As we age, our bodies naturally begin to slow down producing collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin are proteins, which help our skins to maintain their elasticity, and “snap back” into its original shape. The decreased production of collagen and elastin causes formation of wrinkles and fine lines.
Aside from the natural formation of wrinkles with age, smoking and prolonged exposure to the sun can can speed up this process. Smoking slows down the production of collagen and causes the formation of vertical lines around the mouth, commonly referred to as “smoker’s lines.”
Some wrinkles become deeper with time and loss of volume in the skin can create folds. You can read more about deep wrinkles and fold here.