Does Dry Skin Cause Wrinkles?

The myth about dry skin causing wrinkles persists because dry skin looks more wrinkled than skin that isn't dry. It’s that simple.

Those with normal to oily skin are sometimes perceived as having fewer wrinkles, but that's because they have their own built-in moisture, which creates the appearance of a smoother skin texture. When skin is dry or dehydrated, any amount of wrinkling or flaws will look more exaggerated.

Applying a moisturizer can make wrinkles look less apparent, which helps skin look younger, but that’s not the same thing as giving skin what it needs to be renewed, rejuvenated, or feel protected. 

Facts are always better than myths when it comes to taking the best care of your skin, so let’s get to the facts — starting with what really causes wrinkles.

What Causes Wrinkles?

Endless studies refer to the causes of skin aging as being either “extrinsic” or “intrinsic”. Extrinsic factors refer to external elements in the environment, while intrinsic ones are those that originate from the body and eventually impact the skin’s appearance.

Extrinsic aging is primarily about sun damage from unprotected sun exposure, but it also includes environmental irritants such as ongoing exposure to pollution and smoking (including exposure to secondhand smoke). This exposure is bad for skin in the short and long term and is a leading factor in what causes wrinkled skin.

Intrinsic aging, on the other hand, involves various influences such as repetitive muscle movement (that’s why those smile and frown lines set in and show up first), midlife changes, fat depletion, fat loss and fat pad movement, and illness. Oh, and let’s not forget, just getting older every year will naturally lead to wrinkles.

What research makes abundantly clear is that skin aging is made far worse because of extrinsic aging factors. The biggest culprit? Without question, it's sun damage from cumulative years of unprotected sun exposure. 

A great deal of research indicates that 80% to 90% of “aging” we see is a result of unprotected sun exposure. This brings us to one easy way to ‘test’ for skin aging.

Testing Risk Levels for Dry Skin and Wrinkles on Face

How can you know for sure that you're at risk of developing wrinkles on your face? Easy! Try out a simple comparison between different parts of your skin.

Here's how it works: If you are over 35, simply compare the parts of your body that rarely, if ever, see the sun with the parts of your body that are usually exposed to the sun without protection or that you routinely tan (even a little tan is a killer for skin).

Look at areas that are usually not exposed to the sun, such as your backside, inner arms, and abdomen. These areas will generally have minimal to no signs of "aging." Meanwhile, the areas that are usually exposed to the sun without protection will look older, less firm, more wrinkled, less smooth, and have less bounce. This should show you just how strongly unprotected sun exposure and the formation of wrinkles are connected.

Fact: Sun damage begins the first minute unprotected skin is exposed to daylight.

What You Can Do to Protect Against Dry Skin and Wrinkles

While almost any good moisturizer for dry skin will improve the appearance of wrinkles, your skin deserves much more than just a temporary fix. To make long-lasting, significant changes, your skin needs an anti-wrinkle cream for dry skin containing state-of-the-art ingredients proven to significantly fight the signs of aging, including the appearance of wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and loss of firmness.

Antioxidants, skin-restoring ingredients, skin-replenishing ingredients, and a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater during the day are all fundamental to achieving the most impactful, skin-changing results and here’s why:

1. Antioxidants protect against harmful elements.

In skincare, antioxidants help fight against the environment’s daily irritant on your skin, reducing dry skin and wrinkles.

2. Skin-restoring ingredients bring your skin back to life.

Skin-restoring ingredients are able to help your skin look substantially transformed and renewed. They are an astounding group of ingredients for your skin that could promote a younger-looking appearance.

3. Skin-replenishing ingredients give the skin what it has lost.

Skin-replenishing ingredients, in creams and moisturizers, are substances that skin has lost and can’t make more of due to unprotected sun exposure, getting older, and using skincare products with harsh or skin-aggravating ingredients. Giving these substances back to dry or dehydrated skin is the primary way to help keep it feeling supremely hydrated, soft, and radiant.

With the right ingredients, those wrinkles that are bothering you now will take on a smoother, more plumped appearance, revealing a youthful glow — but there’s one more critical step: sun protection.

4. Sun protection is the first step for anti-aging treatment.

Sun protection is always the icing on the cake. As significant as all the ingredients above are to improving your skin's appearance, it’s still critical to use an effective sunscreen for the face rated SPF 30 or higher, every single day. We know the topic of sunscreen might not be quite as sexy as the latest anti-wrinkle miracle ingredient, but without the right sunscreen or moisturizer, you have no chance of helping your skin resist wrinkles and other visible signs of aging. These sunscreens should also come with the antioxidants you need to treat those smile and frown lines, reduce dry skin and improve the appearance of your skin altogether.

Find the best sunscreens for dry skin on the face, formulated with anti-aging properties to reduce the appearance of wrinkles or learn more about skincare for dry skin today.

You can also shop for moisturizers, serums and sunscreens for dry, dehydrated skin, and antioxidant-rich anti-wrinkle creams, repair serums and more, by Paula’s Choice Singapore.

References

Aging, August 2015, issue 7, pages 1457–1469

Clinical Cosmetic Investigative Dermatology, June 2013, issue 6, pages 221–232

Dermato Endocrinology, July 2012, issue 3, pages 227–231

Clinical Dermatology, January-February 2011, issue 1, pages 3-14 and pages 37-42

Journal of Dermatology, August 2004, issue 8, pages 603-609

Journal of Pathology, January 2007, issue 2, pages 241-251

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, November 2012, issue 5, pages 1013-1024

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, June 2005, issue 4, pages 215-223