11). Botox does carry risks, however, and you can safely make simple lifestyle changes to reduce your likelihood of getting these types of wrinkles (and possibly even minimize existing ones).Repetitive facial movements, like squinting or frowning, form grooves beneath the skin’s surface every time the facial muscles contract. That repeated wear and tear causes changes in the connective tissue and breaks down the extracellular matrix, skin’s support structure. As you age, your skin can’t snap back into place as easily, and over time those grooves become wrinkles, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. This accounts for the astronomic rise in popularity of botulinum toxin (Botox), which paralyzes the small muscles used to create fixed expression lines (11). Botox does carry risks, however, and you can safely make simple lifestyle changes to reduce your likelihood of getting these types of wrinkles (and possibly even minimize existing ones).
The American Academy of Dermatology notes that people who sleep on their sides or stomach tend to smoosh their faces into their pillows. If you sleep in the same position every night, sleep lines can form along the chin and cheeks (if you’re a side sleeper) or the forehead (if you sleep facedown). As your skin loses elasticity with age, the lines stick around even when you’re not resting your head on a pillow. The answer? Sleep on your back if you can, or at least vary your sleeping position from day to day. The jury is still out on new pillowcases and bedding that are infused with copper, aloe, and other substances that claim to confer beauty benefits while you sleep. But if you try changing your sleeping position and still find yourself with your face crumpled against your pillow in the morning, a satin pillowcase is an inexpensive option to try. The smooth fabric may allow your skin to lay flat when pressed against it. And even if it doesn’t help solve your sleep lines, it’s a luxurious touch that you can enjoy for other reasons.
You may have heard about Hollywood stars using adhesive strips called Frownies to prevent them from making wrinkle-forming facial expressions while they sleep. Despite positive customer testimonials, in a 2009 study in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, plastic surgeons looked at photos of subjects before and after four weeks of using Frownies. The surgeons, who were not told which were the before and which were the after photos, found no change in wrinkles. Still, the subjects in the study did think they saw slight improvement. If you tend to frown in your sleep, Frownies are a relatively inexpensive experiment. But you might also get the same benefit by using a (basically free) strip of tape.
Crow’s feet—wrinkles around the outside corner of your eyes—are largely due to squinting. Get in the habit of wearing sunglasses (with 100 percent UV protection to shield eyes and the surrounding delicate skin from sun damage) outdoors, even in winter. In fact, sunlight reflecting off snow can be even brighter than the summer sun.
You should also get an eye exam to see if you need glasses or if your prescription has changed. According to the Vision Council of America, 172.3 million American adults wear a form of vision correction, either glasses or contacts. And the older you get, the more likely you’ll need prescription eyewear, even if you’ve had excellent vision all your life. Getting the correct prescription—and wearing it religiously—ensures that you won’t need to squint to read the fine print.
If you furrow your brow, purse your lips, or frown when you’re concentrating, worried, or displeased, mom was right: Your face will freeze like that. Well, not exactly, but these repetitive movements can lead to wrinkling. Try to be mindful of making pronounced facial expressions, and if you catch yourself doing it, relax your facial muscles into a more neutral and restful position.
Also, skip exercising—for your face, that is. Programs that promise to tone your facial muscles through repetitive motions or resistance actually create wrinkles. Because skin loses elasticity as it ages, every time you perform a repetitive facial motion your skin doesn’t bounce back to its wrinkle-free state as easily. Over time, these exercises essentially carve wrinkles into your skin. Not quite what you had intended, right?