Very few people are excited about wrinkles. After all who wants to look old and ugly? In a society that's obsessed with beauty, wrinkles are perceived as unnatural or even abnormal. In an age that puts a premium on one's physical appearance, the presence of wrinkles can be irritating or annoying to some.



Though it's common knowledge that genetics, sun exposure, and a few bad habits play a great deal in how we develop wrinkles, our forefathers saw them in a different light. For them, the onset of wrinkles was not merely age-related but meant something else. For instance, early man believed that the number of vertical wrinkles in the forehead indicated the number of husbands a woman would have. Horizontal wrinkles, on the other hand, showed the number of children!

In The Encyclopedia of Superstitions, Folklore, and the Occult Sciences of the World, Cora Linn Daniels said intelligent people usually have wrinkles in the forehead that are parallel with the eyebrows. A forehead without any wrinkles, on the other hand, signifies a calm disposition, an easy life, few troubles, and excellent eyes.

Still, not everyone welcomed the prospect of developing wrinkles so early man devised ways to prevent them. In Superstitions: 10,000 You Really Need edited by William Carroll, people are discouraged from sleeping with the head raised high for this would cause wrinkles. Eating 10 or 12 dried prunes daily is another preventive measure. From the looks of it, none of these worked since modern man continues to be plagued by wrinkles.

Although science has yet to discover the fountain of youth, it has supplied us with products that come close to this dream. One that's currently making waves is Dermaxin, a cream packed with four powerful wrinkle fighters that help rebuild beautiful skin. (See for details.) Department stores are awash with beauty products that come short of promising us eternal youth. While few deliver what they promise, such products remain popular owing to society's obsession with perfection.

For the few who see beyond the physical boundaries of this world, however, the thought of getting wrinkles isn't frightening. Instead these lines signify one's unique journey into life. Each wrinkle tells a story of one's experiences in this world. It is a testament to a person's character, abilities, and overall perspective. Think of wrinkles as trophies to the challenges you've faced, the goals you've reached, and the dreams you've achieved. As Amazing Kae wrote in www.43Things.Com:

"Wrinkles add character to your outward persona. They not only show you where you've been but where you're going. I think the most charming part of growing old gracefully is being able to see the progression of life and character on the face. It's like reading an antique map that leads to hidden treasure. Lines on the face give clues to one's motivations, loves, sadness, challenges, and happiness. Wrinkles and laugh lines make people interesting and I look forward to having them.

"Beauty changes over time. I envy and admire the elderly I meet, and have noticed that behind their facial lines are interesting stories. I hope to have lots of wonderful life experiences on the inside that will give me good wrinkles on the outside. Our real responsibility is to grow old gracefully. To do so is the true hallmark of beauty since each line represents another milestone along the course of a full life," she concluded.