Surprises that can Lead to Wrinkles

Squinting, Inside & Outside

Why it happens: Squinting your eyes-whether to read a screen or protect your eyes against bright sunlight is a major cause  of lines on your face. When you squint a circular muscle around your eye constricts and crinkles up the delicate skin. Over time, when those crinkles relax, fine lines appear aka crow’s feet.

What can we do about it?

Obviously, minimizing squinting can help prevent crow’s feet. If you are indoors and looking at your device, reduce eye strain by increasing the font size, consider changing the light settings for day and night and change the settings to “block the blue light”. A big help is to glance away from the screen every 20 minutes.If you are going to be walking or running in any kind of bright area — even if it’s cloudy — then wear sunglasses to minimize constriction of these muscles. Getting neurotoxins like Botox  [injectable wrinkle reducer] injections in these muscles [can be] very effective at minimizing the muscle constriction. In doing so, they smooth the moderate to severe lines that all too often result in crow’s feet.

Invest in a good eye crème like Replenix  Retinol Eye Crème to visible reduce the appearance of under eye dark circles, puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles. Or Neocutis Micro-Eye with  Elastin and to collagen to smooth out crow’s feet.

Your Exercise Habits

Why it happens: If you’ve ever heard the term “runner’s face,” you may already know that it’s often used to describe the wrinkles and loss in volume due to the up-and-down motion of running, which supposedly breaks down collagen. That’s not actually what happens. Signs of aging from outdoor exercise are more likely due to ultraviolet damage. Without adequate sunscreen and protective clothing, ultraviolet damage contributes to the breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin, and therefore to wrinkle formation. 

What you can do about it?

 Exercise itself is A-OK! Exercise improves blood flow and oxygenation to the skin, which helps to maintain the skin’s structure. On top of that, slather a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher with zinc oxide- or titanium dioxide-based mineral sunscreen. We love Replenix Sunscreen with SPF50+Broad Spectrum. It feels weightless. Also, consider investing in sun-protective clothing and hats with UPF (the fabric version of SPF), and opt to head outside in either the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the peak UV hours midday.