely hard to get rid of.

7. 
    
   Keep your eyes looking fresh and free of wrinkles simply by using eye cream.

   Want to protect your eyes from those crow's feet? Then go out and buy good quality eye cream. If you currently don't have the onset of any fine lines or wrinkles around your eyes, it's still a good idea to buy a regular eye cream that moisturizes, soothes tired eyes and also fights against dark circles, puffiness and bags.

8. 
    
   Mature skin care products may be too strong for young skin.

   Do not use a strong anti-aging eye cream if you do not have "mature" skin-in fact, do not use anti-aging products if you don't need them yet. Using regular versions of such skin care products will do more than its share of preventing premature wrinkles. The ingredients in products made for mature skin are too harsh and could cause younger, non-mature skin to break out. Individuals with mature skin should get the right type of eye cream made to treat already present fine lines and wrinkles.

9. Only through diligent, daily skin care and preventive measures can you successfully age without premature wrinkles. Take a hint from the baby boomers, many of whom had no idea the damage they were doing to their complexions as a result of excessive sun exposure. Aging well isn't impossible but it isn't going to happen at all unless you remain proactive about it!

Tips & Warnings

• Always do a patch test before trying out new skin care or anti-aging products.
• Consult with a dermatologist if you aren't sure how to take care of your skin.
• Using a sunscreen with SPF 15 is fine but if you are fair-skinned and burn easily, you'll want to seek a product offering a stronger SPF for better protection.
• Teens should never use anti-aging products; cleanser, toner (if needed), moisturizer, and sunscreen are all that's needed in the teen years.
• Darker skinned individuals need sunscreen, too! Just because you don't burn as easily as someone with fair skin does not mean you are immune to skin cancer and wrinkles. It's a medical fact that while fair-skinned people are more prone to skin cancer, darker-skinned people (namely African-Americans and Hispanics) are diagnosed with more fatal cases of skin cancer because it goes undetected for years. By the time a diagnosis is confirmed, it is often too late. So be smart and use sunscreen or sun block, regardless of your skin color.

[CaseyCarlton]

on 3/12/2009 Thanks for all the good information. As a flight attendant, I am in the dry aircraft a lot! I moisturize forever it seems! 5 stars and a recommend

[bonbonmontero]

on 3/8/2009 Great tips.... thanks:)

[goldiec]

on 3/8/2009 Great article, thanks for sharing 5*

[jenniferclaerr]

on 3/8/2009 These are some excellent tips for preventing wrinkles. Thanks!

[aheart4home]

on 3/7/2009 Good information, I also drink lots of water to help protect my skin from the inside.