As you get older, wrinkles are an inevitable reminder that life is taking its toll on you. Do you wish you could keep your young appearance and stave off the marks of time for a bit longer? Dr. Petrosino can offer you facial rejuvenation methods such as Botox and Juvéderm to help you immediately get rid of unwanted facial wrinkles. She also wants to let you know about some different activities to avoid that may cause premature wrinkles from developing. Don’t help Father Time out with these habits – he doesn’t need it.

3 Risky Activities That Cause Wrinkles

Tanning – A popular summertime activity, tanning can cause you to look years older than you actually are. Tanning applies to tanning beds as well as sunbathing. Each of these activities exposes you to UV radiation from the sun. The way that UV rays harm your youthful appearance is by breaking down the collagen in your skin. This breakdown of collagen and other elastic material in your skin can cause sagging, which leads to wrinkles. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a safe tan. When you get a tan, what you are actually seeing is your body’s response to skin damage caused by UV rays. Your body produces melanin to try to protect your skin from further UV damage. Use sunscreen when you are outside, and avoid using tanning beds as they are a highly concentrated source of UV rays.   

Smoking – Smoking is a terrible habit. Not only does it open you up to the risks of developing different forms of cancer and discoloration of your teeth, but it also contributes to wrinkles and premature aging. Cigarette smoke has more than 4,000 chemicals inside it. While that alone is distressing, you should know that many of those chemicals break down the collagen and elastin in your skin, just like UV rays break down the same materials. These two materials, collagen and elastin, are what give your skin its youthful appearance. Once they start breaking down, you are left with sagging, wrinkled skin.

The nicotine in cigarettes also narrows the blood vessels in the surface of your skin. This causes further damage by robbing your skin of needed oxygen and vitamin A. Even the physical act of smoking can contribute to wrinkles. You purse your lips and squint your eyes, and both of those actions can contribute to the development of fine lines and wrinkles in your complexion. Your best bet is to quit now before you age even more.

Bad Dieting – You’ve probably heard of or even done some yo-yo dieting. This type of dieting is bad for your skin because the constant change in your body shape can cause your skin to stretch, sag, and cause wrinkles. It is much easier on your skin and overall health to get into a good healthy routine of eating healthy and exercising regularly. This will leave you with a higher energy level, as well as better toned and healthier-looking skin due to the balance in your diet.

What You CAN Do To Avoid Wrinkles

It is not enough for you to simply know what NOT to do to avoid getting wrinkles. Dr. Petrosino wants you to know what you CAN do to avoid getting them as well. Here are a few tips to help you on your mission to turn back the hands of time.

Drink Plenty Of Water – Your body is made up of more than 70 percent water. With this in mind, it is no wonder that when you don’t drink enough of it, your body starts to show the signs. One such sign is dry skin, and dry skin can be damaged fairly easily. Making sure you are drinking the recommended amount of water per day is a big key to maintaining a youthful, healthy appearance. For men, the recommended amount of water is 13 cups per day. The amount is a little less for women at 9 cups per day. This will also help you keep a normal and healthy dieting schedule, as well as healthier teeth.  

Maintain A Balanced Diet – There are many different nutrients your body needs on a daily basis. Eating fast food, junk food, or no food will do nothing good for the condition of your body or skin. It is a must that you maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet to keep your skin in a youthful looking state. This is not as hard as it seems. There are many resources available to help you plan out a healthy eating schedule for your busy day. All you have to do is ask for help, and you will be able to find it.

If you’ve suffered from the effects of any of these aging activities, or if genetics simply hasn’t been fair to you over the years, ask us how our facial rejuvenation treatments can restore your youthful appearance. Call our Newburgh, NY dentist office at 845-670-5423 today to schedule your appointment. You can use our online form to schedule your appointment as well.