In general, people are willing to pay big bucks to keep from looking old. That's why there is such a plethora of skin care products on the market today. Fortunately, there are all kinds of ways to keep yourself looking younger. In addition to a good wrinkle cream, some background knowledge and a little prevention can also help you fight the onset of wrinkles.

What Causes Wrinkles?

There are several things that contribute to wrinkles. The predominant causes are sun exposure and aging. No one can stop the aging process, but understanding what happens in your cells over time can help you make informed decisions on the remedies you need and which skin products to buy.

Aging Effects on Skin

The longer you live, the harder it is for your body to repair itself. This is clear in the effect that aging has on all three layers of the skin. In the top layer of the skin (the epidermis) the cells divide slower and slower as time goes by. This means there are fewer cells to make repairs and hold in moisture. In the middle layer of your skin (the dermis) the cells produce less collagen which is a protein that helps maintain the skin's elasticity and firmness. And in the bottom layer of the skin, (the subcutaneous tissue) the fat cells shrink. All of these changes make the skin drier, thinner and baggier; resulting in wrinkles. Even though you won't be able to make new cells any faster, you can replace some of the moisture and nutrients that the aging process loses by using a good wrinkle cream.

Sun Damage

Sunlight also contributes to wrinkles because UVA and UVB rays have the ability to break down collagen, eliminate moisture and generate free radicals. This means that sunlight can dry out your skin, break down its internal structure and damage its ability to repair itself.

Ways to Fight Wrinkles

There are two main ways to fight wrinkles: protection can help prevent them from forming and treatments can help eliminate them after they show up.

Prevention

Since sunlight is one of the biggest factors that contribute to wrinkle generation, sunscreen is one of the most effective tools that people of all ages can use to prevent premature wrinkles. It prevents damage by either absorbing the harmful rays or by blocking them. In addition to being easy to use, sunscreen is also very affordable. If you forget to bring it to the beach or on a hike though, keeping your skin covered can also protect it from damage.

Treatment

Treating your skin can't stop the aging process, but it can restore some of the moisture and nutrients that your skill needs to look and feel healthy and soft. As mentioned earlier, a good wrinkle cream can be very effective but good eating habits can help too because some foods are full of anti-oxidants that combat free radicals.