Skin wrinkles are an inevitable part of aging and even though yours may delay , there is hardly any way to completely eliminate 
them. Apart from aging, wrinkles also appear on areas of skin that are exposed to the sun and these wrinkles are a result of photo-damage. Exposures to environmental factors, such as heat, dust and wind, genetic predisposition, etc. are also some of the factors responsible for the appearance of skin wrinkles.
Some of the main causes of Skin wrinkles are as listed below:
• Aging: As we age the natural secretion of oils in our skin gradually decreases, leaving the skin dry and wrinkled. The skin also starts losing some of its elasticity and hence the skin sags and the hanging folds.
• Ultraviolet Radiation: The harmful UV radiation from the sun’s rays speed up the process of aging if the skin has prolonged exposure to it. This radiation breaks down elastic, collagen and connective tissues thus making the skin lose its flexibility and structure.
• Cigarette Smoking: The blood supply to certain areas of the skin reduces due to excessive smoking and it thus leads to the premature aging of skin.
• Some Facial Movements: Having a habit of certain facial movements also causes fine lines and wrinkles. For example, excessive smiling may leave behind crows feet in the corner of the eyes while movements such as squinting may leave a permanent groove on the skin that may not spring back to its original smooth form as the skin ages and loses its elasticity.
• Nutritional Deficiencies: Not having a balanced diet or having a deficiency of vitamin and minerals may cause the premature aging of skin and the skin may appear to be dry and wrinkled.
• Gender: Women are more prone to developing wrinkles around the mouth than men are. This is mainly because there are lesser number of sweat glands in women and hence the lubrication of skin in women is much lower than men.
There are various treatments and remedies available for people to get rid of or reduce the appearance of skin wrinkles:
• Medications: Medications such as retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) help reduce the appearance of fine lines and of skin wrinkles. There are also numerous non-prescription anti-wrinkle creams that may help. It is also important to use a good high SPF sunscreen to avoid a worsening in the skin wrinkles.
• Dermabrasion: This is a surgical procedure that involves the sanding down of the superficial top layers of skin using a speedily rotating brush. This procedure helps remove the wrinkled skin surface leaving behind a new growth of a healthy, wrinkle-free layer of skin. Swelling, redness and scabbing are possible side effects of the treatment and visible results may take several months to appear.
• Micro Dermabrasion: This surgical procedure is similar to dermabrasion except for the fact that a lesser amount of skin is removed (as the name suggests). This therapy involves vacuum suction along with sandblasting with aluminum oxide crystals.
• Light, Laser and Radiofrequency Treatments: While the above-mentioned treatments are ablative in nature there are some treatments that are minimally ablative or not ablative at all. Ablative laser resurfacing techniques involve the destruction of the outer layer of skin with laser beams. The healed new skin is smoother, tighter and free of wrinkles. Non-ablative fractional resurfacing involves no injury to any dermal layers and is just a heating of the dermis to trigger new collagen and elastin growth. Radiofrequency wrinkle removal involves similar heating technique and also does not involve any dermal injury or ablation.
• Chemical Peels: These treatments of skin wrinkles involve the application of acids to the skin so as to burn the outermost layer. The new skin that appears after the treatment is usually free of superficial fine lines and wrinkles and is often fresher and firmer than the original skin.
• Botox Injections and Soft Tissue Fillers: As the name suggests, this treatment involves injecting small quantities of Botox under the skin in order to flatten it out and remove wrinkles. This treatment is especially useful in the care of crow’s feet in the corner of the eyes and frown lines on the forehead and the results last for 3 to 4 months. Soft tissue fillers such as collagen, body fat and hyaluronic acid may also be used to fill out areas of skin that have skin wrinkles.
• Facelifts: This treatment of skin wrinkles involves the surgical removal of excess fats from the skin, which may be responsible for the wrinkles. Wrinkles on the lower part of the neck and face can be treated using this procedure and its results may last anywhere between 5 and 10 years.
While all the skin wrinkles treatments mentioned above are known to work, it is essential that you choose the one you want with care. It is important to weigh the costs, the possible side effects, the duration of treatment or the number of sessions required and the time frame for which the treatment results may last, before you decide on any particular treatment for your skin wrinkles.
