Hiding a Wrinkle in Time: Home Remedies for Wrinkles

By Sarah Harper

Published on February 07, 2008

Here's a newsflash:  Americans hate growing old.  In the words of Dorothy Fulheim, "youth is a disease from which we all recover."  Many Americans tend to suppress, ignore, and deny the aging process, taking sometimes extreme measures to create the illusion of endless youth.  Whether through cosmetic surgery, aesthetic skin treatments, microdermabrasion, hypnosis, or just plain self-delusion, Americans are in hot pursuit of the proverbial fountain of youth. 

But is it possible that the aging of the body reflects a process worthy of respect and even awe?   After all, not even the best scientists on earth fully understand the body's anatomy, and the mysteries of the body have intrigued mystics and poets for thousands of years.  While the body and skin age in response to environmental and genetic factors, they also have the ability to repair themselves when cared for properly.  Perhaps our attempts to curb the evidence of aging should at least work with the body, not against it.  What are some natural methods of nurturing the skin to minimize wrinkles?

Anti-aging Skin Care from the Inside Out - Nutrition for Good Skin

As we age, wrinkles form in the skin due to sun damage and a loss of moisture and elasticity.  However, consuming the right nutrients can minimize the signs of aging by enhancing the skin's natural reparative processes.  To protect the skin from sun and free-radical damage and minimize inflammation, try to include the following in your diet:

• Water - Drink eight eight-ounce glasses a day to keep the skin hydrated.

• Fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices:
  • Beet - Full of liver-supporting carotenes, iron, magnesium, calcium, manganese, and potassium
  • Carrot - High in alpha- and beta-carotene, the body's natural sun block
  • Cucumber - Contains silicon and a pH resembling that of the skin 
  • Red and green bell peppers - Contains antioxidants that prevent free-radical damage, and nutrients that feed the thyroid gland 
  • Ginger - An anti-inflammatory rich in zinc
  • Parsnip - A traditional hair, skin, and nail remedy

• Flax seed oil, emu oil, and aloe vera gel - These moisturize and plump up the skin internally. 

Natural Wrinkle Treatment Serums

To nourish the skin externally and minimize wrinkles, try the following all-natural serums:

Castor oil - Apply pure castor oil to the skin daily to prevent wrinkles. 

Grape juice - Cut a grape in half and rub it on fine lines and wrinkles.  Let sit for 20 minutes, and then rinse with warm water.  Let the skin air-dry. 

Green pineapple and apple juice - Apply freshly-squeezed green pineapple and apple juice to wrinkles.  Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.   

Turmeric powder and sugarcane juice paste - Apply a paste of turmeric powder and sugarcane juice to wrinkles.

Do-it-yourself Face Lift

Take advantage of the skin's natural pliability with a tape facelift:

• To temporarily lift a saggy jowl, tape the jowl to the area behind the ear. 
• To temporarily smooth fine lines and wrinkles, apply tape over the wrinkles, smooth it out, and wear overnight.