Quite recently, a new theory in wrinkle control has been emerging, according to which, facial exercises are seen as a feasible alternative for wrinkle prevention and control. This might be a welcome news, and seem to be a pleasant change from routine investment on expensive anti wrinkle creams and botox injections. The best thing about this particular wrinkle prevention and control option is that its effect is more long term, in contrast to the short lived effect of wrinkle creams and the other wrinkle control alternatives.

In order to understand how facial exercises can aid in wrinkle prevention and control, we need to first acquaint ourselves with the structure of the skin and the exact process in which wrinkles develop on our skin as we age. In fact, our skin is made up of 3 different layers -

1. The epidermis is the topmost layer of the skin, which is translucent in nature and which draws nourishment from the other 2 layers of the skin lying underneath because there are no blood vessels to supply oxygenated blood to this layer. Underneath the epidermal layer is the basement membrane, which is a thin, membranous structure, which holds the epidermis firmly to the other 2 layers lying below.

2. The dermis is the second layer of the skin, lying under the epidermis and contains the proteins collagen and elastin. The fibroblasts that comprise the collagen protein, provide the strength, support and resilience that is very much needed to support the epidermal layer. On the other hand, elastin provides flexibility and elasticity to the skin as a result of which the skin gets restored to normal form, even after being stretched too much.

3. The subcutis is the third and the innermost layer of the skin, which is comprised of a subcutaneous fat layer (the thickness of which varies from person to person depending on the amount of adipose cells that are present), intertwined in a network of collagen.

The subcutaneous fat layer lies over the muscles and bones, which are attached to the skin through a complex network of connective tissues. Whenever we speak or chew or make expressions on our face, what happens is that the muscles contract and relax, which sets the underlying connective tissue into movement. When the subcutaneous fat layer is thin, then there is free movement of the skin, but when the subcutaneous fat layer is too thick, then the skin movement gets restricted and the areas of attachment become quite too much obvious in the form of valleys, which eventually get deepened and give rise to deep wrinkles.

Facial exercises tend to strengthen and tone up the facial muscles, and finally free up the skin. As a result, the areas of attachment get flattened out, thereby reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. So, now you no longer need to invest on costly anti wrinkle creams and serums, all you need to do is perform a few facial exercises and tone up your facial muscles, as a result of which the skin on your cheeks and other areas of your face appears firm enough, as though you have undergone a face lift surgery. The best thing about facial exercises that unlike wrinkle creams they offer a more permanent kind of wrinkle prevention and control solution.

Most of us believe that clear healthy and beautiful looking skin gives a definite edge to our personality. Hence, people of all age groups are growing more and more beauty conscious these days. We all want to continue looking young and youthful. As a solution to our problem, today there are a wide variety of anti wrinkle creams, wrinkle prevention masks, anti skin aging serums, face lift surgeries and several other treatment options available in the market to choose from.

Some of the wrinkle creams are really very effective and the wrinkles and fine lines seem to disappear within a few minutes of applying these creams. These creams tend to hydrate and nourish your skin from within, thereby making your skin much more supple and youthful than it was originally, before the application of the creams. However, you should be very careful while selecting one for yourself and never settle for just any cheap quality wrinkle creams. Learn about which kind of ingredients are best for preventing skin aging and curing damaged skin, and also learn about those ingredients which are usually included in skin care products, but should be avoided because they do more harm than good for our skin.

Anti wrinkle creams should not only reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but they should also hydrate your skin adequately, restore its firmness and elasticity, exfoliate dead skin, improve blood circulation, nurture and heal damaged skin, reduce the pore size and also reduce the visibility of large, open pores. The wrinkle cream that you opt for, should be such that it spreads smoothly all over your skin and can be easily absorbed by it, so that the ingredients penetrate deep into your skin.

While selecting your anti-aging cream, remember to choose a cream-based moisturizer instead of a water-based one because it forms a fine protective coat over the skin, which helps in retaining the moisture within the skin throughout the day and keep your skin supple and well hydrates. Look for natural ingredients such as aloe vera or essential fatty acids in anti wrinkle creams, in addition to loads of vitamins and minerals which help to rejuvenate your skin and heal it from within. Secondly, the collagen content decreases at a steady rate with increasing age and therefore, your wrinkle creams should contain such substances which aid in the production of collagen in the skin, such as fatty acids and certain antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin A, C and E, which help in wiping out the wrinkles from within.

Very often, the appearance and texture of our skin is used as a means of deciding our age and this age is referred to as ‘apparent age’. The texture of our skin changes rapidly with age. While the skin is supple and translucent during childhood, it loses its translucence and becomes much more dry, rough, dull, blotchy, leathery and develops a lot of fine lines, wrinkles and has visibly open pores as we grow old. However, the solution to these kind of skin aging problems does not always lie in using anti wrinkle creams and anti-aging supplements, anti-aging cosmetic treatments and procedures (such as face lifts), or in using wrinkle creams laden with vitamin antioxidants.

In fact, the texture of our skin depends on several different factors. Of course, there are many factors on which we have no control, such as our genes, the impact of climatic factors (such as temperature, humidity, etc), environmental factors (such as dust, pollution, and smoke), our stress levels, etc. However, there are some factors which we can modify through a healthy lifestyle modification such as the kind of diet we take (including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in our diet), the degree of exposure to sunlight (excessive unprotected exposure to the sun’s harmful UV radiations can trigger photo aging and deteriorate the texture of our skin), the extent of exercise we do (yoga and other forms of exercises improve blood circulation, regulate metabolism, and aid in keeping the body fit and skin healthy), minimizing exposure of our skin to environmental pollutants with the use of scarves or other barrier substances, etc. Taking timely preventive measures to protect your skin would result in clear, youthful and beautiful looking skin.

A lot of how we look also depends on how we treat our skin. So, we should be extra cautious with the kind of cleansing agents and other beauty products that we use on our skin because they dictate the way our skin turns on prolonged use of these substances. Particularly, if you have entered your middle age, then you will need to start using an anti-aging wrinkle cream on a regular basis to delay the onset of the symptoms of aging such as dry skin, wrinkles, age spots, crow’s feet near your eyes and fine lines around your mouth, hyper pigmentation on your skin or other aging related skin problems. Remember that while selecting wrinkle creams, you should first note the ingredients present in the cream and their concentrations. Always go for reliable and effective brands of anti wrinkle creams, which have many positive reviews about the product.

If you belong to the category of people who dread looking wrinkled and graceless, then here are some useful tips for you on how to keep your skin looking youthful and wrinkle free even as you enter your walk through your middle age –

1. Always keep your skin well moisturized: The skin in children is translucent and tends to retain a lot of moisture so that the skin remains supple and adequately hydrated. However, as we grow older, the translucence of the skin is lost and so does the ability of the skin to retain moisture. As a result, with age, our skin becomes dry and loses its firmness, elasticity, and even its suppleness. Therefore, to prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin, arising due to excessive dryness, you need to keep your skin well moisturized. Avoid using water based moisturizers because these can dry your skin even more. So, go for moisturizing creams instead.

In fact, anti wrinkle creams contain substances that moisturize the skin and keep it well hydrated and supple. However, when selecting wrinkle creams, go for those creams which contain essential fatty acids as moisturizers. Also, read the label carefully to find out whether the anti wrinkle creams that you have short listed contain such a moisturizing ingredient, which also has natural healing properties meant for nurturing and repairing the skin (considering the fact that your skin has already undergone excessive damage either due to exposure to the sun or due to the impact of harsh chemicals and cosmetics). For instance, you can opt for wrinkle creams that contain Aloe Vera because it has great soothing effect and its healing properties aid in repairing damaged skin.

2. Never go out in the sun without applying sunscreen lotion: Photo aging is one of the most prominent causes for the appearance of premature wrinkles. Hence, irrespective of your age and gender, you should apply sunscreen lotion liberally on all exposed surfaces of your skin whenever you go out in the sun. This is the only reliable way of protecting yourself against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiations.

3. Certain minerals and vitamins are considered to be very good for maintaining the youthfulness and beauty of your skin. For instance, Vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E are considered to be vitamin antioxidants. Similarly, minerals like selenium, zinc and calcium are considered as mineral antioxidants. These antioxidant vitamins and minerals are very effective in fighting free radicals and in maintaining the youthfulness of your skin. These antioxidants may either be taken as dietary supplements or you can use some of these awesome anti wrinkle creams which contain these mineral and vitamin antioxidants.

If you follow these tips, then you are sure to age more gracefully and walk through middle age as well as through your ripe years still looking beautiful and charming.