Many of us would love to have younger looking skin. We seek the latest wrinkle treatments, laser resurfacing techniques, or age-defying moisturizer in an attempt to achieve that youthful glow. But truly achieving that younger look that you are seeking starts with understanding what causes aging and what you can do to prevent it. Aging is a natural process that starts when most people hit their twenties. This is the time when the skin starts slowing down in the production of collagen, the natural substance that allows skin to keep its shape. This means that your skin does not go back to its normal shape when you move as easily as it used to. Your skin starts to develop fine lines and wrinkles, sending you running for the newest wrinkle treatments that are on the market. Your skin will age prematurely due to some factors beyond the naturally occurring factors. This is where seeking younger skin starts – through preventing this type of aging. If you avoid these factors or minimize their effects, you will have younger looking skin. The sun will damage your skin and cause it to age. Sun damage creates dry skin with freckles, age spots, and wrinkles. You can’t see this type of aging occur, because it happens slowly. What happens is you start noticing that your skin looks less and less healthy and more and more like leather. This is because of damage from the sun. One way to keep your younger skin is to wear moisturizer with sunscreen whenever you are going to be exposed to the sun for long periods of time. This is the only type of aging you can prevent, however, because natural aging is going to occur no matter what you do. When you want to have younger skin and aging has already begun, there are some wrinkle treatments you can pursue to help you achieve your goals. One option is laser resurfacing. Laser resurfacing uses a carbon dioxide laser to remove some of the outer layers of the skin. The damaged skin is vaporized by the laser. This eliminates the appearance of some wrinkling and scarring. It does not eliminate all wrinkles, but a quality laser resurfacing of your skin will make you look much younger. Other wrinkle treatments include microdermabrasion and collagen enhancing moisturizers. Microdermabrasion is a procedure that uses tiny crystals to basically sandblast the skin and leave it looking refreshed and youthful. This sounds painful, but it is not because the layer that is removed is composed of dead skin cells. Collagen enhancing moisturizers try to replenish some of the collagen that the skin has lost, with the intention of achieving a younger looking skin. They also help to fight dry skin which can lead to premature aging and wrinkles. By far, however, the best wrinkle treatment is prevention. So the next time you are ready to go out and catch some rays, stop and think about it, and put on some sunscreen first!