Fine Lines Versus Wrinkles: The Difference & How To Address Them Both

IN THIS ARTICLE:

• 01 What Causes Wrinkles and Fine Lines?
• 02 What Is the Difference Between Fine Lines and Wrinkles?
• 03 How to Address Existing Wrinkles and Prevent New Ones From Forming?  
• 04 Choose Your Anti-wrinkle Device

It’s inevitable, everyone is going to have wrinkly skin. While having folds and creases is part of the natural aging process, many look for ways to manage the appearance of these dreaded signs. 

Anti-aging skincare usually involves treatments that can help minimize, alleviate, and even prevent wrinkles and fine lines from forming. From age-defying creams to futuristic LED light therapy masks, you only have to take a pick based on your specific needs. But first, arm yourself with a better understanding of the causes and effects of wrinkles to help you move forward in your quest for a healthier and younger-looking complexion. 

What are wrinkles?

DEFINITION Wrinkles or rhytids are creases that appear when the skin loses elasticity due to collagen loss.

What Causes Wrinkles and Fine Lines?

Collagen is 70% of the protein present in skin. Together with elastin, collagen provides structure and helps maintain a  smooth skin surface. The production of this major building block declines as you age and causes the breakdown of fibers that weaken the skin. This decline is evident on skin as wrinkles and fine lines. 

In addition to collagen loss, there are several other factors that contribute to the formation of wrinkles. 

Facial expressions - Aptly called expression wrinkles, repeated facial movements make their mark on your face and can become permanent over time. Your usual facial expressions decide the type of lines you’ll have on your face later on. Here are common repetitive movements: laughing, smiling (crow’s feet), frowning, squinting, and furrowing brows (forehead lines).  

Sun damage - The sun is your skin’s worst enemy. It gives off ultraviolet (UV) rays that penetrate the dermis and damage DNA at the cellular level.  This damage affects the production of important proteins collagen and elastin that help maintain healthy skin. Also called photoaging, sun damage is a trigger for premature skin aging.  

Unhealthy lifestyle - In a general sense, smoking, drinking, and lack of sleep impair the body’s natural ability to heal itself. When the body finds it hard to recover, natural processes - such as collagen production - are disrupted. Moreover, nicotine and alcohol dehydrate the skin which increases the severity of wrinkles.  

Environmental factors - Air pollution carries with it toxic particulate matter that can cause skin irritation and trigger conditions. The resulting inflammation depletes collagen and dries out skin leading to wrinkles and other signs of skin aging. The same thing goes for dry weather conditions that also suck up the skin’s water content.  

What Is the Difference Between Fine Lines and Wrinkles?

The terms fine lines and wrinkles are often mentioned together, but do they mean the same? There are many differences between the two. Wrinkles are more deep set and visible, while fine lines (or baby wrinkles) look softer and are shallower in depth. Wrinkles start out as fine lines. Check out the table below and compare:

	FINE LINES	WRINKLES
Depth	1-2mm	2mm or deeper
Appearance	Wispy, thinner than a thread	More visible, deep set
Location	Forehead, around the eyes, around the mouth	Forehead, around the eyes, around the mouth
Response to treatment	Easy to reduce with consistent treatments	Harder to diminish as these are deeper
Cause/s	Facial expressions	Fine lines become wrinkles over time

How to Address Existing Wrinkles and Prevent New Ones From Forming?

The good news is that fine lines and wrinkles are often treated the same way at the same time - there’s no need for separate costly treatments. Below are simple yet effective tips on how to soften and delay the appearance of these aging signs. 

1. Stay hydrated - Lack of moisture leads to dryness and dryness leads to wrinkling. While there is no direct link between drinking eight glasses of water a day and having healthy skin, signs of dehydration are often obvious on your complexion.
2. Protect from the sun - Love the beach? If you can’t hide from the sun, then at least wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30. Avoiding sun exposure is a simple way to reduce your risk of skin cancer caused by harmful UV rays.  
3. Get a silk pillowcase - Sleeping while your face is smooshed against your pillow gives you wrinkles. If sleeping on your stomach is your preferred sleep position, get yourself a nice silk pillowcase. Soft and smooth silk does not tug at your skin and cause creases. 
4. Treat with antioxidants - Antioxidants help fight off environmental factors that can damage skin and trigger aging. Look for these in your favorite skincare products such as serums, face creams, or essences. Check out products infused with vitamin C, green tea, or grape extracts.    
5. Support collagen production - Active ingredients such as glycolic acid and retinol promote skin cell regeneration and protein production. The use of LED light therapy is also an effective way to stimulate collagen production and boost anti-aging efforts.  

Choose Your Anti-wrinkle Device

LED light therapy is a powerful anti-aging treatment available in convenient forms such as handheld devices or masks. This is a non-invasive skin treatment that you can do in the comfort of your own home, with guaranteed professional-quality results and no downtime. 

What is LED light therapy?

DEFINITION LED light therapy is the use of UV-free, non-heating LED bulbs to treat a variety of skin conditions. The light energy that penetrates the skin activates photoreceptors which then triggers natural cellular processes such as collagen production, healing, and regeneration.

Don’t miss out on this innovative skincare treatment with a celebrity following. Leading skincare brand Project E Beauty offers a variety of LED light therapy devices to suit every skin care need. 

LumaGlow Red & Blue Light Therapy What it does: A unique body shaping treatment that combines three highly effective slimming technologies in one portable device: radio frequency, cavitation, and red LED light therapy. These functions can be used one at a time or as a combination.  Why choose this: 4-point focused radio frequency for targeted treatment, with extra large probe to cover large areas, wireless operation, painless, no downtime, with auto shut off timer Best for: body shaping and slimming routines, for skin showing signs of aging: wrinkles, fine lines, droopy/saggy, loose skin during weight loss

Photon Skin Rejuvenation Face & Neck Mask What it does: This game-changing LED light therapy device features seven LED light colors, each with its own benefit. Experience the anti-aging effects of red light, the anti-blemish properties of blue light, the inflammatory effects of cyan, and more.  Why choose this: painless, non-invasive, no downtime, fully wireless, portable, comes with a dedicated neck panel, 99 (face) + 40 (neck) LED bulbs   Best for: skin showing signs of aging (wrinkles, fine lines, droopy/saggy skin), blemish and acne-prone skin, dull and dry skin - choose a wavelength color depending on your skin type and skin concerns.

LED+ Radio Frequency Ultrasonic Slimming Therapy What it does: A unique body shaping treatment that combines three highly effective slimming technologies in one portable device: radio frequency, cavitation, and red LED light therapy. These functions can be used one at a time or as a combination.  Why choose this: 4-point focused radio frequency for targeted treatment, with extra large probe to cover large areas, wireless operation, painless, no downtime, with auto shut off timer Best for: body shaping and slimming routines, for skin showing signs of aging: wrinkles, fine lines, droopy/saggy, loose skin during weight loss

LED Light Therapy Mask - Silicone What it does: This Silicone LED light therapy mask is equipped with 2 visible light colors: blue and red. Red light helps speed up healing and enhance collagen production for more anti-aging effects. Blue light helps treat acne-prone skin and has a calming and soothing effect on irritated skin. Why choose this: flexible silicone material, comfortable fit, easy one-button operation, portable and ultralight design, equipped with 66 LED bulbs,  Best for: skin showing signs of aging (wrinkles, fine lines, droopy/saggy skin), sun-damaged skin, dry and rough skin

How often should you use LED light masks or devices? Treatments using a LED light therapy mask or handheld device can be done up to four times a week starting with 10-minute sessions. Once favorable results are noticeable, reduce treatments to twice a week - you may do longer sessions for up to 15 minutes each.

Is LED red light therapy safe? LED light therapy is safe and non-damaging. Based on a 2018 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, phototherapy using an LED device has an excellent safety profile. 

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    written by Olivia Khader

 

Reference:

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/fine-lines-vs-wrinkles