How do wrinkles form?Updated a year ago
Wrinkle formation is largely associated with aging. As we grow older, our bodies have a harder time repairing themselves, which impacts the skin in a few ways. The skin’s ability to renew itself and generate the proteins that keep it firm and tight (i.e. collagen and elastin) slows down.
At the same time, portions of the dermis and epidermis become thinner while the outermost layer of the epidermis, which is composed entirely of dead skin cells, remains the same or even gets thicker.
This change to the structure of the skin causes it to become lax and less resistant to gravity. It also prevents the skin from bouncing back into place easily after it has moved, which is how we end up with expression wrinkles like frown lines, smile lines, and crow’s feet.
This entire process is further exacerbated by oxidative outside forces that lead to inflammation and skin cell destruction. Number one among these forces is sun exposure, but pollution, stress, and cigarette smoke also play a role. The skin aging caused by these factors is often referred to as “extrinsic aging” since it’s caused by factors beyond genetics.