Wrinkles and You

We begin to age the moment we are born, and throughout our lives the effects of wrinkles and aging are evident in our bodies.

Up to about age 20 years, the most visually prominent effects of aging are in growth and development. Beginning in our 20s, the effects of aging begin to be visible in the skin.

Genetically programmed chronologic aging causes biochemical changes in collagen and elastin, the connective tissues that give skin its firmness and elasticity.

The genetic program for each person is different, so the loss of skin firmness and elasticity occurs at different rates and different times in one individual as compared with another.

As skin becomes less elastic, it also becomes drier. Underlying fat padding begins to disappear. With loss of underlying support by fat padding and connective tissues, the skin begins to sag. It looks less supple, and wrinkles form.

The gradual development of facial wrinkles, whether fine surface lines or deeper creases and folds, is the classic early sign of accumulated skin damage and inevitable aging.

Premature aging and wrinkling of the skin may be accelerated by excessive exposure to the sun and other elements, overactive facial expression muscles, the frequent use of tobacco products, poor nutrition, or skin disorders.

Fine surface lines that progress to deeper creases, deepening facial expression due to repeated skin folding, and deep folds which develop with one's maturity are obvious changes which may combine to portray a less desirable appearance.

Persistent facial lines, especially those involved in negative emotional expressions, may mistakenly portray to others, the look of worry, anger, anxiety, disgust or sadness, despite one's own positive internal feelings.

Some factors that causes these lines are discussed in further detail below:

Aging Effects of the Sun and Wrinkles

Exposure to ultraviolet light, UVA or UVB, from sunlight accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature skin aging. Most of the photoaging effects occur by age 20. The amount of damage to the skin caused by the sun is determined by the total lifetime amount of radiation exposure and the person's pigment protection.

Changes in the epidermis caused by the sun include thinning of the epidermis and the growth of skin lesions such as actinic keratoses, basal cell carcinomas, and squamous cell carcinomas.

In the dermis, sun effects cause collagen to break down at a higher rate than with just chronologic aging. Sunlight damages collagen fibers and causes the accumulation of abnormal elastin.

When this sun-induced elastin accumulates, enzymes called metalloproteinases are produced in large quantities.

Normally, metalloproteinases remodel sun-injured skin by manufacturing and reforming collagen. However, this process does not always work well and some of the metalloproteinases actually break down collagen.

This results in the formation of disorganized collagen fibers known as solar scars. When the skin repeats this imperfect rebuilding process over and over, lines develop.

Free Radicals and Wrinkles
Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that have only one electron instead of two. Because electrons are found in pairs the molecule must scavenge other molecules for another electron.

When the second molecule looses its electron to the first molecule, it must then find another electron repeating the process.

This process can damage cell function and alter genetic material.

Free radical damage causes wrinkles by activating the metalloproteinases that break down collagen.

There are several factors that start this cascading process including exposure to even small amounts of UV radiation in sunlight, smoking, and exposure to air pollution.

Hormone Effects and Wrinkles
It is likely that there are skin changes as a result of the hormonal effects of menopause or decreased estrogen production.

However, studies in humans have not documented which skin changes are specific to decreased estrogen and which skin changes are a result of sun exposure or just normal chronological aging.

In animal experiments lack of estrogen can cause a decrease in collagen levels of 2% per year and a decrease in skin thickness of 1% per year.

Muscle Use and Wrinkles
Habitual facial expressions cause the skin to wrinkle as it looses elasticity. Frown lines between the eyebrows and crows feet radiating from the corners of the eyes develop as the tiny muscles in those areas permanently contract.


Gravity and Wrinkles
The effects of gravity make the loosening of the skin more apparent as skin sags more. This causes jowls and drooping eyelids.


Return to "Wrinkle Treatments Guide" Home