Here's another good reason to quit smoking. Researchers at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor's dermatology clinic found that smoking may increase wrinkles at parts of the body other than the face – even on areas that are covered with clothes!

Yolanda Helfrich and her team who studied 82 people aged 22 – 91 years old, found that the risk of developing wrinkles was strong in those who smoked heavily for years. The wrinkles were identified by three judges – two dermatologists and a medical student – who examined photographs of the participants' upper inner arms.

“The judges used a nine-point scale developed by Helfrich's team. A rating of 0 indicated no fine wrinkling; severe fine wrinkling yielded the maximum score of 8,” reported Miranda Hitti in WebMD Medical News.

Forty of the participants had a history of smoking but this was not disclosed to the judges who identified the severity of wrinkling based solely on the photographs they were shown. Two-thirds of the participants had low wrinkle scores but the highest – indicating deeper wrinkles - belonged to the smokers.

"We examined non-facial skin that was protected from the sun, and found that the total number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day and the total years a person has smoked were linked with the amount of skin damage a person experienced," Helfrich said in a University of Michigan news release.

Earlier, Bipen Patel of the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at Cambridge University in England linked heavy facial wrinkling to an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in current and former middle-aged smokers.

COPD is an incurable chronic lung disease that includes emphysema and bronchitis. It is the fourth leading cause of death in America that has killed more women than men. Patients with COPD find it hard to breathe and smoking is a leading risk factor for the disease.

“In 2004, 11.4 million American adults (aged 18 and over) were estimated to have COPD. However, close to 24 million adults have evidence of impaired lung function, indicating an under diagnosis of COPD,” according to the American Lung Association.

The subjects in Bipen's study were 149 current and former smokers in their mid- to late 50s. After being photographed, the subjects' photos were examined by a pair of dermatologists who rated their facial wrinkles.

“Most participants had little or no facial wrinkling, but 25 (nearly 17 percent) were wrinkled, write Patel and colleagues. Of the 25 wrinkled participants, 21 had COPD, the researchers found. Overall, 68 of the 149 participants had COPD,” said Hitti.

“Compared with unwrinkled participants, those with wrinkles were more than eight times as likely to have COPD, the study shows,” Hitti added.

Based on these studies, it makes perfect sense to quit smoking now if you seriously want to avoid wrinkles and a host of diseases associated with this habit. To reduce whatever wrinkles you have now, use Dermaxin, the anti-wrinkle cream that contains four special ingredients, namely Matrxyl 3000, collagen, Argireline, and hyaluronic acid to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, restore skin elasticity and smoothness, moisturize the skin, and reduce the signs of aging.

Why is it that practically everyone in the middle class to the upper levels of demographics in any country are worried about getting wrinkles? Maybe it’s the fear of getting old or looking old, or the wanting to look socially acceptable, or just plain vanity. We all have our own reasons. But whatever it is, everyone is united in wanting to solve this age old problem. However, in the first place, do we even have any idea about what actually causes these dreaded wrinkles? It’s highly probable that we don’t. The most important factor in finding a solution to any problem is finding out the root cause of it.

As we age, our body undergoes various changes, and so does our skin. In our skin, we have tissues known as collagen and elastin. These tissues are mainly responsible for making our skin firm and stretchable. As we grow older, the amount of collagen and elastin in our skin naturally diminishes. As a result, our skin becomes less elastic and weaker, thus creating “wrinkles”. Experts say that the amount of wrinkles that a person will develop through the years also depends on the genetic make up of this individual. However, smoking, sun exposure, dry skin, and repetitive facial expressions and mannerisms such as frowning, can all enhance the creation of wrinkles that may or may not be permanently present.

Over the years, beauty experts and skin doctors have come up with a vast array products to treat and minimize wrinkles. Anti-wrinkle creams and ointments help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and prevent new ones from forming. These wrinkle ointments and anti-aging creams help a lot in restoring the skin's firmness and elasticity. In addition, these products contain anti-oxidants and retinol that not only aids in reducing wrinkles and fine lines on the skin, but also stimulates collagen production.

For people seeking solutions to severe damage that has already been done to the skin, there are a number of treatments available ranging from chemical peels and dermabrasion to the latest and technologically advanced, computerized laser resurfacing. However, many people looking for skin repair are hesitant to try chemical or laser peels due to the painful procedure and long recuperation period they have to undergo. The results of these procedures however, are fantastic.

One less painful procedure is the particle skin resurfacing procedure. Dr. John Studd MD, plastic surgeon at the Hale clinic explains ” The process is removes the outer layer of skin in a highly controlled manner. Because of its preciseness, it is practically painless. By repeating this procedure a number of times, the younger skin moves to the surface, thus promoting visible changes in the skin’s texture, color and appearance. The benefits of this skin resurfacing procedure are that it causes very little pain or discomfort, no recuperative period is needed, there is minimal risk, it can be used for all skin types, and no anesthesia is required. “

The important thing to remember when seeking out treatment for your wrinkles is to know first how your body can possibly react to the treatment. Get in touch with a skin doctor for things that you are not sure of, but are contemplating on trying out.