Fine Lines and Wrinkles: The Best Ways to Slow the Clock

Loss of collagen and the changes to the skin from photodamage start in your 20s and begin to appear in your 30s and 40s. Whether you are just beginning to see signs of aging or are already active on the defense, here’s everything you need to know to give your skin an advantage over the effects of time and environment for healthy-looking skin at any age.

What are fine lines?

Among the earliest signs of aging, fine lines are shallow, superficial lines close to the skin’s surface. They often appear around the mouth or eyes where the skin creases when you smile, laugh, frown or squint.

What are wrinkles?

Wrinkles are deep-set creases in the skin. With time, fine lines may turn into wrinkles as the skin loses elasticity and firmness.

What causes fine lines and wrinkles?

Photodamage, the breakdown of collagen, and increasingly sluggish cell turnover are all factors that lead to fine lines and wrinkles.

• Changes in Cell Function

As we age, collagen and elastin in the skin begin to break down, causing the skin to lose firmness and elasticity. Additionally, cell metabolism slows, so the skin doesn’t regenerate as quickly.

• UV Exposure

Sun damage is the most common cause of fine lines and wrinkles. UV initiates a cascade of free radical damage in the skin that degrades collagen leading to fine lines and wrinkles. It’s also responsible for the dark spots that begin to appear in your forties.

Using a daily SPF with broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection is the most important thing you can do to help defend skin from early signs of aging.

• Pollution

If you live in a city or are regularly exposed to high levels of pollution, your skin can experience damage. Exhaust, fumes, and smoke create free radicals that can cause damage that leads to visible signs of aging.

• Lifestyle

Things like alcohol, stress, lack of sleep take a toll on skin health. Alcohol dehydrates the skin and depletes the skin of vitamin A, the synthesizing agent for collagen. The stress hormone cortisol elevates inflammation, which breaks down collagen. Sleep is the body’s repair system. Too little, and your skin’s natural defenses are depleted.

How can you reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles?

Exfoliate

A build-up of dead skin cells has the effect of making fine lines and wrinkles more visible because the added layer of cellular debris literally makes creases deeper. With age, skin is more likely to become dehydrated, which increases the build-up of dead cells. Regular exfoliation will keep skin free of cellular debris and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, exfoliation stimulates cell renewal to bring new, fresh cells to the surface, making skin look brighter and more radiant.

Exfoliation can come in the form of a physical scrub or chemical exfoliation with acids. A combination of both will bring the best results.

Use Vitamin A

Vitamin A accelerates cell turnover and encourages the proliferation of new fibroblasts, the cells that make up the collagen and elastin fibers that are the scaffolding of skin structure. As a cell-regenerator, vitamin A boosts collagen production, enhances elastin production, and thickens the dermis to plump the skin’s surface and fill in fine lines and wrinkles. Not all vitamin A is the same, however. Vivant’s patented vitamin A propionate is closest in molecular size to Retin-A. Dr. Fulton developed it to have the strength of the prescription retinoid without the irritation.

Protect your skin with antioxidants

UV radiation and environmental pollutants release free radicals in your skin that trigger oxidative stress, leading to fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, helping to repair and prevent damage. You can get them topically and through your diet to help support healthy cell function.

Add a Vitamin C Serum

Vitamin C is an essential co-factor in the synthesis of collagen. It’s also a powerful antioxidant to protect against environmental stressors. When paired with vitamin E, its powers are magnified.

Vivant’s Pure C + E harnesses the proven synergy vitamins C and E to shield skin from free radical damage, stimulates cell regeneration, and promotes elasticity for youthful-looking skin. Use this potent antioxidant vitamin C and E serum every morning to correct and prevent environmental damage and while aiding in the synthesis of collagen and elastin.

Plump with peptides

Collagen and elastin decrease as you age, causing the skin to sag and lines to form. Peptides, short molecular chains of protein-building amino acids, put the plumpness back by boosting your skin’s ability to produce natural collagen and elastin. In studies, topical use of peptides resulted in a significant decrease in the number and average depth of wrinkles.

Vivant’s Rejuv RX Peptide Concentrate is a peptide-rich firming and lifting serum formulated to increase elasticity, decrease fine lines and wrinkles, and protect against future signs of aging.

Use an Eye Cream

The skin around your eyes is delicate and more prone to photodamage, which results in fine lines and wrinkles. Use Vivant’s high-performance Wink Eye Rejuvenation Cream with vitamin A, peptides, and caffeine, morning and night to protect and repair.

What are the best skincare ingredients for smoothing fine lines and wrinkles?

For smooth, radiant skin, look ingredients to help visibly smooth and plump. Some of the most trusted ageless skincare ingredients are:

• Vitamin C Vitamin C is a trusted ingredient known to help improve fine lines and wrinkles, and smooth skin texture. Within skincare formulas, Vitamin C is also known to help boost radiance and provide antioxidant protection.
• Vitamin A Vitamin A is the most proven ingredient to combat fine lines, wrinkles, and other signs of aging.
• Oligopeptides The building blocks of protein and the core of cellular health, oligopeptides are essential to firm, smooth skin structure.
• Alpha Hydroxy Acids These chemical exfoliators increase cellular turnover to rid the skin of cellular debris and encourage healthy new cell growth.

What are the best products for fine lines?

If you are just beginning to notice the early signs of aging, start a routine to accelerate cell turnover, increase hydration, and protect against further damage. Add an eye cream to guard against damage to the delicate eye area. Use a daily SPF and incorporate vitamin A therapy into your daily routine to maintain collagen and defend against environmental damage.

What are the best products for wrinkles?

To plump and fill in deeper lines, vitamin A and peptide therapies are essential. An antioxidant cleanser and toner prep skin and enhance absorption of targeted serums. Boost hydration and elasticity with Marine Skin Nourishment Cream. Add a weekly deep renewing mask to visibly firm and revitalize skin.