What Are Fine Wrinkles

Whether you call them laugh lines, crow's feet or just wrinkles, fine lines are one of the first indications that you're starting to get older. Your skin undergoes significant changes as you age, producing less natural oil, losing fat and collagen stores and becoming thinner and more easily damaged, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Fine wrinkles are usually the first lines to appear on your face. They're most likely to appear in places where your skin is naturally thinner, such as around your eyes or mouth, and in places where your muscles make expressions, explains New York City dermatologist Diane Berson in "Elle" magazine.

Fine wrinkles occur when collagen and elastin beneath the surface of your skin are damaged beyond the point of repair, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center. Rips in collagen leave tiny crevices that your skin slips into, creating fine lines. Damaged elastin means your skin can't spring back from frowns and laughter, leaving fine wrinkles where your expressions occurred.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the leading cause of fine lines is sun damage, but your proclivity toward these early wrinkles depends in part on your family history, your habits--like smoking or drinking large quantities of alcohol--your diet and the part of the world you live in. If you're fair-skinned, you're likely to show fine wrinkles earlier than darker-skinned people.

According to "Allure" magazine, three ingredients are key to preventing and minimizing the appearance of fine wrinkles. Retinoids speed up cell turnover, revealing younger, wrinkle-free skin beneath aging skin cells. Peptides help stimulate collagen production, filling in cracks beneath the skin that can cause wrinkles to appear. Antioxidants, such as found in like green tea, coffee berry, grape-seed extract and soy, help fight free radicals that break down skin cells to cause wrinkles and discoloration.

The most effective way to deal with fine wrinkles is to prevent them from showing up in the first place. The best way to do that is to be vigilant about protecting your skin from sun damage, says dermatologist Frederic Brandt in "Elle" magazine. Brandt recommends wearing a broad-spectrum year-round to prevent fine wrinkles. A broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses can also help protect your skin from wrinkle-causing skin damage, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.