Now, while wrinkles are ultimately inevitable (and shouldn’t be feared), they do signal skin changes and sometimes damage of some sort—and if the creases start to crop up earlier than you’d like, you can attempt to smooth those lines with some targeted tips. But wait: Different types of wrinkles have (slightly) different causes—so you can’t exactly soften them all in one fell swoop. “Examples include the marionette lines from the edge of the mouth to the jaw, nasolabial folds from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth, cheek lines behind the smile lines, neck, and under-chin lines,” adds Bailey. Ready for a biology moment? “When elastotic skin is viewed under the microscope, there are clumps of ’elastotic’ material in the superficial portion of the dermis [aka, the second layer of the skin where your collagen resides] instead of the nice spaghetti-like strands of healthy collagen and elastin fibers,” Bailey explains. “Elastotic material has a dull, sallow color that can be seen through the skin with the naked eye and contributes to a sallow look to skin. It may also appear lumpy, giving the skin a cobblestone or crepey appearance.” As you grow older and your collagen levels start to decline, you may notice those lines stick around well after midmorning. Says Bailey: “Similar to dynamic wrinkles, they will deepen over time with repetition as skin thins and elasticity wains with both age and sun damage.” “Crow’s feet can be very thin, fine lines, or they can be very heavy and deep,” board-certified dermatologist Jeanine Downie, M.D., once told us about this type of wrinkle, but you can identify them from their placement: The crinkled edges will radiate from the corners of the eyes. Read all about crow’s feet here. Learn more about under-eye wrinkles here. Another type of expression wrinkle, these form by, well, smiling or laughing. “Laugh lines are formed by the constant use of the orbicularis orbis muscle, which allows us the ability to speak,” says aesthetic registered nurse Neethi Masur, R.N., at SKINNEY MedSpa. “Over time as we age, the skin protecting this muscle becomes stretched, creating laxity, increasing the appearance of these folds.” However, they also fall under the gravitational wrinkles bucket: “Our facial fat pads of the cheek fall toward the jowls, hollowing out the lower cheek and contributing to marionette lines and lateral cheek wrinkles,” notes Bailey. Read more about smile lines here. Sleep wrinkles also tend to crop up in this area, especially if you’re a side or stomach sleeper. “Chest skin [is] dragged along with breast tissue, much like a garment that is placed for long periods in a badly folded configuration,” board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., FAAD, once told mbg. Our full guide to chest wrinkles is here. See here for tips to tend to forehead lines. See, “The neck can capture a lot of sun damage, particularly on the sides and lower portion,” notes board-certified dermatologist Jeremy Fenton, M.D., of Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC and Long Beach, New York, which makes the neck a prime spot for crepey skin to settle in. But movement also comes into play: “We get horizontal lines in the neck due to the bending of the neck to look down,” Fenton continues. That’s where the modern phrase “tech neck” was born: “People are noting more of this now that we spend more time looking down at our screens,” he says. “You can get the deep lines that are horizontal and run across the front of the neck from the bending, or flexion, of the neck.” If you’re curious about neck wrinkles, here’s our full guide. Bailey seconds the advice: “Sun protection is critical since up to 80% of the signs of skin aging2—including thinning and loss of elasticity—are due to UV damage,” she adds. Find a sunscreen you love (our favorites, here), slather on, and be smart about your time in the sun (because sun protection is far more than a bottle of SPF). Although, you might want to snag a broad-spectrum bottle that protects against both UVB and UVA rays—the latter can penetrate more deeply into the dermal layer and damage collagen; research has even found that UVA rays are the main contributor to photoaging3. (Read all about UVB versus UVA rays here.) Both beloved ingredients encourage cell turnover, provide exfoliation, and help support collagen production to replenish a smoother skin texture. If you’re new to these ingredients (or if you’re applying them to a new area), make sure to patch test before smearing all over your skin. It’s also important to note that retinoids and acids can make your skin more photosensitive, which only reinforces the importance of sun protection in point No. 1. See here for our all-time favorite collagen supplements to choose from. You could even try face yoga, where you intentionally isolate and tone your face muscles for tighter, more toned skin. You can always try a weighted blanket to keep from curling up in bed or invest in some silk sheets—the fabric prevents friction and provides some slip for delicate skin.
