At one point in time, wrinkles were a sign of wisdom, maturity, hard work, and experience. Today's culture, however, looks at wrinkles in a completely different light and is prepared to do whatever it takes to maintain a youthful appearance. They exercise more to stay in good physical shape and they eat right to be healthy and fit.



With all the efforts to retain a youthful and slim body, it only makes sense that getting rid of wrinkles is a standard routine as well. During our teenage years, most of us rarely think about our skin and the aging process that will one day affect the condition and appearance of it. However, aging changes will begin to show up in the skin; changes which will progress as we age into our 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond. .

As we approach our 30s, our body's production of collagen and elastin (two substances that give the skin firmness and elasticity) begins to slow down, loosens and unravels which results in skin that sags and has poor elasticity. As the collagen-producing cells became less in number they also become lazy as we get older. Skin becomes looser, drier, less supple and more wrinkled.

At the same time, fat cells beneath the skin may begin to disappear. With the loss of this supportive fat, collagen, and elastin, plus the pull of gravity, the skin begins to sag and form wrinkles.

Most of the time, exercise conjures up images of losing weight, toning muscle, and trimming thighs and we don't often think of exercise has having any specific anti-aging effects on skin but experts say it most definitely does. Regular exercise can play a big role in how young and how healthy your skin looks and feels.

It's no secret that strength training has important benefits for the entire body. But what many people don't realise is that our skin is the largest organ of our body, and thus, the benefits can be enormous. By firming and toning muscle under previously loose, sagging skin will create a tight, toned, shapely body. And not only toning the muscles of the entire body but the facial muscles as well. Every time a strength exercise is performed every muscle in the body and face is tensed to brace against the resistance and help tone these muscles as well as the muscle group being exercised. When muscles increase their tone and firmness the skin attached to those muscles is pulled tighter reducing wrinkles. This can deliver results similar to a face-lift enabling you to influence the rate at which your face ages.

Strength training increases circulation and delivery of nutrients to skin cells, flushing away potentially damaging toxins and bringing more nutrients to the skin. It also increases oxygen to the tissues which keeps skin looking young and healthy. The cells in the base layer of the skin, where skin cells are formed, actually become more active and perform better with exercise. When these cells function better, your skin looks much more youthful. People who exercise have fewer wrinkles and look so much younger compared to people who do not.

Combating the aging process isn't only for those whose birthday cakes have lots of candles. The earlier we begin preparing for those quickly approaching years, the better we can minimise their impact on us. Although your skin will continue to age as you get older, you can take certain precautions to help keep your skin looking healthy, refreshed, and youthful from the inside.

What is known is that exercise is always good for you. It can make you stronger, more flexible, healthier and fitter, improve your endurance, your balance and increases your energy. In those ways, it will make you "younger," no matter how old you are or how your skin looks.