Old age is a very scary thought to most people. Among the various problems that are associated with advancing age, one of the most common is the loss of good looks that sets in.

Old age is almost synonymous with wrinkles on the face, which provides a very disagreeable look to a once-beautiful person. Of course, there are many cosmetic ways of treating wrinkles today – like the famous botox operations – but these are somewhat risky operations, which could lead to some side effects.

The search for maintaining eternal physical and mental youth of a person has been a vital part of the studies of Ayurveda. Of course, age cannot be conquered by any means. But the studies of over five millennia have brought forth some good herbal remedies by which wrinkles can be avoided from the face.

Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Preventing and Treating Wrinkles

Some herbal home remedies for the treatment of wrinkles (all developed by Ayurveda) are:-

1. Prepare a paste of turmeric and sweeten it with sugarcane juice. Apply this regularly on the wrinkled skin.

2. Apply pure castor oil on the wrinkle every night before going to bed.

3. Use a gentle face massage on the wrinkles with coconut oil every night before going to bed.

4. Prepare a paste of ginger and honey. Have this each morning before brushing your teeth. Continuous intake of this mixture will prevent wrinkles for as long as it is possible.

5. Lemon and amalaki (Indian gooseberry) both contain a great deal of vitamin C. You must use these to rub on the wrinkles several times a day. You will not only be rid of wrinkles, but your skin will also become suppler and get a youthful sheen on it.

6. Cucumbers are also a good therapy. You can shred some cucumbers and strain the pieces through a sieve. The residue you get must be applied on the face. Leave it on for about half an hour, and then wash it off. Within only about a dozen such applications, you will find the wrinkles starting to crease out.

7. Apply a juice of fresh pineapples and apples daily on the skin. This removes the wrinkles from the skin and makes it look younger.

8. Put some rosemary leaves in two cups of water. Boil them down to half the amount. Then take down from the flame and add half a cup of brandy to it. Strain this mixture and apply it twice a day onto the wrinkled skin.

Dietary Guidelines for Preventing Wrinkles

Having a healthy diet is very important to maintain the youthfulness of the skin. The following are some dietary guidelines:-

1. Maintain the proper moisture balance of your skin at all times. This can be done by simply having six to eight glasses of water in a day.

2. Focus on a healthy diet with the proper vitamin composition. Vitamins are very important to maintain the health of your skin. Vitamins of the B complex are the most important – which are found in green leafy vegetables, whole grain cereals, chicken, eggs, beef, etc – followed by vitamins A, C and E.

3. Your diet must be balanced. Do not lean on an excess of any one type of food. As you grow older, you must cut down on the amount of food you eat, but must eat only natural foods, with minimal oil and spices. You must have a good amount of fruits in your daily consumption.

General Tips for Preventing Wrinkles

The following are some tips and pointers to avoid early wrinkles on the face: -

1. Avoid sleeping on the side or the belly. If the face is in constant contact with the pillow, chances are that it will develop wrinkles soon. Hence, you must make a habit of sleeping on your belly.

2. Do not expose yourself too much to the sun. That can also cause wrinkles early on.

3. Protect your eyes at all times from direct sunlight. This will make your eyes strain, developing crows’ feet around them. Crows’ feet are the precursors of wrinkles.

4. Remaining stress free is very important, because stress can cause wrinkles easily. Keep your mind free through yogic therapies. Begin your day with yoga, and practice it for at least half an hour each day.

5. It has also been found that smokers get wrinkles must faster than nonsmokers. Hence, smoking must be avoided. The same can be said about alcoholism. When one consumes alcohol, the face puffs up. As it returns back to normal, the skin becomes loosened, developing wrinkles in the long run.

6. Be careful when you enroll in weight loss programs. Sudden weight loss leads to wrinkles on the skin.

7. When washing your face, never rub too hard. Do not use strong soaps. Use lime soap if available. This must be done from early youth. Lime soaps will also take care of pimples, blackheads and other facial problems. Also, you must not wash your face with warm water. Use water that is at normal temperature.