Wrinkles are the lines, creases, and folds on the skin. They are associated with skin aging and can occur due to excessive sun exposure too. The lines appearing above the T-zone are the forehead wrinkles. They are of two types, horizontal – the lines running across the forehead – and vertical, the deep ones on the lower forehead above the nose. These lines are associated with the contraction of occipitofrontalis and corrugator superciliaris muscles, respectively.
The appearance of these lines implies that the skin has lost its ability to recover due to age. The skin can spring back to its original state when a person is young. But as the skin ages, it loses its elasticity and remains unable to return to its natural position—leading to permanent creases.
Apart from aging, frequent frowning can also cause the appearance of forehead wrinkles.k
Causes of Forehead Wrinkles
Lifestyle choices like poor hydration, smoking, and UV exposure plays a role in the appearance of forehead wrinkles. Genetic factors, facial expressions, hormonal changes, and stress are also linked to these wrinkles and premature skin aging.
1. Exposure to UV rays
Prolonged exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) rays causes the dermis (inner layer of the skin) to thicken irregularly and reduces the water held by the epidermis (outer layer). That makes the forehead skin inelastic and loses its ability to recover, which makes it prone to wrinkles formation.
What happens is that UV exposure increases the generation of free radicals that damage the skin cells. These destructive molecules bring structural damages to all layers of the skin, causing forehead wrinkles and fine lines.
2. Repetitive face movements
Repetitive face movements are also a factor for forehead wrinkles. People who are more expressive and convey through facial expressions are more likely to develop these wrinkles. These lines are formed by the movement of the frontalis muscle.
This muscle contracts when you raise eyebrows, which pulls up the forehead’s skin and renders the appearance of wrinkles over time. The skin goes back to its natural state when the person is young. But overage, it gets inelastic and the lines begin to forge on the skin and become permanent.
3. Age
Skin aging is a natural yet complex biological process, which occurs alongside aging. In fact, skin aging is the harbinger of the overall process. Just like the other organs of the human body, the skin also starts following a different trajectory where certain structural changes occur.
As the skin ages, it begins to lose collagen (a protein that maintains the skin’s integrity and prevents it from sagging). When the human body grows old, the skin loses around 1 percent of its collagen content every year. Due to collagen loss, the bond between epidermis and dermis weakens—leading to wrinkles formation.
4. Smoking
Smoking leads to premature skin aging and wrinkles formation as well. Studies show that tobacco smoke disrupts the production of collagen and leads to the abnormal generation of elastosis substances. Elastosis is the degenerative cell change due to the accumulation of elastins (elastic fibers).
It also raises the metalloproteinases (MMP) levels. MMP are enzymes that break down collagen (and other proteins) found within the cells. Increased MMP levels mean a decline in the collagen content, which renders the skin inelastic and receptive to premature aging and wrinkles formation. Tobacco smoke also increases the production of free radicals, which damage the skin cells. Its extract affects the dermal connective tissue and accelerates the aging process.
5. Hormonal Changes
Forehead wrinkles are sometimes a result of hormonal changes mostly associated with age. This occurrence is more common among women with menopause as the levels of certain hormones, i.e., estrogen and progesterone, in their body are declining.
The decline in these hormones decreases the production of sebum and fat, skin’s water-holding ability, and production of the skin cells. The collagen and elastin production also declines as a result, which makes the skin more inelastic.
6. Stress
Stress also causes the formation of forehead wrinkles. The release of stress hormones like epinephrine and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) can reduce the skin’s collagen content, which takes a toll on its elasticity. It also causes a person to frown more, which also leads to the appearance of wrinkles. The latest research shows that skin perceives stress immediately and becomes a target of the emotion’s responses as well.
How to reduce forehead wrinkles?
To reduce forehead wrinkles, certain changes in one’s routine can help. Many factors responsible for wrinkle formation are related to lifestyle choices like smoking, prolonged exposure to the sun, not drinking enough water, and so on. If these factors are eliminated or mitigated, wrinkles can be reduced and their appearance can be delayed.
Daily use of sunscreen
Prolonged exposure to the sun can lead to premature skin aging and wrinkles. If your routine necessitates it, use SPF 15 or higher sunscreen daily. It mitigates the impact of UV exposure and ultimately, slows down the aging process, and keeps the forehead wrinkles at bay.
Research shows that sunscreen can help protect the skin against the sun’s UV rays because of its active ingredients. There are two types of sunscreens, physical and chemical. Physical Sunblocks contain titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which block and disperse the UV rays before they enter the skin. Whereas, the chemical sunscreens are composed of octisalate and avobenzone, which absorb the rays before they inflict any damage to the skin.
Manage Stress
Stress can also lead to structural changes in the skin and cause damage to the cells. Moreover, people tend to frown when stressed, which is known to form forehead wrinkles. It is not possible to get rid of stress altogether, but there are many ways to handle it well.
Research shows that meditation and exercise can help a lot in managing stress. These activities help release happy hormones like endorphins and dopamine. Aromatherapy is also known to help some people with stress. Apart from that, maintaining healthy habits like a balanced diet, limited screen exposure, and taking adequate sleep reduces stress significantly.
Keep skin hydrated
Dehydrated skin also contributes to forehead wrinkles formation and also makes them more obvious. So, it is crucial to keep the skin hydrated. A study of 97 healthy women shows that skin hydration can reduce the appearance and the depth of wrinkles.
The skin should be hydrated from the inside. Drinking adequate amounts of water can help with skin hydration. The standard water intake depends on the person’s routine, as someone who spends more time outdoors would need more water than the one who stays inside.
Use Probiotics
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are beneficial to health. The anti-aging properties of probiotics are under study but research so far demonstrates some positive results.
Lactobacillus, an important bacteria in our microbiome, is by far the most studied probiotic. It is used in oral supplements as well as skincare products.
Research indicates that Lactobacillus increases the antioxidant mechanism of our body, hence contributing towards the delay of aging. It interacts with various chemical messengers and proteins in the body to increase their functioning. It reduces the incidence of skin ulcers and hair loss and also impacts the bone density positively.
Lactobacillus has also been found to reduce age-related thinning of the skin. The same bacteria also play a role in reducing the depth of wrinkles and improves the glow of the skin. It locks the moisture and prevents the skin from overdrying.
Significant improvement in skin elasticity has also been observed with the use of probiotics.
Both oral use and topical application can help induce anti-aging effects. Keeping in mind these benefits of probiotics, BLACK PAINT has upgraded its skincare line to microbiome-containing range. Various products by BLACK PAINT contain lactobacillus for additional benefits.
BLACK PAINT’s Rose Honey, Argan Balm, and Ostrich Balm recommended for anti-aging routine contain lactobacillus that imparts anti-aging benefits to these products.
Rose Honey
It is an anti-wrinkle serum that helps remove the aging signs. Using three amazing ingredients: honey, damask rose oil, and French maritime pine bark extract, it brings back the skin’s elasticity and makes it look fresh again.
Honey preserves the moisture within the skin and improves its suppleness. It helps remove the forehead lines by hydrating the skin layers and firming the sagginess.
The Damask Rose Oil in this serum slows down the breakdown of collagen, which is vital for the skin’s elasticity. The major cause of wrinkles is inelasticity of the skin. That factor is mitigated by the said ingredient. The French Maritime Pine Bark Extract helps with collagen production, thus removing wrinkles and lines.
Argan Balm
This is a moisturizing balm that helps with dry skin and wrinkles. It contains argan oil that retains the skin’s moisture and nourishes it on the go. This balm has potent ostrich oil that is very similar to skin composition. It is easily absorbable and acts as the foundation for the skin while enabling it to reconstitute its lipid layer. By doing that, it prevents water loss (which is the major concern in skin aging) and retains moisture. It keeps the skin hydrated and thus reduces and prevents the appearance of wrinkles.
Ostrich Balm
This is a skin repair and moisturizer balm. Its most powerful ingredient is ostrich oil, which can replace the damaged skin layer and enables the organ to restore moisture. Ostrich oil promotes cell growth and recovery. It permeates deep into the skin and nourishes the cell. Easily absorbable, this oil also plays a role in protection against UV damage. Another ingredient in Ostrich Balm is palmitoleic acid (an unsaturated fatty acid required in abundance by the skin) that can rebuild skin elasticity and the skin barrier to prevent water loss.
In short, it is an ideal component of any anti-wrinkle skincare routine.
Don’t smoke
Smoking contributes to the formation of forehead wrinkles and premature aging. It reduces collagen production and impacts the skin’s elasticity. Quitting smoking can help reduce and prevent premature skin aging.
Have a diet rich in antioxidants
Antioxidants quell the activity of free radicals. They prevent the structural damage caused by UV rays and are known to slow down the intrinsic aging by preventing the breakdown of collagen. Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants and quite effective in skin repair. It promotes collagen production and elastin fibers, thus maintaining the skin’s elasticity. It also plays an important role in reducing the depth of wrinkles.
Vitamin E also activates repair mechanisms and protects the skin against UV damage. Some of the antioxidant-rich foods include blueberries, strawberries, kale, beets, beans, avocadoes, and whole grains.
How to Get Rid of Forehead Wrinkles?
To get rid of the forehead wrinkles, multiple cosmetic solutions are available, including topical applications and medical procedures. Here are some treatment options available for forehead wrinkles:
Injectables (Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, and Jeuveau)
Certain toxins can help with wrinkles and aging signs when injected into the muscle. For instance, botulinum toxin type A (Botox) is a common treatment for forehead wrinkles, both horizontal and vertical. It prevents the contraction of muscles while its injections into certain muscles smooth the skin above and eliminate wrinkles.
Dysport is another injectable neurotoxin, which prevents muscle contractions. It also reduces the wrinkles’ appearance on the forehead. Xeomin is another injectable that treats dynamic wrinkles including forehead lines and vertical furrows. It impacts the movement of the forehead muscles to remove the wrinkles. Jeuveau, also known as the new Botox, is similar to Botulinum toxin, only cheaper.
Topical retinoids and wrinkle creams
Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives. They mitigate the free radical activity in the skin and prevent any damage to collagen. They also promote collagen production. By doing this work, they help reduce the appearance of forehead wrinkles and prevent them from forming. The topical retinoids include retinol, tretinoin, retinaldehyde, retinyl palmitate, and tazarotene.
BLACK PAINT offers several wrinkle creams that can reduce and prevent the appearance of forehead lines and furrows.
Water Cream
Water CreamIt is a moisturizer that offers skin protection against the external environment. It forms a layer between the skin layers and the external environment, thus preventing any potential damage. It also locks the nourishment and prevents water loss. By keeping dryness at bay and preventing water loss, it helps reduce and prevent wrinkle formation.
Water UV Cream
Water UV CreamThis is an SPF 23/PA+++ physical sunblock containing titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which reflect the sunlight and prevent it from entering the skin. Water UV Cream does not contain any harmful chemicals and uses natural ingredients to protect the skin. By neutralizing the UV rays, it prevents wrinkle formation.
Cosmetic Procedures
Plastic surgeons and dermatologists use various methods to eliminate and reduce wrinkles. Some of these methods are:
Deeper Peels: Using chemicals like trichloroacetic acid and phenol, these peels permeate deeper into the skin layers and smoothen the forehead wrinkles.
Dermabrasion: This process exfoliates the skin (removes the external layer) and gives prominent results in terms of wrinkles treatment.
Laser Resurfacing: Through lasers, collagen production in the skin is stimulated under this process.
References:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5894762_Morita_ATobacco_smoke_causes_premature_skin_aging_J_Dermatol_Sci_48169-175
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287800136_Forehead_Morphology_Pattern_Does_it_indicate_the_Potential_Existence_of_the_so-called_Forehead_Print
https://www.jdsjournal.com/article/S0923-1811(07)00408-2/pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273955077_Wrinkles
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299759906_Wrinkles_origins_and_treatments
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-75-6-873
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21196710/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6047276/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4082169/
https://jddonline.com/articles/dermatology/S1545961616P0009X
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327541965_A_review_on_anti-aging_properties_of_probiotics
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5911989/
https://www.livescience.com/skin-microbes-betray-your-age.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6606800/
Dr. Unber Shafique
Dr. Unber Shafique is a public health specialist and a freelance medical and health writer. She is passionate about writing health content that supports, educates, and empowers the readers. She believes in sharing thoroughly-researched, easy-to-understand health information. Visit Dr. Unber's website at unbershafiq.com or contact her at [email protected]
