The First Places to Show Age

Mapping The Facial Aging Process

The inevitable truth is that you will age, whether you like it or not. Along with wisdom, accomplishments, and fulfillment, living a longer life also brings wrinkles, sagging and lackluster skin. These changes happen slowly over time, and are usually first noticed on one’s face. Luckily, there is a common order in which facial aging occurs. If you know the pattern, you can begin preemptive treatment accordingly.

Wrinkles and Fine Lines

We all know that fine lines and wrinkles are one of the very first signs of aging. Do you remember looking in the mirror for the first time and seeing a wrinkle? The horror! Scientifically speaking, loss of collagen and elasticity reduces skin volume, which causes fine lines and wrinkles. Dehydrating and damaging activities such as overexposure to sunlight, smoking or poor nutrition accelerate the aging process. Combat these first signs of aging by adopting a consistent and advanced anti-aging skincare regimen.

Eyes

As the saying goes, the eyes are the windows to the soul…and to your true age! As we get older, hormonal changes can make eyebrows and lashes thinner and lifeless. Also, eyebrow hair will take longer to grow back as we age…so keep that in mind when tweezing. Additionally, as the years go by, the cheekbones underneath our eyes descend and offer less support to the sockets, leading a look of longer and more sallow eyes.

Mouth

Any repetitive motion made by the facial muscles will, overtime, begin to create creases that turn into fine lines and wrinkles. Now think of all the times your mouth makes repetitive motions – talking, chewing, smiling, frowning, laughing, ect. That’s a lot of wrinkle causing activity! The good news? Laugh lines (the common creases on the sides of the mouth) are some of the best wrinkles to get! It shows you lived a happy and positive life because you were repeatedly smiling and laughing.

Lips

Think that lips don’t show age? Think again! Over time, lips naturally begin to flatten and thin out, losing that youthful plumpness. Additionally, the corners will begin to droop and lip lines become more evident. To help stave away aging, keep your lips moist with a paraben-free lip balm that is rich with moisturizers and has an SPF of 15 or more.

Neck

Oh, the good ole’ “turkey neck.” Because the skin on the neck is thinner than facial skin, it is prone to more wear and tear. It’s different collagen content, makes the thinner skin more susceptible to wrinkles and sagging. Not everyone will age the same way. Some will show aging in the eyes first, while others will age first in the mouth or neck area. However, as we all know, one can’t avoid the aging process. So, it’s best to be prepared and begin taking preventative measures now. Aging has a bad reputation when it comes to appearance, but don’t forget about all the experiences and wisdom that aging has taught! Sources: Health, Dr. Steven J. Pearlman, Medline Plus