6 lifestyle changes to treat and prevent wrinkles

Time, gravity, genes and sun combine to leave their mark on your face in the form of lines and wrinkles. You can choose to accept them as a badge of experience or banish them with these tips:

There are a number of strategies you can employ to keep wrinkles from getting deeper and to slow down their rate of appearance.

• Use sunscreen. Don't go out, even in winter, without slathering on sunscreen (SPF 15 or above) and wearing a wide-brimmed hat.
• Stop smoking. Accept the fact that your wrinkles will get worse the longer you smoke. Smoking is terrible for your circulation, thins the skin’s outer layer, increases your cancer risk and forms vertical "lipstick lines" when you purse your lips to smoke. Don't count on a facelift to help: in one survey, 40 per cent of surgeons said they refused to operate on cigarette smokers because they are notoriously bad healers.
• Maintain a steady, healthy weight. Any abrupt, rapid weight loss compounds the shrinkage of the fat cells in your facial skin, and can leave you with baggy-looking skin.
• De-stress. Stress leaves souvenirs on your skin in myriad ways. Although de-stressing through exercise, biofeedback, massage, yoga, acupuncture and even psychotherapy can't elevate sagging tissue, it will make you look healthier and more refreshed.
• Exercise vigorously on a regular basis. It not only strengthens and rejuvenates your body, it also helps your skin by revving up your circulation. Often recommended facial exercises, however, worsen wrinkles by deepening expression lines, so don't do them.
• Use a little TLC on your face. Wash with non-alkaline soap, gently pat dry and moisturize right away. Occlusives, such as petroleum jelly, are ideal if you have dry skin; they prevent moisture from evaporating from your skin. Water-based moisturizers (which pull moisture up to the surface) are best for the oily skinned.

Not only will these lifestyle changes help prevent wrinkles in your skin, they'll make you a healthier person overall. That's a win-win scenario!