What causes forehead wrinkles?

Forehead wrinkles are horizontal lines across your forehead that first appear when you are actively making facial expressions. Facial expressions — such as squinting, smiling, raising the eyebrows and many more — occur when facial muscles contract. Because the muscles are attached to the overlying skin, the movement causes “expression” or dynamic lines to appear. 

When we're younger, these dynamic lines and creases disappear when our faces are at rest. But over time, the repetition of movements imprints wrinkles permanently on the skin. These wrinkles are known as static wrinkles and are visible even when our faces are at rest.

The many years of repeated movements — and the natural aging process — lead to a decrease in collagen production and elastin production in the skin, resulting in reduced skin elasticity and deeper, more visible fine lines, creases and folds. Additionally, exposure to environmental stressors like UV radiation from the sun and pollution, plus lifestyle factors like smoking and poor hydration, can accelerate the timeline and severity of forehead lines by damaging the skin’s structure and promoting premature skin ageing. Overall, a combination of intrinsic ageing processes and external factors play a role in the appearance of forehead lines. There is no “one size fits all.”

Can forehead wrinkles be prevented?

Forehead wrinkles — and all the other fine lines and wrinkles, for that matter — are inevitable. Though you can’t prevent them from ever appearing, you can help delay the onset and severity of forehead wrinkles that result from lifestyle factors. 

In fact, only 20% of most visible skin ageing is from the natural ageing process. Seriously! That means each day there are key steps you can take to help protect your skin from the world around you and minimise the appearance of forehead lines. 

Daily sun protection in the form of SPF is an absolute must to help protect skin from harmful UV rays that can accelerate the ageing process and contribute to wrinkles. Keeping your skin well-hydrated with a moisturiser suited to your skin type is another must as it can improve its elasticity and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. 

Additionally, maintaining healthy lifestyle habits like a balanced diet, proper hydration, regular exercise, getting enough sleep and managing stress can contribute to overall skin health and help keep your skin looking its best longer. Being aware of your frequency of making facial expressions can also help, but around here we believe in expressing ourselves and think you should feel confident doing so!

Can forehead wrinkles be reversed?

There is no magic spell for permanently erasing forehead wrinkles, but there are ways to help improve their appearance. Being proactive is key as the deeper the wrinkles imprint, the more difficult they are to address. If you care to improve the appearance of forehead lines, the earlier you begin to address them, the better your results will be. 

From topical options to injections, there are a number of ways to help improve the appearance of forehead lines.

Are professional treatments my best option?

Injections and other professional treatments commonly come to mind when thinking about how to help the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles — especially on the forehead. Some injections work as powerful neuromodulators to relax and prevent muscle movement for a period of time. As a result, wrinkles appear smoother. While the effects can be seen quickly, the results are temporary. In order to continue seeing results, you must keep receiving injections, typically every three to four months. 

Alternatively, at-home, topical options do exist and are a recommended approach to improving the appearance of forehead lines before jumping to injections. Topical cosmetic options require commitment and consistent use to see noticeable results. However, they’re a less aggressive first step to addressing the appearance of any wrinkles you wish to improve.