Our faces constantly move as we talk, eat, drink, smile or laugh, and this can have a bigger impact on how we look than we realise.
While these movements are all natural, they can speed up the formation of wrinkles but there are some non-surgical ways to reduce the risk of this, an expert stated.
Speaking exclusively to GB News, the founder of CellDerma skin care Dr Dev Patel spoke about the daily movements that could be affecting our faces.
Dr Patel said: "Everyday facial expressions are a natural aspect of life – we smile, frown, laugh, and scrunch our noses. However, when these expressions become repetitive, they can play a role in the development of wrinkles.
Wearing sunglasses can prevent day to day squinting
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"As your facial muscles engage, grooves may form beneath the skin's surface. Gradually, the skin can lose its ability to bounce back, resulting in the formation of fine lines, wrinkles, and permanent furrows in the brow area."
A simple way to limit how often you squint - which can cause wrinkles around the eyes - is to wear sunglasses during sunny weather.
"As the first step, protect your eyes with sunglasses when you are outdoors in hot weather to avoid squinting and brow furrows from developing," the doctor advised.
He also discussed 'barcode lips', which is the name often given to wrinkles that appear on and around the mouth as a result of pursing the lips.
Dr Patel said: "Barcode lip lines run vertically down into the top lip, and can be caused by repetitive pouting from smoking or drinking through a straw.
"So, it is important to examine and change any lifestyle habits that contribute to premature ageing.
"Also, try not to clench the teeth together, as this can put unnecessary tension on your jawline and contribute to a sagging smile."
This comes as Dr Wafaa El Mouhebb shared six tips anyone can follow to prevent and repair the effects of barcode lips.
She said wearing an SPF, using retinoids in skin care, chemical peels, laser treatment, derma fillers and microneedling are ways to prevent the signs.
Dr Wafaa said: "Prevention is always better than cure. By using a broad spectrum SPF30+ daily, you can prevent the breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin, which is accelerated by sun exposure.
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Barcode lips are caused by pursing the lips regularly
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"If you already have wrinkles or fine lines around the mouth, regular use of lip balms with SPF30+ can help prevent further damage from the sun’s damaging UV rays."
Speaking of the best skin care products, the expert added retinoids are key to look for as they can promote the production of collagen.
She continued: "Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives, which can help stimulate collagen production and improve the texture of the skin. Creams or serums containing retinoids will gently exfoliate dead skin cells that clog pores and make wrinkles look more apparent. This will help cell turnover to reveal brighter and smoother-looking skin over time.
"As well as this, retinoids have antioxidant properties that can neutralise damaging free radicals, protecting skin from further damage and preventing wrinkles from deepening."
This comes as Dr Dev Patel shared more advice to "reduce wrinkles" and "keep the skin plump" as your skin changes over the years.
