Static vs Dynamic Wrinkles – What’s the Difference?

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In our youth-obsessed world, showing signs of aging can feel like giving up. As those lines and creases slowly reveal themselves, many of us feel like our vitality is diminished. That’s not true, of course. But sometimes it can feel that way.

Did you know there’s actually a difference between these lines and creases? They are caused by different circumstances, and they can be tackled in different ways. In this article, we’ll look at static vs dynamic wrinkles.

Keep on reading to discover the difference and to find out what you can do to keep your skin looking more healthy and vibrant whatever you do.


Contents

Static vs Dynamic Wrinkles?

Our skin is our body’s largest organ. And as we age our bodies experience many changes… especially with our skin.

This means wrinkles will appear not just on your face, but all over your body. They can be more prominent due to certain factors like, for instance, losing a lot of weight.

This is because our skin loses elasticity with each passing day, which happens because the supportive structure of cells breaks down as we get older.

Other factors that contribute to the tendency of getting wrinkles besides age include the type of skin you have, how well it’s hydrated, and genetics.

Dynamic Wrinkles

These lines occur when you do things like squinting, laughing, or frowning. These expressions actually use more muscles in your face than showing off your beautiful smile.

Your facial expressions are what make an impact on any dynamic wrinkles you may have, although they’re also what give your face its character.

Examples of dynamic wrinkles are:

  • Crows feet around the eyes
  • ‘Worry’ lines on your forehead
  • Nose creases

Dynamic wrinkles can become more prominent as we age, through our facial expressions and the breakdown of collagen in the skin.

Static Wrinkles

Static wrinkles are more permanent lines that don’t go away when we change our facial expressions. That said, dynamic wrinkles gradually become more static wrinkles as we age.

The repetition of facial contractions causes the skin to lose its elasticity and ability to bounce back.

Examples of static wrinkles are:

  • Dimples at the corners of your mouth
  • Lines between your eyebrows
  • You nasolabial folds aka your laughter lines

Smooth Operator

Below are listed a handful of ways in which to soften the appearance of lines, creases and dynamic and static wrinkles that suddenly appear and don’t involve getting injected or going under the knife:

AHAs

AHAs, or Alpha hydroxy acids are used in many anti-aging formulas, peels, and other skin treatments like The Ordinary Peeling Solution. They act to exfoliate the skin, as well as moisturize and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

Retinol

Retinol works by stimulating your skin to release dead skin faster and produce more collagen, which thickens and plumps your skin.

See also:

Laser Treatments and Light Therapy

Laser resurfacing treatments, which use a low-energy laser beam to stimulate collagen. Light Therapy works in a different way, using specific frequencies of light to soften wrinkles.

See also:

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are used for shedding layers of damaged skin cells and is best used on mild to moderate wrinkles.

See also:


Prevention Intervention

Of course, the ultimate key to healthy skin that maintains a more youthful glow starts from within.

Your skin shows what’s going on inside your body, so by incorporating a healthy lifestyle first, you will keep your skin looking vibrant, fresh and healthy, with fewer dynamic or static wrinkles.

Rest Assured

Make sure you get enough sleep so that your skin is fresh as a daisy.

If you don’t get enough sleep, not only will your stress hormones be out of whack, which causes your collagen to degrade faster, but chronic poor sleep makes you look older. That means more wrinkles.

Waking up refreshed after a good night’s sleep will make you look more youthful, especially if you use a silk pillowcase to keep your delicate facial skin from folding.

If you can sleep on your back, all the better.

Eat It

Consuming a wide variety of vegetables and fruit that are high in vitamin C, such as broccoli and grapefruit, and antioxidants to prevent free radicals from damaging your skin.

Avocados, which contain oleic acid, also help to fight wrinkles.

And fructose is known to break down collagen. So if you have a sweet tooth, it’s worth considering breaking your habit. Eating too much sugar causes droopy skin and deep wrinkles.

Water Baby

By drinking at least eight cups of water every day, you’ll help to prevent dynamic wrinkles by keeping your skin hydrated.

Shake That Thing

Exercise and movement keep blood flowing to capillaries, which helps to maintain healthy skin cells and elasticity. This will reduce dynamic wrinkles.

Bright Eyes

Blue blocking glasses

Use blue-block glasses  to avoid eye strains from the use of digital screens, which cause you to squint without realizing.

Toxic Shock

If you drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes, then the bad news is you’re not doing your skin any favors.

We all know a healthy lifestyle is important. But vanity may help you walk the talk when you understand that the constriction of blood vessels and lack of oxygen caused by smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol means you’ll cause static wrinkles faster than you can search for How much does Botox cost?.

Fun in the Sun

Vitamin D activated on your skin from sun exposure destroys free radicals — the things that cause your skin to wrinkle faster. There are definitely benefits to tanning!

But like everything in life, though, you have to find the right balance to boost your immune system. Too much sun is known to damage the skin, and can lead to skin cancer and death.

Don’t be stupid. Tan as safely as you can, and stay away from tanning beds.


Embrace Your Face

If you choose to fight what nature intended, you’ll end up wasting loads of time, money, and energy trying to get rid of something that will never go away.

Or you can make the choice to embrace your laughter lines and wisdom creases.

There are many great Instagram accounts that celebrate the beauty of aging well, including @and.bloom… women who celebrate aging as the gift that it is, and who embrace the excitement and wisdom that comes with being older.

Aging well means turning the table and learning to embrace your face’s natural beauty without obsessing over every single line that shows up. It’s a natural part of life that should be accepted.

The debate of whether you should be more worried about static vs dynamic wrinkles will subside altogether if you take the path of least resistance and fully love the skin you’re in.

Written by Kayla Young

Kayla is the founder of LuxeLuminous. She has worked professionally in the tanning industry for years. She has been interested in esthetics since childhood, and has tried every hair, skin, and makeup product ever produced (more or less).