Forehead wrinkles are an inevitable part of ageing. File them with two-day hangovers and a creeping affinity for elastic waistbands: you can run, but you can't hide.
Lines on your forehead are also not necessarily something you need to lament – especially in the age of quite big world issues – but you’re here, so it’s safe to assume you’re at-least curious about why your complexion doesn't look like the ones that grace the red carpets. (You’re not old, Timothée Chalamet’s just 27.)
But if your forehead lines are growing a little deeper than you’d ideally like, you have options. A full-on facelift remains the most extreme age reverser, but there are plenty of less invasive options available should you not fancy a full Travolta. Below, see the steps the experts recommend for keeping the lines on your forehead from deepening into trenches.
The Expert Guide To Treating Forehead Wrinkles
Prevent dehydration
If your forehead wrinkles are fine and feathery, rather than deep-set, they could simply be down to dehydration in the uppermost layers of the skin. The solution here is pleasingly simple: get some moisture back into your face. A humectant-based face serum (think: glycerin or hyaluronic acid) teamed with an emollient-rich moisturiser makes a one-two punch that'll prevent moisture loss and and stop dehydration in its tracks.
Peptides and retinoids can be pricy, but you don't really need to spend a fortune to get a decent hyaluronic acid. The Ordinary's fan-favourite bottle is proof.
This fast-absorbing hydrator is ideal for anyone who likes their skincare lightweight.
Cerave's affordable line-up is loved by experts, and this simple yet effective serum is a great place to start.
Potentially the most hyped face product on the planet, Dr. Barbara Sturm's hyaluronic formula is an investment that delivers.
Upgrade your moisturiser
A humble moisturiser might not be able to give you the freshly-frozen visage of a reality TV star, but it can help to protect the skin and prevent premature ageing. Mackenzie Paterson recommends looking for something focused on promoting a “healthy barrier” – that’s the outermost layer of skin on your face – and then getting forensic with a serum designed to target your specific skin issues, be it pigmentation, blackheads or forehead wrinkles, as these formulas tend to be more potent than the cream that sits atop them.
In terms of ingredients, you want peptides and ceramides, and also humectants, which attract moisture into the skin to keep it looking plump: hyaluronic acid is the most fame-hungry one.
“If you’re using a retinol serum or anything else with exfoliating properties, such as glycolic acid, apply it at night-time only, as these ingredients can make your skin more sensitive to the sun,” she adds, leading us nicely onto the next point you're likely very-much expecting.
Mackenzie Paterson's high-street recommendation contains ceramides to keep that skin barrier strong. There's an SPF 50 version for daytime, too.
Much more than a humble hydrator, this wrinkle-plumping cream contains a complex of vitamins originally designed to help skin heal post-surgery. The result is stronger, more resilient skin that looks smooth and even.
This high-street classic is widely recommended by experts for counteracting the drying effects of a heavy-duty retinol.
This crowd-pleasing moisturiser is heavily hydrating without feeling thick or sticky. With hyaluronic acid and algae, it'll keep sensitive types happy too.
Try a retinol
Outside of the clinic, you also have plenty of options. Facialist Katharine Mackenzie Paterson recommends a topical retinoid product (or 'retinol' as they're commonly known) for treating ‘atrophic', or skin-level wrinkles.
“Anything from the retinoid family contains vitamin A, which works on our skin’s health in many different ways. In a nutshell, retinoids have the ability to increase the cellular turnover in skin, and by doing so can work on a variety of different skin issues attributed to ageing.”
They can help to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles because by speeding up cellular turnover, they can increase collagen production and improve skin elasticity, thus lessening lines.” An added bonus, this process also tackles textural issues, such as crepiness and those sun spots that arrived as a belated souvenir from Kavos ‘08.
This clever serum combines retinol with skin-building peptides and moisture-retaining ceramides in one powerful formula.
Medik8's Crystal Retinal formula comes in gradual strengths, but Mackenzie Paterson says most men can start on the middle-ground number three.
An affordable option that packs a punch, this one is found in bathrooms around the world for a reason.
Augustinus Bader's The Cream is found in the bathroom cupboard of every grooming editor. Now, there's a souped-up version with added retinol for serious wrinkle-reversing. An investment, but worth it.
Actually wear sunscreen
If you were hoping for a magic pill, you’re out of luck: the number-one thing you can do to stop forehead wrinkles from bedding in is to buy a moisturiser with SPF and put it on your face on a daily basis.
As Mackenzie Paterson explains, “sunscreens won’t stop dynamic (or expression) lines – those are the ones cause by muscle movement – but they will protect your skin from ultraviolet light, stopping it from breaking down collagen and elastin and thus halting atrophic and elastotic wrinkles, as these are caused by UV damage.”
There’s no need to slather on a sticky coconut lotion each morning, as today’s best brands have delivered a host of moisturisers with SPF already inside: what a time to be alive.
If in doubt, go with La Roche-Posay. The brand's sunscreens always impress, and this recent launch is one of its best yet: it's light, non pore-clogging, and totally invisible.
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF50 for Normal to Dry Skin
There's a reason all derms wax lyrical about Cerave. It's not fancy, but this SPF cream will keep your skin hydrated and protected in all climes.
Designed to mattify the T-zone, this Parisian favourite is ideal for anyone averse to a shiny face. . Oily-skinned? Stop here.
Kiehl's reliable SPF feels lightweight but packs a heavyweight punch in the protection stakes.
Consider Botox
According to Dr. Emily MacGregor, co-founder of Story Clinics, there are two main contributing factors to the formation of forehead wrinkles in men, and each requires a different treatment approach. Simply put, those deepening lines are caused either by the quality of your skin, or the activity of the muscles beneath.
The first factor is the size of your forehead muscle, and how energetically you use it. “The forehead muscle sits between the hairline and the eyebrows, and when it contracts it lifts the eyebrows up whilst at the same time causing the skin to fold into horizontal lines," explains MacGregor. "If the forehead muscle is particularly strong, or if the individual has quite an expressive face (ie, they raise their eyebrows a lot) then the lines will form more quickly and deeply. Greater muscle size in men compared to women means that forehead lines are often more significant in men.”
When excessive facial energy is the cause of your crinkling forehead, there’s a swift and simple solution: Botox. If the mere mention of this word conjures images of frighteningly expressionless faces, you’re focusing on the badly done jobs.
MacGregor considers subtle anti-wrinkle injections to be the most effective way to control forehead muscle strength and size by far. "Botox injections temporarily weaken the targeted muscle and so reduce the pull on the overlying skin and the visible wrinkle. It works in a dose-dependent way: a 'baby Botox' dose causes just a little reduction in the wrinkles and a larger dose causes a more significant one.” The results will gradually wear off over the course of three to four months, and can be repeated as necessary.
Book into a clinic
As MacGregor explains, the second factor in determining the depth of your forehead wrinkles is the quality of your skin itself. “Advancing age and sun exposure make the skin weaker (due to reduced collagen) and less elastic (due to less elastin) which in turn means that lines appear on the skin surface.”
“The forehead is the facial area most likely to get sun damage due to its positioning and, generally speaking, men are less likely to wear an SPF moisturiser on a daily basis than women – so sun damage is definitely a big contributing factor for male forehead wrinkles,” explains MacGregor.
“Treatments to improve skin quality and reduce sun damage involve resurfacing the upper layer of the skin and causing new collagen production in the lower one; there are a range of skin treatments that can do this.” MacGregor’s preference in-clinic is a combination of deep microneedling alongside a chemical peel. “It sounds scary but actually the recovery time is very quick and the strength and type of peel can be chosen to suit the individual,” she adds.
The advantage of this approach is that you’ll be able to watch those forehead lines gradually lessen without losing the movement of your eyebrows, ensuring a completely natural and undetectable result.
