Aging is inevitable. Wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots naturally show up as people reach a particular age. Wrinkles may develop earlier on the forehead due to facial expressions and sun exposure. However, some people would prefer to prolong their youthful skin free from signs of aging. So read on to find some forehead wrinkle treatments to manage this concern.

Skin Aging and Wrinkles

A youthful appearance depends on the skin’s natural elasticity and moisture content. Eventually, the skin would lose its natural plumpness and moisture content. When this is combined with external factors such as constant exposure to UV rays and unhealthy amounts of pollution, aging will be an expected outcome.

Some studies mention that the skin gradually stops making collagen naturally at the age of 25, leading to the formation of wrinkled skin. Signs of skin aging also include dry patches, dark spots, and loose skin around the cheeks, eyes, and forehead.

Aging can begin at a cellular level within the skin. As these accumulate, you will soon notice their manifestations, commonly fine lines and wrinkles. Similarly, laugh lines on the outer corners of the eyes and wrinkles on the forehead will become visible.

Causes of Forehead Wrinkles

Let us dig deeper into forehead wrinkles. What would be the reason for this obvious sign of aging?

Raising your eyebrows naturally creases the forehead. And as you squint and frown every single day, your muscles pull your skin in various directions. Being young, these would not matter much because the natural elasticity of the skin bounces it back to its original. But, as the skin loses collagen due to aging, these expressions leave a mark, hence the wrinkles.

Other than the stretching of the muscles, factors like exposure to sunlight, smoking, and pollution also accelerate the appearance of forehead wrinkles. Sunlight has been proven to be a major cause of premature aging due to the harmful UV rays. On the other hand, smoking and pollution cause oxidative stress and flood the skin with harmful chemicals. Such is a recipe for forehead wrinkles to develop earlier and become more prominent.

Forehead Wrinkles: Prevention and Treatment

Skin aging can significantly diminish one’s self-esteem and confidence. Unfortunately, forehead wrinkles could not magically vanish from the face. As the skin loses its collagen and elastin content, it becomes less likely for it to bounce back to its original wrinkle-free state.

What you can do, instead, is to opt for prevention of forehead wrinkles as early as you hit your middle twenties. There are also some skincare products, supplements, and surgical procedures to your aid for minimizing the appearance of forehead wrinkles.

As a guide, here are some forehead wrinkle treatments that could help you:

Lifestyle Changes

1. Shield your skin from the sun.

UV rays from the sun can penetrate the skin and induce premature aging. You can manually prevent the sun’s rays by staying clear of it during the daytime. However, going to school or work makes it impossible to stay indoors all the time.

Always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen containing SPF30 or more. Always reapply as needed, especially if you sweat a lot or go swimming. Along with this, you can opt to wear long-sleeved shirts, wide hats, or provide shade with an umbrella when walking under the heat.

2. Stop smoking.

“Quit smoking” has always been a general advice to everyone. Aside from the health concerns and issues with second-hand smoke, skin aging gives you another valid reason to quit it.

Each cigarette contains chemicals that degrade the quality of collagen and elastin on the skin. As these components degrade in quality, expect forehead wrinkles to develop earlier and more pronounced.

Furthermore, quitting smoking gives your skin more time to breathe and recover. Being away from all those chemicals helps the skin recover its inner glow.

3. Switch to a healthier diet.

Your skin will also be thankful for a healthier diet. Incorporate more fruits, vegetables, and protein in your daily diet so that your body and skin can get more antioxidants and nutrients. Antioxidants help protect the skin from early aging and can give you a healthier glow.

4. Stay hydrated.

Your skin contains its own moisture content, and any less than a healthy level could increase your risk of developing wrinkles. Or, if you already have prominent wrinkles, it might help a lot if you increase your water intake.

Proper hydration every day nourishes each skin cell so that it becomes more elastic and plump. It would be better to avoid dehydrating beverages like caffeine and alcohol. These induce more fluid loss and would be counterproductive if you want to have maximum hydration.

5. Get enough rest and manage stress.

Sleep and stress management are essential for skin rejuvenation. To reduce the further formation of wrinkles, make sure to get enough sleep because this is the time when the skin naturally repairs itself. Dull skin due to lack of sleep can further accentuate wrinkles.

Similarly, make sure to keep stress at bay! Too much worrying makes you unconsciously furrow your eyebrows and negatively affects skin health. So, try stress-releasing activities like exercising, meditating, doing yoga, or whichever works for you.

Skincare options

1. Get the right moisturizer for you.

The products you put on your face matter a lot if you want forehead wrinkle treatments. Always use moisturizers to improve the texture of the skin. You can choose from different creams and lotions to help moisturize areas that are prone to early signs of wrinkles.

The more hydrated the skin is, the more elastic it becomes and more resilient to snap back to its original position. Plus, moisturizers could also help if you have issues like flakiness or dry patches.

2. Choose products with retinol.

You can also choose skincare products with retinol. Retinol can improve cell turnover and boost collagen production. With this mode of action, you can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

It is best to apply retinol at night because this ingredient is not stable under direct sunlight. Furthermore, your skin can repair itself better at night so you can see the difference after a few weeks of usage.

3. Exfoliate with glycolic acid.

Exfoliation removes old and dead skin cells to help uncover healthier batches of skin cells underneath. You can opt to use exfoliating products containing glycolic acid to increase cell turnover and hopefully reduce the appearance of aged skin. Glycolic acid can be a reliable ingredient because this is also the commonly used exfoliant in professional chemical peel treatments.

Oral Supplements

1. Collagen supplements.

Nowadays, skincare products are not limited to topically applied products. Oral supplements can also be your option!

Among these are collagen supplements. Add these supplements to your daily regimen if you want additional wrinkle treatment. These supplements work by boosting skin hydration and elasticity which reduces the appearance and further formation of wrinkles.

2. Antioxidants.

Similar to collagen supplements, antioxidants have been around in the market as well. The skin needs antioxidants from vitamins C, E, and B3 to fend off free radicals and decrease skin aging signs.

Clinic Procedure Options

1. Botox Injections

Botox injections is a non-surgical option for wrinkle management. Botox uses a medication with botulinum toxin. The Botox injection targets certain muscles to temporarily paralyze them and prevent contraction. Hence, the skin will not crumple and wrinkle when you do certain facial expressions. This is not meant to provide plumpness to the skin like fillers.

This option is indeed promising, but this is not always the first choice of many people. Aside from the cost, side effects of this include swelling or bruising, headaches, and flu-like symptoms.

2. Dermal Fillers

Injectables are among the last suggestions on this list as they tend to be more expensive and invasive options for wrinkle treatment. Despite this, many can claim that they notice significant changes in the appearance of wrinkles when opting for these.

An effective option would be the dermal fillers. These are fillers injected into the skin to make it more plump and youthful again. Wrinkling and folding of the skin could be reduced by these fillers as these take up the space under the skin to help it bounce back into its original youthful position.

3. Other Minimally Invasive Options

Other minimally invasive options for wrinkles such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion, ultrasound, and much more.

Conclusion

Forehead wrinkles could be a source of lowered self-esteem and confidence. It may show up earlier than expected, but it is never too late to manage them. Forehead wrinkle treatments can range from lifestyle changes to skin care products, oral supplements, and even surgical options like injections.

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Article Reviewed by: Dr. Mary Amy Fatima Cagayan Chua