As you get up there in years, certain problems are going to crop up and one of them is wrinkles. They can show up around your eyes, forehead, cheeks and neck. You can get rather depressed when you look into a mirror. Take heart, there are answers.

Maybe you cannot stop time from marching on, but you can reduce the signs of the aging process and look better than ever. Here is what happens and some suggestions to follow.

Why Do You Develop Wrinkles?

As a person ages, the skin undergoes significant changes. The inner layer of the skin begins to thin and the cells begin to divide more slowly. Fat cells begin to lessen or die beneath the dermis.

The network of collagen fibers and elastin which provide a sort of scaffolding for the surface layer begin to loosen and unravel. Skin then loses its elasticity. It tends to droop and forms furrows.

The oil secreting and sweat glands atrophy, and the skin cannot retain its moisture. Therefore, it becomes dry and scaly. Constant facial expressions form characteristic lines. Gravity makes the situation worse and contributes to the formation of drooping eyelids and jowls. Also, eyebrows tend to move up as someone ages perhaps because of forehead wrinkles and the skin has less of an ability to repair itself so wounds heal more slowly.

There are other forces at play that can make your skin suffer, such as :

1. The sun damages collagen fibers and causes an accumulation of abnormal elastin. Metalloproteinases, or enzymes, are produced that are able to repair most of the damage, however, it is this repetition of the rebuilding process that is done over and over again that causes skin problems.

2. The sun's UV radiation promotes oxidation. This also leads to the development of skin abnormalities.

3. Cigarette smoking causes the thickening and fragmentation of elastin, reduces circulation and the amount of oxygen that is supplied to the skin, and leads to less Collagen formation and reduced water content in the skin. Lastly, smoking compromises the ability of the skin to fend off free radicals causing cell destruction.

4. Air pollution ? Ozone may be a problem for the skin. It may cause depletion of Vitamin E in the skin which is a vital antioxidant.

5. Rapid weight loss ? This can cause fine lines since it reduces the volume of fat cells which cushion the face. This will cause the skin to sag.

6. Heredity ? You may have inherited some skin characteristics from your parents.

Wrinkles are the most noticable signs of aging. As tissues sag, these lines form a type of canvas that is covered with cracks that have varying depths. As time marches on, they deepen and reach the dermis. As the dermis loses its elasticity, it becomes slack which leads to the formation of more pronounced wrinkles over 0.05 mm in depth.

Here is the normal progression of wrinkles characterized by age group:

20-25 ? Vertical wrinkles on one's forehead and even between the eyebrows may already be visible. Fine lines at the external edges of the eyes are not yet noticeable.

25-40 ? In the epidermis, wrinkles begin to deepen. They are less than 0.0005 mm in depth. They are caused by the superficial drying out of one's skin as well as the slowing down of cellular renewal.

40-50 ? Fine lines around the lips, crow's feet, furrows alongside of the nose and the line between the eyebrows are all beginning to deepen. The skin loses it elasticity and the facial contours are not less well defined.

50 and over ? Hormonal secretions end as menopause appears and this speeds up the aging process. The skin's surface begins to modify and intermediary lines are replaced by ever deepening furrows.

The older you become, the more wrinkles you get. You can minimize this damage by taking good care of your skin.

Anti Aging Skin Care Treatments: here are a few promising treatments for sagging skin. There are some new wrinkle creams and topical lotions, like Avotone or Revitol, that contain natural ingredients that may help lessen this problem. For example:

1. Argireline - this is a safer alternative to Botox. It is not derived from any poisonous substance, but from naturally occurring amino acids. This element relaxes facial tension because it is able to reduce the excessive release of neurotransmitters which are also known as catecholamines. These make your facial muscles become tense. If your muscles are not tense, they do not contribute to wrinkles. Also, it may slow down the degeneration of elastin and collagen which normally occurs with aging.

2. Dermox SRC - this is a specially tested serum that helps to control wrinkles, increases the synthesis of collagen, and restores the skin's surface.

3. DMAE - it has been indicated that this antioxidant is able to function as a cell membrane stabilizing agent. It reinforces the skin's foundation of elastin and collagen, makes cells live longer, and helps avoid cell dehydration. It may also assist in the healing of scars, which includes acne scars, and helps to flush out excessive lipofuscin from skin cells reducing age spots.

How Can You Minimize Fine Lines and Wrinkles?

There are many things you can do to reduce the wrinkles that you already have and minimize future occurences. These include:

?Stay out of the sun

?Avoid smoking

?Use a very good topical anti-wrinkle cream

?Drink plenty of water

?Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits

?Exercise

By following these steps regularly, you will be taking important actions to help maintain a youthful appearance while reducing the onset of aging skin.