Quick question: how many anti-aging products are sitting on your bathroom counter right now?

If you’ve got one or more in mind, you’re far from alone. So-called “longevity trends” have swept the nation in recent years, with proponents trying everything from polar plunges to intermittent fasting to lengthen their lifespans. One side effect of this is anti-wrinkle products, which have all but dominated the beauty market over the last few years.

The minute we see the first signs of aging, from fine lines to age spots, most of us start asking ourselves, “How can you prevent wrinkles? Is it really possible to keep skin smooth for longer?”

The simple answer is yes, but the details can be a little more complicated. If you’re hoping to avoid premature aging, you’ll need to adopt a few healthy habits, rethink your skin care regimen, and consider talking to a medical professional. Let’s take a look at what you can do to reduce the risk of early wrinkles.

Get More Sleep

If you’re like many people, you know you should be getting more sleep than you are. Around one in three Americans doesn’t get enough sleep at night, and around 40% of us report falling asleep during the day by accident at least once a month.

However, you may not realize that sleep deficiency can cause more than fatigue and brain fog.

When we sleep, we allow our skin to repair daily damage. At this time, more blood flows to the skin, which can result in a more even skin tone. Regular sleep can improve our skin’s hydration and texture.

When we don’t get enough sleep, we may start to experience signs of premature aging. Lost elasticity, fine wrinkles, and loss of the fat that creates plump, even skin can result. Because sleeplessness impacts our immune system, it may also affect the collagen in the skin.

One 2015 study compared sleepers who got “good” sleep (seven to nine hours per night) to those who got “poor” sleep (five or fewer hours per night). Researchers found that the poor sleepers showed more signs of aging.

In other words, prioritize sleep to preserve your skin! Sleep is a vital anti-aging treatment, as it allows the skin to repair itself and preserve its youthful features.

If you struggle to get enough sleep, one of the best tactics is to improve your circadian rhythm. To do this, try to get in bed and wake up at the same time every day. Use calming bedtime routines and other sleep-friendly tactics to ease into restfulness, and turn off your screens early in the evening.

Last, but not least, try to sleep on your back. Some studies suggest that sleeping in a position that presses your face into your pillow, which happens more often if you’re on your stomach or side, may speed up wrinkle formation. In the same way repeated facial movements can cause early wrinkles, repeated compression forces can cause them as well.

Wear Sunscreen

If you know anything about wrinkle prevention, you likely know that UV rays are terrible for your skin.

UV rays can present a huge danger to your body, especially if you remain in the sun long enough to get a sunburn. Getting five sunburns over a lifetime can double your risk of developing skin cancer.

These harmful rays also cause premature aging, also called photoaging. Photoaging happens in the dermis, which is the deepest level of the skin. It damages the collagen and elastin fibers throughout the skin, removing its elasticity.

Sometimes, it can take years for this damage to present itself. Patients may not realize they are experiencing photoaging until it’s already begun.

However, it’s never too late to start protecting your skin!

If you don’t already do so, use a high-SPF (30-50+) sunscreen every time you’re outdoors. The low-grade sunscreen included in many daily makeups and lotions may not be enough on its own. Reapply your sunscreen at least every two hours, though you should do it more often if you’re working up a sweat.

Using sun-protection (UPF) clothing can also be a great way to prevent premature aging. Countless modern brands make lightweight long-sleeved clothes, many of them fashionable enough to wear away from the beach, as well as wide-brimmed hats to cover the entire face.

If you want to get a tan, don’t do it in the sun. Don’t use a tanning bed either, as these also emit harmful UV rays. Instead, use a self-tanning product that is safe for the skin.

Stop Smoking

Frequent smoking constricts the blood vessels in the skin. This makes it harder for your body to circulate the oxygen and nutrients it needs.

In addition, certain toxins in tobacco products can affect your organs, including your skin. Some studies suggest that smokers often have lower levels of elastin and collagen, meaning they’re more likely to experience sagging skin. Wrinkles and lost firmness are common as well.

As a result of these factors, smokers will often experience more signs of premature aging than others in the population. The heavier the smoking, the more likely wrinkles are.

Fortunately, it may be possible to get your smooth skin back. Some experts believe that collagen levels may slowly return to normal in the weeks and months after a smoker quits.

Stay Hydrated

Let’s clear one thing up: drinking water won’t erase wrinkles, and it can’t keep them at bay forever. This is a common myth.

However, your skin needs moisture for many of its essential tasks. As we age, our skin thinks and becomes less able to retain moisture. Drinking more water won’t reverse this, but it can keep dehydration at bay.

Regular skin dehydration can prevent your skin from repairing itself as it should. This can make you more likely to experience scars and fine lines that linger.

On the note of dehydration, be careful about your alcohol intake as well. Alcohol removes fluid from the skin, and a long-term drinking habit can cause visible dehydration damage. When you know you’re going to drink alcohol, make sure you’re drinking water as well.

Rethink Your Diet

A healthy diet is good for your body overall, and it’s especially good for your skin. Though there’s still some debate about the best foods to eat for a skin-healthy diet, there’s consensus about what to avoid: AGEs.

AGE stands for advanced glycation end product. These are products that cause inflammation and oxidant stress. They form in certain foods when sugar combines with fat or protein.

In some cases, AGEs can form during cooking, but they can also form right inside our skin tissue. This is one of the most noticeable causes of diet-related premature skin aging.

Certain foods are more likely to contribute to AGEs:

• Meat (especially red meat)
• Fried foods
• Processed foods
• Mayonnaise
• Margarine
• Certain cheeses
• Oils
• Nuts

Certain preparation methods may also make a dish more likely to have AGEs. Barbecuing, grilling, roasting, and broiling, for example, can expose food to dry heat that may raise our AGE intake. In contrast, lower cooking temperatures and reduced cooking times can lower AGE production.

Carbohydrates, whole grains, fish, legumes, milk, fruits, and vegetables often have a low AGE content. These foods are likely to maintain fewer AGEs even after cooking.

Beyond AGEs, foods with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties can help the skin as well. Vitamin-rich vegetables and seeds, in particular, may help improve the skin’s elasticity while preventing damage.

The bottom line is that a plant-based diet with more natural, raw foods may be better for wrinkle prevention than a meat-heavy diet with more processed foods.

Use a Daily Moisturizer

Moisturizing every day can help you face the world with smooth skin, and it can also preserve that skin for the long term.

A good moisturizer will increase the water content of your skin, trapping water where it belongs. This happens because of an ingredient called dimethicone, which is present in most high-quality face moisturizers and keeps water from evaporating from the skin.

Moisturizer can also help to give the skin a temporary plump look, concealing fine lines and creases. Adding moisture to your face every day can lock in hydration and help your skin protect itself from damage.

Note that moisturizers may improve the look of existing wrinkles, but they can’t remove them. Instead, they tackle the skin dehydration that causes and worsens fine lines.

Though you should always use sunscreen, as we’ve mentioned above, it doesn’t hurt to find a moisturizer with a built-in SPF. Look for a broad-spectrum lotion to apply each morning as well as a hydration-focused moisturizer to apply before bed.

Try Anti-Aging Products

Face lotions are great, but they aren’t enough on their own to prevent wrinkles. Pairing them with a powerful anti-aging product can be a good way to preserve the smoothness and texture of your skin.

You’ll find a huge range of anti-aging creams, salves, and serums on the market today. Because the FDA does not regulate these products as strictly as it does other medications, it can be hard for buyers to tell how effective they are. Be careful, and do your research!

Start by looking for a few common ingredients. Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, hydroxy acids, peptides, and tea extracts are other common ingredients that may help protect against fine lines and wrinkles.

In addition, retinoids are included in some of the best anti-aging products. These vitamin A compounds help the skin repair damage and may reduce fine lines. They also promote the creation of new blood vessels throughout the skin.

When trying a new anti-aging product, keep in mind that you may need to use it once or twice every day for weeks before you notice a difference. The results will only last for as long as you use the project.

In addition, don’t forget that everyone’s skin is different. What works for a friend may not work for you!

Instead, consider working with a dermatologist to find products that pair well with your skin. An expert can help you avoid any skin irritation or redness from your anti-wrinkle creams. In addition, a dermatologist may help you get access to higher-dosage prescription creams, which may offer better or faster results.

Relax Your Face

It’s no secret that muscle movements are a huge contributor to wrinkle development. As we make the same repeated movements throughout our lifetimes, we crease our skin in similar ways again and again. Over time, these creases deepen into fine lines and then visible wrinkles.

Though your instinct may be to smooth away any emotion on your face, we’re not saying to stop smiling! However, it may help to address unnecessary facial strain.

If you often find yourself squinting in the sun, for example, make it a habit to grab sunglasses when you leave home each day. If you’re squinting when you read, visit your eye doctor to check your eyesight. Both of these actions can sometimes cause forehead wrinkles.

If you often frown or purse your lips when you’re stressed, it may be worthwhile to try breaking the habit. Stress-busting activities like deep breathing, mindfulness, and meditation may help you relieve tension instead.

Dealing with stress is especially important if that stress becomes chronic. Cortisol, which our bodies produce in higher quantities during times of tension, can break down the collagen in the skin. As a result, higher levels of stress may increase your chances of premature aging.

Ask an Expert: How Can You Prevent Wrinkles?

No matter your age, asking “How can you prevent wrinkles?” is a smart move. It’s never too early to create good skin care habits that preserve your skin’s collagen, elasticity, and overall health. Start using the tips above to keep fine lines at bay for longer!

If you’re looking for personalized tips on wrinkle prevention, fine line concealment, and more, it may be time to ask an expert.

In addition to the DIY lifestyle changes we’ve mentioned, advanced treatments from Atlanta Face and Body can help you get the youthful, natural-looking appearance you’re hoping for. We offer everything from non-surgical injectables and skin-tightening treatments to surgical procedures from our double-board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Elizabeth Whitaker. To talk to an expert about your wrinkle-prevention options, schedule an appointment today.