Getting older is positive in many ways - but you might not want to show off your age with deep wrinkles across your face. In that case, you need to take these 5 positive steps to fight wrinkles - preventing them before they form and diminishing their appearance after you’ve got them.
1 - Minimize UV Exposure
Exposure to the sun’s UV rays is the #1 accelerator of the aging process. How can you fight that? The secret here isn’t to become a cave dwelling hermit. Instead, do what you can to mitigate the damage done to your skin. How?
Avoid the sun when possible. If you can, avoid spending time in the sun when its rays are most intense, from 10am - 4pm. Or at least find some shade so you’re not in the directly sunlight.
Wear protective clothing.
Sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat that covers your nose and ears are extremely helpful in preventing sun damage to your skin. If you’ve got thinning hair, your hat will also prevent sunburn to your scalp.
Use sunscreen daily.
SPF products, depending on how they’re made, block or absorb the sun’s UV rays so that they don’t damage your skin. This will prevent the early onset of wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots produced by sun exposure.
For the best results - and to avoid any potential harm from the sketchy ingredients in your sunscreen - go with a zinc based SPF formula. We’ve got two - our Daily Defense Face Moisturizer with SPF 20 protects you from photoaging while also maintaining critical skin hydration. And our Element Defense Moisturizer with SPF 45 has the rest of your body covered whenever you need to keep it safe from the sun.
2 - Boost Collagen Production
Collagen is one of the essential proteins that makes up your skin. It’s what helps keep your skin firm, taut, and wrinkle-free. But starting in your late 20’s, your body produces progressively less collagen. As a result, you get wrinkles.
To fight back against the aging process, do what you can to keep your collagen levels high. That includes using anti-aging products for men with collagen boosting ingredients - like vitamin C, DMAE (dimethylethanolamine), MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), and hyaluronic acid. You’ll find all of them in our anti-aging collection, like our Revitalizing Anti-Aging Cream.
3 - Get Plenty of Sleep
Easier said than done, but totally worth it when it comes to fighting wrinkles. While you sleep, your body produces collagen (see #2). So if you’re cutting it short and only sleeping for 4-5 hours (or even less), you’re doing your skin a great disservice. Sleep deprivation also leads to dark circles, under-eye puffiness, and dull skin.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to totally overhaul your life to get a little more shut eye each night. Even 30 additional minutes of sleep can make a difference. Set a bedtime reminder on your phone, stop using screens 30 minutes before you get into bed, and reduce caffeine in the afternoon and evening to help get your body into a relaxed state and to fall asleep easier.
4 - Quit Smoking
Nothing hastens the aging process and wrinkles your skin like cigarettes. Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your skin (and for your health in general). Nicotine constricts the blood vessels in your skin, reducing moisture and leading to smoker’s lines around your mouth. And the repetitive action of puffing on cigarettes speeds up the formation of wrinkles even more.
But quitting isn’t easy and the goal here isn’t to shame anyone. Even if you’re not ready to quit right now, you can see improvements in your skin by reducing how much you smoke.
5 - Enjoy a Balanced Diet
Healthy, smooth, bright skin depends on a variety of vitamins and nutrients. The best place to get them is in a balanced diet that includes lots of diverse foods. Here are some ways to ensure your diet is helping you fight wrinkles:
Eat foods of different colors.
The reds, oranges, greens, and yellows of your favorite fruits and vegetables are linked to the vitamins and nutrients they contain. So eating a good mix of differently colored vegetables means you’re getting lots of essential nutrients for your skin health.
Limit processed foods.
Heavily processed foods are stripped of their most nutritional parts. Grabbing fast food or processed meals may be necessary from time to time, but limiting them in favor of whole, fresh foods is best. That will increase the vitamins and minerals you get and help you stay healthier overall.
Reduce sugar.
You don’t have to go totally sugar free. But reducing sugar where possible is the best thing for your skin. The worst offenders when it comes to unnecessary sugar in your diet are often drinks - sweet, creamy coffee drinks, soda, and alcoholic beverages all contain large amounts of sugar.
Fight Wrinkles, But Don't Stress About It
Does fighting wrinkles seem like a daunting task? Don’t let it overwhelm you. There’s no need to totally overhaul your life just to fight wrinkles. Instead, make small changes where you can. These five tips won’t turn back time, but together they will compound to help you stay looking your best for many years to come.
