Wrinkle (skin) facts for kids

A wrinkle is a fold or crease in your skin. Think of it like the lines that can form on a piece of fabric. The medical word for a wrinkle is rhytide.

What Are Wrinkles?

Wrinkles are a natural part of getting older. They show up as lines or folds on your skin, especially on your face, neck, and hands. Our skin is made of different layers, and the top layer, called the epidermis, is what we see. Underneath, there's a layer called the dermis, which has proteins like collagen and elastin. These proteins help keep our skin smooth and bouncy when we are young.

Why Do We Get Wrinkles?

Many things can cause wrinkles to appear. Here are some of the main reasons:

• Aging: As we get older, our skin naturally produces less collagen and elastin. These are like the building blocks that keep our skin firm and stretchy. When they decrease, our skin becomes thinner and less able to bounce back, leading to wrinkles.
• Sun Damage: Spending a lot of time in the sun without protection is a big cause of wrinkles. The sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage the collagen and elastin in your skin, making it lose its firmness much faster. This is why wrinkles often appear more on parts of the body that are exposed to the sun, like the face and hands.
• Facial Expressions: Every time you smile, frown, or squint, you use muscles in your face. Over many years, these repeated movements can create lines and creases that eventually become permanent wrinkles. For example, "crow's feet" around the eyes come from smiling and squinting.
• Sleeping Positions: Believe it or not, how you sleep can also affect your skin. If you always sleep on your side or stomach, your face might press against the pillow in the same way every night. Over time, this can create "sleep lines" that turn into wrinkles.
• Weight Changes: If someone loses a lot of weight quickly, their skin might not shrink back perfectly, leading to some looseness and wrinkles.
• Being in Water: You might notice your fingers and toes get wrinkly after a long bath or swim. This is because the top layer of your skin absorbs water, causing it to swell and create temporary folds. These wrinkles usually disappear once your skin dries out.
• Unhealthy Habits: Certain unhealthy habits can also affect your skin's health and make wrinkles appear sooner. These habits can reduce the skin's ability to repair itself and stay hydrated.
• Dehydration: Not drinking enough water can make your skin look dry and less plump, which can make fine lines and wrinkles more noticeable. Staying hydrated helps keep your skin healthy.

Images for kids

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  Wrinkles on the face and hands are a typical sign of aging

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  Adult sole showing water immersion wrinkling

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  A man receiving a botox injection

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  A wrinkled finger after a warm bath

See also

In Spanish: Ritidosis para niños