Forehead Wrinkles: A Science Backed Approach

Seeing your first forehead wrinkle can be a stressful and disappointing experience. But there’s no need to panic -- forehead wrinkles can be prevented and treated through your skincare routine in addition to beneficial lifestyle changes.

With PROVEN Skincare, it’s easier than ever to protect your skin, help prevent new wrinkles from forming, and smooth the appearance of existing ones so you can feel younger than ever.

Before treating forehead wrinkles, we first need to understand what causes them. While the appearance of forehead wrinkles is a normal part of the aging process, there are factors that can cause them to appear deeper and earlier:

Sun damage

The sun can be very beneficial to the body, but it can also do a lot of harm without proper protection. Excessive sun exposure can negatively affect the production of collagen and elastin fibers in the skin. As a result, the skin doesn’t appear as firm and smooth as it once was. While excessive sun exposure can cause wrinkles on any part of the body, it’s particularly problematic for your forehead as this area is likely to experience regular exposure.

Repetitive facial movements

It’s nearly impossible to avoid making facial expressions, and over time, things like frowning, brow raising, and smiling can contribute to the appearance of forehead wrinkles. As you age, your skin naturally becomes less elastic and can be stretched out by the frequent utilization of the frontalis muscles in your forehead.

Stress

Dealing with high amounts of stress on a regular basis can cause you to make more repetitive facial movements than the average person. For example, you may unconsciously furrow your brow or frown a lot when you’re stressed. As a result, you may develop early wrinkles from your stressors.

Genetics

While everyone will develop forehead wrinkles at some point, the time frame can be influenced by genetics. If your relatives developed forehead wrinkles at an early age, you’re more likely to have the same experience.

Pollution

Like the sun, pollution is another environmental factor that can damage your skin and lead to the development of forehead wrinkles. Free radicals from things like smog, smoke, industrial emissions, and chemical byproducts in the air can damage your skin and cause premature aging. Pollution is a more pressing issue in urban areas with higher levels of pollution compared to more rural areas.

While you may not be able to completely prevent the occurrence of forehead wrinkles as you age, there are things you can do to protect your skin and delay their appearance for as long as possible.

Prioritize sun protection

As you now know, the sun can cause a lot of damage to your skin, so you’re going to need adequate protection to prevent this damage from occurring in the first place. This means applying SPF each and every day, whether you’re actually going outside or not. Using a moisturizer with SPF is a great way to protect your skin on a daily basis, just make sure to apply additional protection and reapply often if you’re going to be spending extended periods of time in the sun.

Manage stress levels

Avoid making repetitive facial movements that cause forehead wrinkles by effectively managing your stress levels. Some methods of stress management include things like exercising, breathing, meditation, aromatherapy, talk therapy, and journaling. It’s important to find a method that works for you and fits well into your life for the best results.

Drink enough water

Water hydrates our skin and keeps it soft and smooth. That being said, many people aren’t drinking enough water. Generally speaking, drinking four to six cups of water a day is a solid goal, according to Harvard Medical School. However, you may need to drink even more water if you’re losing water through sweat from exercising or high temperatures.

Eat a healthy diet

Did you know that what you eat can affect the appearance of your skin? You may know this to be true if you’ve ever experienced a breakout after eating fatty or greasy foods. Well, the same goes for forehead wrinkles! Foods high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals are especially beneficial for wrinkle prevention. Examples of foods that are healthy for your skin include blueberries, avocados, almonds, broccoli, spinach, and salmon.

Stop or avoid smoking

Smoking can hurt your body in many different ways -- your skin is just one example. The toxins and chemicals present in cigarettes can damage the collagen and elastin in your skin, leading to more wrinkles. A study published in the International Journal of Dermatology.) found that current smokers have a higher degree of facial wrinkling than nonsmokers and past smokers.

Anti-wrinkle skincare

Many people falsely assume that they don’t need to use anti-wrinkle skincare products so long as they don’t currently have any visible wrinkles. However, wrinkles begin to subtly form beneath the skin long before you can actually see them. To prevent these wrinkles from appearing in the first place, you can use anti-wrinkle skincare products with beneficial ingredients such as retinoids, vitamin C, hydroxy acids, and ceramides, just to name a few.

Speaking of skincare products, creating and maintaining a healthy skincare routine is the best way to prevent and treat wrinkles without ever leaving the house.

Here are the different components you need to include in your skincare routine to fight the appearance of pesky forehead wrinkles:

Cleanser

The first step of your anti-aging skincare routine should involve using a gentle cleanser to remove dirt, oils, makeup, and pollutants from your skin. We recommend cleansing your skin twice a day -- once in the morning and once in the evening for the best results.

Exfoliant

The second step of your anti-aging skincare routine should involve using an exfoliant to get rid of stubborn dead skin cells. There are two types of exfoliants: chemical and physical. We personally love chemical exfoliants as they are gentle enough to use every day and are not as harsh on your skin as some physical exfoliants. Look for chemical exfoliating ingredients like fruit enzymes, lactic acid, and glycolic acid.

Moisturizer

The third step of your anti-aging skincare routine should involve using a moisturizer to provide hydration to your skin. Moisturizing your skin helps fill in visible forehead lines and prevents new ones from forming. We recommend that you look for moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides.

Sunscreen

The fourth step of your anti-aging skincare routine should involve using sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. We recommend applying a product with SPF every day without fail to achieve the most effective protection. Like exfoliants, there are two types of sunscreen to choose from: chemical and physical. Chemical sunscreens are lighter and are ideal for everyday use. Physical sunscreens are often heavier and are ideal for extensive outdoor exposure.

Serums and creams

The fifth and final step of your anti-aging skincare routine should involve using serums and creams to provide your skin with a much-needed boost of highly concentrated beneficial ingredients. Depending on your exact skin concerns, some products to look for include vitamin C serums, retinol serums, and niacinamide serums. Keep in mind that some products are ideal for daytime use while others are ideal for nighttime use.

Clearly, there are a lot of steps involved in an effective anti-aging skincare routine. Finding the right products with the right ingredients for you might seem like an impossible task, but it doesn’t have to be with PROVEN.

PROVEN Skincare develops custom products based on your unique skin through our revolutionary Skin Genome Quiz. After telling us about your skin concerns, heritage, lifestyle, environment, and skincare history, we tailor a cleanser, moisturizer, and a serum to your unique profile.

Our three-step system is more than meets the eye and is able to comprise your entire skincare routine! Our cleanser is a 3-in-1 product with cleansing, toning, and exfoliating ingredients to gently clean pores, dirt, and impurities in one simple step. Our moisturizer also includes SPF 40 so that your skin is hydrated and protected from the sun, environmental pollutants, and blue light. Our serum can also be used as a night cream, packed with beneficial ingredients like azelaic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin E to really give your skin an extra boost to help address problem areas.