At some point your smile lines or crinkled forehead changed from an expression to a permanent part of your face. Wrinkles are a result of environmental factors, aging and repeated facial expressions. Exercises for wrinkles target facial muscles, which is not beneficial for reducing your lines.
Causes
Wrinkles naturally occur with aging but other lifestyle choices can accelerate their appearance. According to the Mayo Clinic website, as you age your skin becomes thinner, loses elasticity and produces less natural oils which lead to dry, wrinkled skin. Smoking and ultraviolet, or UV, light can also cause wrinkles and accelerate the aging of your skin.
Function
Facial exercises are designed to tone and strengthen the muscles in your face. The goal is to build strong muscles to reduce wrinkles. Facial exercises can be done to target wrinkles around your mouth, over your brow and along your neckline. The Woman Junction website recommends opening your mouth wide and saying "EE, AH, OO" repeatidely, raising and lowering your brow with your eyes wide open and opening your mouth wide while rolling your tongue as much as you can. These exercise are done in an exaggerated fashion.
Expert Insight
It is possible that performing exercises for wrinkles could actually do more harm than good. According to the Mayo Clinic website, repeated facial expressions and movements create grooves beneath the surface of your skin that can become permanent wrinkles. Wrinkles form as your skin loses flexibility, elasticity and begins to age. Exercises tone facial muscles and do not treat the true cause of wrinkles.
Prevention/Solution
Unfortunately, you cannot stop the natural aging of your skin to eliminate wrinkles completely. You can take some precautions in your everyday life to keep your skin from aging faster than necessary. Don't smoke or kick the habit if you currently smoke. The Mayo Clinic website says smoking changes the blood supply to your skin. Apply sunscreen before going outdoors to protect your skin from the sun and avoid using tanning beds. According to the Mayo Clinic website, UV light is the primary cause of early wrinkles.
Alternatives
Wrinkle treatments include topical creams and medical procedures. A 2 Z of Health, Beauty and Fitness says facial creams that contain vitamin A acid, alpha hydroxy acids and antioxidants can help reverse skin damage, reduce lines and correct wrinkles. Medical procedures, such as dermabrasion, chemical peels, botox and a face-lift are used to alter the outer layer of facial skin and diminish the appearance of wrinkles. According to the Mayo Clinic, these treatments can provide results, but you will need ongoing repeated treatments to maintain any results.
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