Developing wrinkles is inevitable eventually, but many daily habits can cause wrinkles to appear sooner. Seemingly harmless habits can speed up the appearance of aging, something most people work to slow down. Wrinkles happen due to collagen and elastin breaking down, which weakens the skin’s structure.
Being aware and knowledgeable of what causes wrinkles to occur can help you right now and long-term. Knowing what these daily habits are that cause wrinkles will help you slow the progress even further. You will be able to make the necessary changes and work on looking as youthful as possible.
Your skin is the first part of your body that shows signs of aging. Skin can be affected when things are even slightly off in your body. You need to change these daily habits if you want your skin to stay youthful and healthy.
Using all the face cream and anti-wrinkle serum in the world won’t help if you don’t make some lifestyle changes. These 10 daily habits can eventually cause wrinkles, which is quite surprising since the habits are so common.
Daily Habits That Might Eventually Cause Wrinkles
1. Chewing Gum Frequently
If you chew gum every day, you may develop wrinkles quicker than those who don’t. The non-stop chewing motion causes wrinkles to develop around the mouth because it overuses the muscles. It also causes a break down of supportive tissue, which weakens the elasticity of the skin.
You could consider using breath mints instead of gum to help break the habit. This will help slow down the development of wrinkles around your mouth.
2. Running and Other Outdoor Exercises
You always hear how running and other forms of exercise are extremely beneficial to you and your body. This is true, but you still have to be careful, or your skin can suffer.
First, running burns fat from under the skin, which could cause your wrinkles to become deeper. When this happens, they will be easier to see on your skin. Running can also cause cell damage, which can be counter-acted with vitamins that fight free radicals.
Another reason running can cause wrinkles is that runners tend to forget their sunscreen. When you head outside for any exercise, you must apply sunscreen with SPF. Even more beneficial is waterproof sunblock because sweat can cause the sunscreen to wash away.
3. Looking at Your Phone, Tablet, or Computer too Much
This is something most people do many times a day. With a cell phone constantly nearby, it is hard to avoid looking at it frequently. This daily habit can cause premature wrinkles to appear on your skin, however.
Looking at a phone, tablet, or computer can cause premature wrinkles for a couple of reasons. First, looking downward at the device continually can cause unnatural wrinkles on your neck. These neck wrinkles are unnatural because they wouldn’t have appeared at all without the help of electronic devices and continued downward glances.
If your job requires you to stare at a computer or other device all day, you’re in trouble when it comes to wrinkles. When you concentrate so hard on a screen, you tend to frown the entire time. This causes premature wrinkles to appear around your mouth.
These daily habits may sound like ones you cannot combat, but there are solutions to help you. First, make sure you put your devices at eye level when you use them. This even includes your cell phone and tablet.
Setting your devices up at eye level will help avoid the neck wrinkles that were mentioned before. Then, to combat the wrinkles around your mouth, remind yourself throughout the day to stop frowning if you have to put a mirror next to your computer to be reminded to change your expression.
4. Not Wearing Sunglasses
Sunglasses are much more than a simple fashion accessory. Squinting in the sun is a sure way to create or deepen wrinkles around your eyes.
These wrinkles will appear as crow’s feet next to your eyes or cause wrinkles between your eyes. Plus, they could appear as wrinkles between your eyebrows if you often try to concentrate on things while in the sun.
Any kind of sunglasses is better than wearing no sunglasses at all. For the best results, however, look for sunglasses that have plastic frames and UV filters. Surprisingly, metal frames can cause sunlight to reflect onto your cheeks, causing skin damage there, too.
5. Using Straws Often
Some people use straws when they drink coffee or tea to avoid getting stains on their teeth. This seems like a great daily habit because it’ll help maintain a white smile, but it can cause another problem, too. Using straws too often can cause premature wrinkles or cause existing wrinkles to deepen.
6. Side or Stomach Sleeping
Surprisingly, the position you sleep in can cause wrinkles, but it’s true. Sleeping on your side or your stomach can cause wrinkles because your face is pressed into the pillow. This causes your skin to fold and sleep lines, or wrinkles, to form.
Wrinkles caused by side or stomach sleeping can cause new wrinkles on the forehead, lips, and cheeks. If you already have these wrinkles, it will cause them to worsen. To avoid this, you should try sleeping on your back whenever you can.
7. Smoking
Smoking is highly detrimental to your skin because it releases an enzyme that will break down collagen and elastin. The smoke from cigarettes also causes blood vessels to constrict, which causes a lack of oxygen and nutrients. All of this causes new wrinkles to form and old wrinkles to deepen.
8. Wearing Contacts Everyday
Putting in contacts requires pulling your eyes in unnatural directions and unintentionally creating wrinkles. Even if you can do it without pulling on the sensitive skin around your eye, you will still be lifting your brow. Raising your brows like this daily can cause wrinkles on your forehead.
Another reason that wearing contacts every day can cause wrinkles is that they don’t protect from UV rays. Glasses protect the skin around your eyes from UV rays, but contacts cause you to lose that benefit. This will further cause wrinkles and the breakdown of your skin.
9. Consuming too Much Sugar or Other Unhealthy Foods
The food you consume plays a huge role in the health of your skin. Sugar is the biggest culprit in contributing to wrinkles, much to the dismay of anyone with a sweet tooth.
There are a few reasons that sugar causes wrinkles. It increases oil production, causes breakouts, contributes to dark circles under your eyes, and breaks down collagen. If you cut sugar out of your diet, you will notice a huge difference in just three days.
Other unhealthy foods that might eventually cause wrinkles include those filled with inflammatory properties. These foods include white bread, processed foods, and red meat. Avoiding them will work wonders for protecting your skin and slowing down the formation of wrinkles.
10. Not Drinking Enough Water or Drinking Unhealthy Drinks
Water is a necessity in life, and you have to make sure you are consuming enough. The minute you begin to become dehydrated, your wrinkles will appear deeper. This is because staying hydrated plumps the skin positively, helping to hide the appearance of wrinkles.
It goes beyond simply consuming enough water, however. It would be best if you tried to stick to water whenever you can because consuming alcohol or caffeine is even more detrimental.
Too Much Alcohol
Alcohol quickly dehydrates you, causing your current wrinkles to show up more. Plus, it causes new wrinkles to form. However, this isn’t only due to dehydration because alcohol consumption also stops or slows down cellular regeneration.
Too Much Caffeine
Coffee and other forms of caffeine are great, but you should avoid overconsumption. It can cause cortisol levels to elevate, which quickly speeds up the aging process and wrinkle formation. Caffeine also leads to dehydration and your skin drying out.
Final Thoughts on Daily Habits That Might Eventually Cause Wrinkles
Most people want to slow down the aging process and prevent wrinkles. Surprisingly, however, many daily habits can eventually cause wrinkles. Once you know these detrimental habits, you will be able to make some changes for the better.
From the things that you eat and drink to the way you sleep, many unexpected things can contribute to the development of wrinkles. Take care of your skin by taking care of your body, and you will notice the appearance of wrinkles fade a bit. Plus, you will be able to prevent more wrinkles from forming.
Remember these daily habits that might eventually cause wrinkles as you go about your day and pay attention to how many you are guilty of. It isn’t too late to make healthy changes when it comes to wrinkles. Starting now will make a difference, and each time you change one of these habits, you are helping yourself.
