What Causes Wrinkles to Form?

No one wants wrinkly skin. And yet - harsh truth - it happens to everyone. Saggy skin is part of the aging process - along with thinning hair and lots of other negative things most guys would rather not think about. 

That doesn’t mean that you have to just give yourself over to the aging process. You can fight back if you better understand what causes wrinkles to form. That way, you can address the root causes of skin aging instead of just reacting after the fact. 

What causes wrinkles to form? What can you do about it? And are there any lifestyle changes you can make now to help slow down the aging process?

Intrinsic Aging 

The process of intrinsic aging begins for most guys in their early 20’s. This is when you might first start to notice wrinkles, duller skin, thinning hair, and other signs that you’re no longer the youngest person in the room. But what’s going on in your body to cause these changes?

According to Scientific American, “After the age of 20, a person produces about 1 percent less collagen in the skin each year. As a result, the skin becomes thinner and more fragile with age. There is also diminished functioning of the sweat and oil glands, less elastin production, and less GAG formation. Wrinkle formation as a result of intrinsic aging is inevitable, but it will always be slight.”

Collagen and elastin are the building blocks of healthy, youthful skin. Since you naturally start producing less of them, wrinkles are bound to show up.

The solution? Following a skincare routine for men that helps boost collagen production with products like anti-aging cream for men and natural face serum for men.

Sun Exposure 

Apart from intrinsic aging, this is the #1 cause of skin aging. The sun’s UV rays damage your skin cells, leading to wrinkles, age spots, discoloration, and other issues that make you look older.

That doesn’t mean that you should never go out in the sun. Your body uses sunlight to produce vitamin D too, so it’s not all bad. Instead, focus on preventing UV damage when you’re exposed to the sun. How? 

Opt for our Daily Defense Face Moisturizer with SPF 20. It'll keep your skin hydrated and smooth while offering broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection. We recommend using it daily - even on cloudy days when you won't be spending much time outdoors. UV radiation passes through clouds and even pass through windows. So make sunscreen a daily habit if you want to prevent wrinkles.

Many guys are concerned about the potentially dangerous chemicals in many sunscreens. That's why we formulated our Daily Defense Face Moisturizer with skin-safe zinc-oxide.

Lack of Sleep

When you get less than 6-8 hours of sleep each night, it shows. Sure, some guys can sleep just 4 hours a night and seem to have boundless energy in the morning. But that doesn’t mean that their skin is benefitting from that short bout of rest.

Your natural sleep cycle is critical to skin regeneration. When you cut back on sleep, you give your skin less time to keep itself firm, healthy, and clear. This leads inevitably to increased wrinkles, dark circles under the eyes, and more breakouts.

Stress

The human body’s stress reaction has been linked to a variety of health concerns including heart disease. Extended periods of high stress have also been shown to cause and exacerbate wrinkles. Why?

Extensive research shows that the hormones released as a response to stress can contribute to the aging process. Chronic stress is much worse and leads to the accelerated appearance of wrinkles and other common signs of aging.

Additional Causes

This brief list is far from exhaustive. Some additional causes of wrinkles include:

Preventing Wrinkles

If you want to keep your skin clear and smooth for as long as possible, do what you can to fight back against these common causes of wrinkles. Making improvements to your diet and lifestyle may help you slow down the early onset of wrinkles. And be sure to follow an anti-aging skincare routine for men that uses the best natural ingredients available.