Fine lines vs wrinkles: Causes and 7 tips to prevent them

Everyone wish to look young and strives hard to maintain youthful and healthy skin. But you can't stop the clock and your natural aging process too. As you age, your skin naturally loses moisture and elasticity and the common signs of aging: Discoloration, dullness, uneven skin tone, frown lines, wrinkles and fine lines appear.

Of all these signs, wrinkles and fine lines on the face are the most noticeable aging signs which deepens with time and becomes difficult to treat. Fine lines and wrinkles, both are always linked together and often used interchangeably. But, in reality, wrinkles and fine lines are entirely different in their nature and makeup.

So what are wrinkles and fine lines and what is the difference between the two? Is there any way to prevent both? Does it matter while researching anti-aging products and treatments?

If you are mouthing a 'NO' to all these questions, you are at the right place. Read on to learn more about fine lines and wrinkles in depth and various tips to fight these sneaky signs of aging to reveal a youthful you at any age.

In this blog, we will discuss:

• What are fine lines?
  
• What are wrinkles?
  
• What is the difference between fine lines and wrinkles?
  
• What causes fine lines and wrinkles?
• Factors which exacerbates fine lines and wrinkles
• How to prevent fine lines and wrinkles?

What are fine lines?

Fine lines are often defined as the first sign of aging and appear as shallow. They are superficial and only deep as the top layer of your skin. These lines develop when you repeatedly expand and contract the same muscles every day (during laughing, smiling, squinting or frowning). They appear in your twenties and early thirties around the eyes, forehead and the mouth and it is hard to bring back these lines into position, with increasing age.

Dedicating a little extra attention to your daily skin care regimen in your early thirties can help to have youthful and healthy skin. Here's what you need to know and you should be already doing to stop your skin from ageing in your 30s.

What are wrinkles?

Wrinkles are the most advanced and deep version of fine lines, which are left untreated. They are caused by muscle contractions under the skin and are more visible when you make facial expressions such as laughing, smiling or squinting.

They are noticeable in certain areas of the face where your skin has suffered a gradual volume loss, in areas of repetitive motion and loose or saggy skin.

Is your skin looking loose and saggy? Use top 7 home remedies for treating sagging skin

What is the difference between fine lines and wrinkles?

While differentiating both fine lines and wrinkles, the depth is the most integral parameter. Dermatologists have explained that the fine lines are one to two millimeters in depth whereas wrinkles are a bit more complex and deeper than 2mm.

Fine lines are as thin as a thread and considered as a starting point of a deeper wrinkle. Wrinkles are little complex and considered to run a little deeper causing deep facial folds with time.

What causes fine lines and wrinkles?

Your skin is formed of three main layers. On the top lies the epidermis which contains skin cells or pigment producing cells. Next layer is the dermis which contains essential proteins including elastin and collagen which provides elasticity and firmness to skin. The last layer, hypodermis, is composed of connective and fat tissue.

Learn more about skin layers and their distinct functions.

Skin constantly repairs its own structure by producing new collagen and elastin. But with time and continued exposure to harmful factors causes weakening of collagen and elastin fibers and a decline in self-renewal capacity of skin. Deterioration of strength and elasticity makes it difficult to snap back into shape and leads to wrinkle formation when stretched or compressed.

Factors which exacerbates fine lines and wrinkles

Skin wrinkles and fine lines are inevitably a part of your aging but several factors affect the elasticity and firmness of skin and can speed up their development. These factors include:

• Internal factors comprises the natural or biological process of aging affected by your genes
  
• External factors include environmental factors (including pollution and sun damage) and unhealthy lifestyle (including diet, sleep, smoking and drinking habits etc.)

Even though the internal factor is the predominant cause of fine lines and wrinkles, the external factors cause the breakdown of the elastin and collagen fibers and induce the formation of free radicals. Free radicals are the biggest enemy of skin and may speed up the aging process causing premature aging.

Besides internal and external factors, age-induced dryness is another key factor that promotes formation of fine lines and wrinkles. Aged skin becomes more dry, itchy and rough, due to decrease in the production of Hyaluronic acid (HA).

HA is the moisture binding substance which surrounds skin cells and gives skin a youthful and smooth appearance. A reduction in the Hyaluronic acid levels makes skin saggy and loose and become more susceptible to deep wrinkles here's how.

How to prevent fine lines and wrinkles?

As mentioned earlier, your skin will naturally lose firmness and elasticity over time. You cannot control the natural aging process but you can prevent the damage and premature aging caused by external factors.

Protecting and caring for your skin with some simple steps can prevent aging and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. It can be hard to find a routine that works in harmony to give your skin the perfect balance, but it is possible. You can go for a customized skin analysis to grab the best products according to your skin concern.

Below are 8 simple steps to prevent fine lines and wrinkles for a long-lasting youthful appearance:

1. Adopt a healthy lifestyle

Your habits represent your skin’s natural health. Unhealthy lifestyle can disturb the skin circadian rhythm (biological clock of skin) and result in disrupted barrier function, increased melanin formation and aging.

Eating a plentiful amount of fruits and vegetables, staying hydrated, adequate sleep for 7-8 hours every night and giving up smoking and drinking habits can reduce the chances of premature skin aging.

While adopting a healthy lifestyle, you also need to quit habits that can lead to dull and aged skin.

2. Don't forget to moisturize

Skin naturally loses moisture, when you get older. Dry and damaged skin is more prone to develop visible signs of aging. It is essential to moisturize your skin daily to maximize hydration levels.

Layering your skin with an ultra hydrating moisturizer can significantly boost Hyaluronic acid level and can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

3. Always wear a sunscreen

Sun exposure and UV rays can increase the production of free radicals and considerable damage to your skin. Further, it increases the appearance of wrinkles and causes sun tan, sunburn, dark spots and pigmentation. Therefore, it is vital to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen 365 days.

Yes, 365 days, this implies you have to wear sunscreen even staying indoors, in winters or on a cloudy day.

Always choose a lightweight sunscreen gel which provides protection against both UVA and UVB radiations and has a sun protection factor (SPF) above 30. Apply the sunscreen to your face, neck, chest, hands, and any other exposed skin.

4. Use Vitamin C serum daily

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant which helps in the repair and renewal of skin cells by attacking the free radicals in your body. It keeps your skin looking younger and healthy by controlling all signs of aging like wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin.

So you must apply a Vitamin C serum before moisturizer or sunscreen twice a day to clean, dry skin.

Also learn the benefits of Vitamin C serum, which you can’t afford to miss!

5. Don't forget your under eye area

Skin around your eye area is more delicate and is the first area that shows aging signs due to wear and tear from smiling, squinting, and rubbing. It needs to be hydrated and nourished for preventing premature lines and wrinkles.

Therefore, stock your beauty closet with an excellent eye cream gel to moisturize and keep the eye area hydrated.

6. Give your neck its fair share of care

We spend enough time and energy caring for our face but neglect another area which shows signs of aging skin-the neck. For preventing wrinkles, premature folds, and sagging, you should pay proper attention to your neck. Apply a moisturizer and sunscreen on your neck regularly.

7. Avoid sleeping on side

The prominent and often neglected cause of wrinkles is sleeping. Position of your face on your pillow makes a significant difference.

Dermatologists recommend the supine position as the best position all around for prolonging youthful skin. It not only prevents wrinkles but also stops the skin from feeling the pressure of your face “folding” into the pillow. So, avoid sleeping on the side and try to sleep on your back.

8. Start using an anti-aging cream

If you are just beginning to notice the early signs of aging and enter your thirties, you should start using an effective anti-aging cream. Anti-aging creams are specially devised with potent ingredients that help to get rid of aging signs.

For younger looking skin, always look for formulas that contain retinoids, antioxidants such as vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, alpha hydroxy acids, plant based extracts and peptides. So, next time you are choosing an anti-aging cream, look for 7 best anti-aging ingredients that your skin requires to stay healthy and youthful.

Bottom line

By now, you must be clear about differences between fine lines and wrinkles and few ways to delay premature aging. As with many things, an ounce of prevention can keep your fine lines and wrinkles at a bay. So, why not establish a skin care routine that can prevent fine lines and wrinkles rather than spending lots when it becomes worse.

Following these natural skincare tips religiously for youthful skin and getting started with anti-aging cream as soon as you notice the first signs of fine lines will allow them to be easily managed. Believe it or not! The anti-aging creams work to repairs and renews skin cells, lessens pigmentation, withers pores and revamp the skin texture.

Always use dermatologist recommended anti-aging cream which not only reduces fine lines and wrinkles but also works for dull skin, sagging skin, hyperpigmentation, dark spots, age spots, and freckles.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How do you know if you have fine lines?

Fine lines are small, thin creases that form on delicate area with repetitive movements (think: frowning, smiling, squinting, and laughing). You can usually find these lines first around your eyes, forehead and mouth.

Are fine lines permanent?

Fine lines are created with continued use of face muscles. These fine lines mature and turn into deep wrinkles that become permanent. You can manage to prevent wrinkles and fine lines by adopting an anti-aging skin care routine at an early age and can also reduce their appearance by using effective anti-aging products.

Can you treat fine lines and wrinkles?

Using a good anti-aging skin care routine can be beneficial for preventing wrinkles and fine lines, but additional care with professional treatments can treat fine lines and wrinkles. These invasive treatments include chemical peels, dermal filler injection, botulinum toxin (Botox) injections, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, laser resurfacing, microneedling and plastic surgery.

Also, Check out some of the best home remedies to fend off wrinkles in the future.