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Does Football Cause Wrinkles?

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football-wrinkles
Screaming at your favorite team could be causing your wrinkles. (Photo credit: Floyd Brown)

Football season is in full swing! I spent Sunday afternoon with a buch of Chicago Bears fans watching the bears beat the Indianapolis Colts 41-21.

What I observed got me to thinking about all the stress and wrinkles that football creates for male and female fans alike. While they’re watching their favorite teams, their face muscles are doing all kinds of wrinkle-causing gymnastics.

I observed fans contorting their faces: screaming at the television with raised fists, squinting their eyes, squeezing their eyes shut, and rubbing and pulling at the skin around their eyes — yikes!

Stress Spikes Cortisol

Football Field
Surprisingly, football is the most stressful activity in the average American’s life. (Photo credit: juggernautco)

According to the National Institute for The Study of Stress (source), the most stressful activity in the life of the average American is watching football (who knew?!).

Cortisol is a hormone created by the adrenal gland and is often referred to as the “stress hormone” because stress causes cortisol levels to rise, creating a physiologic change in our bodies. More cortisol means more oxidation (aging) of skin cells, loss of collagen in the skin (source), and inhibition of collagen formation.

In his book “The Cortisol Connection” Dr. Shawn Talbott provides an even stronger picture of what happens in the body when you live awash in cortisol:

“Last but hardly least, is our appearance. Caffeine dehydrates the body. So do elevated cortisol levels. This leads to dehydrated skin and premature wrinkling.”

Dr. Nicholas Perricone agrees. In his books “The Perricone Prescription” and “The Wrinkle Cure” he reveals the consequences of elevated cortisol levels on skin aging and wrinkling — dehydration and a decrease of collagen and elastin production.

[Read More: This Just In: Why Stress Destroys Your Skin]

Dynamic Wrinkles

pensive
Dynamic wrinkles are those gained by making expressions. (Photo credit: nuanc)

It is well documented that wrinkles are caused, in part, by repeated facial contractions and excessive muscle activity. These are called Dynamic Wrinkles, which produce expression lines in the face and neck (The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology).

The American Academy of Facial Esthetics tells us that the most common locations for dynamic wrinkles are between the eyebrows, forehead wrinkles, and on the cheeks near the outer corners of the eyes, referred to as “crow’s feet.”

Dynamic wrinkles gave rise to the popularity of Botox, which weakens these muscles, creating a reduction in the severity of the facial wrinkles. Botox can also prevent them altogether when muscle weakening is done before wrinkles form by decreasing muscle action.

Do Facial Exercises Help?

Beauty, Glamour, and Personality with her Holi...
Facial exercises were once recommended to women, but they actually cause wrinkles instead of preventing them. (Photo credit: spike55151)

NO! says The American Academy of Dermatology. If you perform facial exercises to maintain a youthful-looking appearance, it is time to stop.

Repetitive facial movements actually lead to fine lines and wrinkles. Each time we use a facial muscle, a groove forms beneath the surface of the skin, which is why we see lines form with each facial expression. As skin ages and loses its elasticity, the skin stops springing back to its line-free state, and these grooves become permanently etched on the face as fine lines and wrinkles!

[Read More: How “Aging Backwards” Works: Interview with Founder and President Jackie Silver]

Bottom Line

If you’re a football fan like me, try some of these techniques for managing your stress during games:

  • Breathe correctly (take deep breaths, not shallow ones).
  • Don’t drink alcohol or caffeine during a game (source).
  • Eat healthier food(s) during a game.
  • Laugh (laughter & humor release endorphins, your happy hormones).

Now – who’s your Super Bowl pick for 2013?

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