According to the Mayo Clinic there are six reasons we develop wrinkles, all of which you can exercise a significant degree of control over. Three of the reasons identified are exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, smoking and poor nutrition. What to do about these is clear. It’s the other three factors identified that pose the challenge. These six factors are
- exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light
Wear sunscreens and limit exposure to the sun - smoking
Stop smoking! - poor nutrition
It’s not always easy to improve your diet, but it makes a difference - Repeated Facial Expressions:
Facial movements and expressions, such as squinting or smiling can lead to fine lines and wrinkles. This happens as facial muscles repeatedly compress the skin into a creases. As we age the skin loses it flexibility, and newer emerging skin grows into the creases, making them permanent. - Gender:
Women tend to have fewer sweat and sebaceous glands in the face as well as fewer blood vessels to provide nutrients to the critical facial area. These in turn increases the tendency of the skin to lose flexibility. - Age:
Again, it the loss of skin flexibility that is responsible for increases in wrinkling that is symptomatic of the aging process. This loss of flexibility is aggravated by the decrease in the amount of fat in the deeper layers of the skin that also occurs as we age.
Potentially you could stop smiling, frowning or squinting. However, these three factors that cause wrinkling share a common symptom: loss of skin flexibility. You can improve skin flexibility, and dramatically slow down the wrinkling process. This is the reason that natural alpha hydroxy fruit acids, which all Niora skin care is formulated with, are so good at decreasing and preventing fine lines and wrinkles.
By maintaining skin flexibility, you can in fact slow down the wrinkling processes associated with these three seemingly intractable issues identified by the Mayo Clinic, repeated facial expression, gender and finally, age.
Natural fruit acid are mildly moisturizing, which is crucial for skin flexibility, but more importantly they are exfoliants. Exfoliants increase skin flexibility two was: 1) increase cell turnover in the outer layer of the skin 2) decrease the thickness of the layer of the skin that is vulnerable to the effects of aging and the physical stress of repeated facial expressions.
Researchers early on found that alpha hdroxy fruit acids increased cell turnover. The effect on the skin is summarized by one Researcher, Walter Smith: ‘Plumper, more hydrated cells and increased circulation’ associated with the outer layer of the skin, visibly improved appearance, and other ‘bio-physical and structural properties of the skin. ie real rejuvenating activity.’
This turn over leads to a thinner layer of aged tissue and thicker layer of more vibrant, and thus supple skin of the surface of the face. As Van Scott and Yu, pioneers in the development of alpha hydroxy acids for skin care, described, fruit acids speed up the release of dead, dried cellular debris from the skin’s surface. This means the skin flexes back quicker and more completely, reversing the physical stresses associated with aging and compression from squinting and other facial expressions.
In short, we are not entirely at the mercy of these six majors causes of wrinkling. To have healthy, more youthful looking skin use sunscreens, eat well, keep the skin moisturized, and exfoliate with good quality, well formulated natural alpha hydroxy fruit acid skin care.</p>
Van Scott, E.J., Yu, R.J., J.Am. Acad. Dermatol. 11. 867-879, 1984
Maes, D.H. and Smith, W.P., J. Soc. Cos. Chem. 42, 211-222. 1991
