Why Do We Get Wrinkles as We Age?
Repetitive muscle movements, smoking and too much sun are leading causes of wrinkles. But even if you use sunblock religiously and steer clear of cigarettes, you’ll still get those lines and creases as you age. Wrinkles aren’t a serious medical condition, but the quest to get rid of them can cost you a fortune. That’s why sales of anti-wrinkle cosmetic products alone are poised to reach over $60 billion in the U.S. by 2026. And that doesn’t even account for the billions of dollars spent on plastic surgery and other antiaging treatments.
What are wrinkles, anyway? Wrinkles are folds, ridges and creases that appear on your skin naturally as you grow older. They tend to show up first on your face and the body parts often exposed to the sun, like your neck, hands, arms and legs.
Wrinkles occur in the dermis, or the middle layer, of your skin. This layer is made up of elastin and collagen fibers. As we age, these fibers loosen — creating those pesky lines, folds and creases — and our skin can’t hold as much moisture, which leads to wrinkles, too.
Excerpted from AARP
