Developing wrinkles and other signs of aging skin are an inevitable part of growing older. However, while the way our skin ages is largely determined by genetic factors, we can take some measures to prevent premature skin aging by understanding the external factors that cause our skin to age.

Causes of Aging Skin and Prevention Tips

Here are the seven primary reasons that our skin ages prematurely:

• Cold Weather: Because lower temperatures and cold conditions tend to dry out the skin, being exposed to cold weather for an extended period of time contributes to premature aging of the skin.To prevent cold weather from prematurely aging your skin, use a more intensive moisturizer before going out into the cold. Similarly, consider using a humidifier indoors to restore moisture to your face.
• Drinking too much alcohol: Excessive use of alcohol constricts the skin's blood vessels, limiting the flow of blood and other essential nutrients to the skin. If the skin is denied blood and nutrients for an extended period of time, it will loose some of its collagen and elasticity, causing it to prematurely age. Prevent premature aging by limiting your alcohol intake.
• Lack of exercise: Since exercise strengthens our muscles and increases blood flow throughout the body, having a sedentary lifestyle will cause skin to loosen faster, inviting premature skin aging. Exercise at least 30 minutes every other day to improve your health and prevent premature skin aging.
• Lack of sleep: While we sleep, the various organs and systems of the body, including the skin, repair themselves. If we don't get enough sleep, our faces show it and we end up having dark bags under our eyes. Over time, a lack of sleep can make these unsightly features permanent. To prevent this cause of aging skin, make sure that you are getting the sleep that you need. For most adults, "enough sleep" ranges between five to nine hours per night. While it may be difficult to get this much sleep every night, make sure that you get sufficient sleep most nights.
• Smoking: Smoking or being around smoke decreases your body's Vitamin C levels, causing your skin to become overly dry. Along with causing dryness, the repetitive action of smoking will, over years, cause wrinkles to develop, especially around the mouth area that constantly puckers while smoking.Quitting smoking it the best way to prevent this factor from causing your skin to prematurely age. Also, it's a good idea in general for improving your overall health.
• Stress: Typically, stress causes us to furrow our brows, wrinkle our foreheads and frown. Over time, being stressed-out can cause our faces to naturally assume these expressions that literally stress our facial muscles. This can cause wrinkles to form in the areas of our faces that are under constant strain.Prevent stress wrinkles by finding ways to eliminate and manage your stress effectively. Learn to be more efficient with your time and to take time for yourself to reduce the stress and the stress-related wrinkles.
• Sun: Exposure to the sun is one of the leading causes of premature aging of the skin. The sun not only dries out the skin, but it also decreases the skin's elasticity over time. Years of sunburns and other sun damage can cause sun spots, wrinkles and, in the worst cases, skin cancer.Prevent premature skin aging, as well as other, more serious health problems, by wearing sunscreen and limiting your time in the sun.

By understanding these factors that contribute to aging skin and practicing an appropriate skin care regimen, you can take preventative measures to fend off premature skin aging.

Resources

O'Brien, Sharon (n.d.). Top 7 External Causes of Aging Skin. Retrieved November 1, 2007 from the About.com Web site: http://seniorliving.about.com/od/healthnutrition/a/7agingskincause.htm.