If you’ve ever wished you could reverse a skin condition you’d never had before, you might be in luck.
In a new TikTok video series, Beverly Hills-based facial plastic surgeon Dr. Thermela Sundar shares six anti-aging tips, many of which involve just small tweaks to your daily routine.
Dr. Sander runs his own clinic, Sander Plastic Surgery, and often shares his expertise on social media, and this was no exception.
Her tips don’t come with a big price tag, which means you don’t need to waste money on expensive skincare gadgets and creams that promise to give you the ‘ageless’ look you see on social media.
So, for now, forget about that expensive treatment you were planning to save up for and try these solutions instead.
Avoid sleeping on your stomach
According to a plastic surgeon, it’s better to sleep on your back instead of on your side or stomach.
Believe it or not, sleeping on your face or stomach can have a very serious effect on the aging process.
“Sleeping on your stomach puts pressure on certain areas, which can cause sleep lines that turn into wrinkles over time,” Sander explains in the video.
According to Today , these lines can occur around the cheeks, neck, and jawline.
But if sleeping on your back isn’t that comfortable, Sander suggested another solution.
“If you can’t sleep on your back, at least get a sleep pillow or pucker pillow that supports your head above and below so there’s no pressure on the sides of your face,” she explained.
These include silk or satin pillowcases, which Allure says can help reduce pulling and “chafing” on your skin while you sleep.
Stop drinking through straws
If you like drinking from a straw, you might want to think again.
“Repeated pursing of the lips can cause vertical wrinkles,” Sander explains, pointing to the area just above the upper lip, near the nose.
“These are also known as ‘smoker’s lines,’ but you don’t have to be a smoker to get them,” she added.
Thankfully, this problem is easily solved.
Of course, the easiest solution would be to just stop using straws, but there are also a number of straws on the market now designed to prevent lip wrinkling for exactly this reason.
You can also find it on platforms like Amazon and Walmart.
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Avoid exercises that strain the neck muscles
While working up a sweat at the gym is great, plastic surgeons say you should be careful about exercises that put strain on your neck muscles.
“Repeated tension in the neck muscles develops vertical neck muscles, which causes the neck to age more quickly than the rest of the face,” Sander says.
The expert added in the video’s caption that while people often strain their neck muscles during certain exercises, they should actually be working their core first.
According to Healthline , the neckbands are two bands of muscle that run vertically down the sides of your neck, also known as the platysma muscles.
As a bonus tip, the outlet suggested paying attention to how your neck muscles are working in the mirror while you work out.
Do not wash your face with hot water
Strangely enough, the temperature of the water you use when showering or washing your face can have a profound effect on your skin.
“Hot water can destroy the skin’s natural moisture barrier,” Sundar explained to viewers in the second part of her video series.
This can result in dry, irritated skin and rashes, NBC News reported.
The length of time you shower also affects how the water affects your skin.
Therefore, instead of taking hot showers, doctors recommend using lukewarm or cold water when washing your face to protect your skin barrier.
Avoid rubbing the skin around the eyes
The skin on your face is more delicate and thinner than the skin on other parts of your body, especially around the eyes.
Because of this, you need to be extremely careful when removing or applying makeup to avoid rubbing or pulling the skin in the area, Sander explained.
“Pulling and rubbing the skin can not only cause wrinkles, but can also lead to increased pigmentation around the eyes,” she says.
Some experts recommend using your ring finger when applying creams or products to the under-eye area, as this allows for a gentler, lighter touch.
Avoid “crazy” facial exercises
While you may be tempted to try those anti-aging facial exercises that are trending on TikTok, doctors say they could actually be counterproductive.
“Facial exercises that cause excessive facial movement can actually lead to more wrinkles,” she explains, pausing to let viewers understand what she means.
Among the facial exercises she demonstrated were raising her eyebrows high and wide and opening her mouth wide.
Avoiding these repetitive facial movements is definitely recommended when working on anti-aging.
