Smoking. Smoking promotes wrinkles in two ways: First, it causes blood vessels to shrink so you don’t get proper circulation. This leads to reduced oxygen in the skin, which slows down the crucial collagen formation. Second, smoking interferes with the skin’s natural defenses against free radicals. When free radicals occur, skin breaks down. Smoking also increases the risk of some skin cancers.

Stress. Some doctors advocate short-term psychotherapy to help alleviate skin symptoms exacerbated by stress. Stress can make many conditions worse, including

acne, psoriasis and eczema. Stress also causes sweating, itching and hives.

Sudden dietary changes. If you’re not getting enough fatty acids, your skin can lose luster. People with eating disorders lose

proteins and vitamins, which leads to extremely dry skin and other problems.

Sunburn and tanning. All sun exposure over time accelerates the wrinkling process and causes brown spots — and most important, the risk of skin cancer.