Getting rid of forehead wrinkles might seem like an uphill battle—especially if you already have fine lines. Luckily, there are a number of options for you to try. From at-home skin care creams, like topical retinols, to in-office treatments like Botox injections and prescriptions options, there’s something for just about every budget—and every crease—on this list. Read on for everything you need to know about getting rid of wrinkles on your forehead.
What causes wrinkles?
Though we might think of wrinkles as a natural part of the aging process, there are a few reasons you may see them creeping up earlier than you’d like. “Wrinkles are dynamic, so the more expressive we are the more lines we’re likely to have,” says Elizabeth K. Hale, MD, clinical associate professor of dermatology at NYU Langone in New York City. You read that right, your own facial expressions are working against you. But wrinkles can also be caused by “overexposure to ultraviolet light,” Dr. Hale says, as well as other things in the environment that get into our skin and break down collagen and elastin. In addition to aging and sun exposure, studies have also shown that wrinkles can be made worse by certain lifestyle factors, like smoking and drinking.
How to avoid wrinkles in the first place
All of the experts we spoke with acknowledged that prevention is your best weapon. One easy way to fight wrinkles? You guessed it: avoiding sun damage. “Hands down the best way to minimize wrinkles is preventing them from forming in the first place,” says Kim Eickhorst, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut. “If we can minimize our skin’s exposure to the sun, we can minimize collagen breakdown, and thus the arrival of dreaded wrinkles. While facial sunscreen has come a long way in recent years, don’t forget the advantage of just plain covering up with clothing, hats, and sunglasses.”
One large study also demonstrated an association between a healthy diet and less facial wrinkles; and other lifestyle factors like getting adequate sleep and keeping stress to a minimum may also help keep wrinkles at bay.
How to get rid of forehead wrinkles
Even if you’ve already started to see forehead lines, our experts emphasize that it’s never too late—really!—to start using an SPF to prevent more sun damage. Having said that, there are a number of products you can try at home to help get rid of forehead wrinkles.
Retinols
Retinols are by far the top recommended ingredient from the dermatologists we spoke with. But, like most at-home treatments, they do have their limitations. “It’s important to have realistic expectations when utilizing creams to target wrinkles,” says Jeaneen A. Chappell, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and the founder and CEO of Chappell Dermatology in Dallas. “Generally speaking, wrinkle creams work best on fine lines versus deeper wrinkles.” There are tons of different creams and skin care products available, so it may take a little trial and error to find one you like.
Argireline
Looking for a Botox-like effect without the needles? Argireline might be your answer. This peptide prevents wrinkles by inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters—like Botox. While not as effective as the famed botulinum toxin, this one can be bought over the counter and applied topically.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C has long been touted as a wrinkle-fighting ingredient, but solid research is tough to come by because most products use vitamin C with other active compounds, making it tough to parse exactly what the vitamin C is doing—versus another ingredient. Still, vitamin C has been shown to protect against photoaging, so it’s worth adding to your wrinkle-fighting repertoire.
Peptides
According to studies, peptides may help with collagen production, thus reducing the appearance of fine lines.
In-Office and Prescription Treatments
If your budget allows, treatments that can only be performed by a dermatologist will trump just about any over-the-counter option. “Nothing can quite take the place of going to visit your dermatologist,” Dr. Hale says. Likewise, all of our experts agreed, botulinum toxin—Botox—is still the gold standard when it comes to getting rid of wrinkles.
Botulinum toxin (Botox)
Botulinum toxin (a.k.a. a Botox injection) is used in almost every sub-specialty of medicine, and is widely known as the go-to cosmetic injection your dermatologist may suggest to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
“Forehead wrinkles are created by muscle movement so preventing the movement that’s creating them to begin with is getting to the root of the cause,” Dr. Brown says. “It is by far my favorite for those who are open to injectables because it works every time and has very high patient satisfaction rates.”
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