Wrinkles: Ayurveda Understanding, Causes, Pathogenesis, Treatment, Prevention

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Wrinkles, brief introduction

Wrinkles are quite natural to all of us. It is one of the indicators of physical ageing and hence ageing skin. As we get older, our skin gets thinner, drier and less elastic and hence loses its immunity against damages. This eventually leads to formation of wrinkles, creases and lines on the skin.

Wrinkles can occur very early in life also, due to different causes. Wrinkles can be part of skin diseases or any other disorder which has its reflections on the skin. They are creases, ridges or folds formed in the skin. They are most prominent on the areas of the body exposed to sun. Apart from face wrinkles also occur on the neck, hands and forearms.

Apart from sun exposure, smoking, alcohol consumption, dehydration, environmental and genetic factors, pollutants, certain medications and exposure to UV light also are causal. Some wrinkles which become deep crevices or furrows are mainly noticeable around the eyes, mouth and neck.

Wrinkles have a direct relationship with our facial movements and expressions and have their origin from there.

Related Reading – Wrinkles

Wrinkles – Ayurveda Perspective

Dosha involvement in Wrinkles

The VATA connection

Vata, old age and wrinkle connection – Vata as a rule is dominant in old age. Wrinkles also usually appear in old age. Mathematically it is vata which predominantly causes wrinkles.

The skin gets dry, thin and less elastic in wrinkles. All these are caused by vata.

Sparshanendriya – the sense organ of touch or skin is one among the seats of vata. So, in comparison to any other doshas, vata will have its greatest influence on the skin. It helps in perception of touch sensations and when in balance vata is responsible for good skin health.

Vyana Vata-Rasa-Twak axis and premature wrinkles – Vyana Vata, a subtype of vata conveys rasa (nutrition) to the skin. Health and balance of rasa tissue is an indicator of skin health and vice versa. This is mediated by vyana vata throughout the life. When there is imbalance in this conveyance, the skin health will be compromised. This will expose the skin to a wide array of health issues including premature wrinkle formation.

The Pitta connection

Wrinkles are formed due to excessive exposure to sunlight especially at midday and also to UV radiation. Pitta gets aggravated due to sun exposure for longer duration and also during midday. Pitta also has drava i.e. liquidity in it and also unctuousness, both of these which are protective buffers for the skin are damaged by the heat of the sun. The skin will get dried and will lose immunity giving way to many skin diseases and also to premature wrinkles. The skin chemistry is directly connected to the functions of Bhrajaka Pitta located in the skin.

The Kapha connection

There is a rich nutrient supply to the skin through the continuous circulation of rasa tissue. Rasa belongs to the kapha group of elements (kapha is present in the rasa tissue). Thus the rasa and kapha within will not only provide nutrition to the skin but would also keep the skin moist and lubricated. Kapha and Rasa are rich in water.

Dhatu involvement in Wrinkles

Rasa Dhatu – As already discussed, rasa tissue is constantly reaching the skin to nourish it. The health of skin and rasa tissue is interrelated. If there is deficit supply of rasa tissue to the skin or if the rasa or the channels carrying it are contaminated, the skin health and immunity will be compromised. Likewise a bad skin health or a long staying skin disorder which is stubborn or conditions like wrinkles reflect the imbalance or diseased state of rasa tissue or the channels transporting it.

Mamsa Dhatu – We know that anatomically the skin and muscles are located in close proximity. Twak i.e. skin is said to be the upadhatu i.e. sub-tissue of Mamsa dhatu i.e. muscle tissue. So, health issues in muscles reflect in skin and vice versa. Wrinkles are said to be related to movements and expressions, which are also the causative factors of wrinkles. These movements and expressions are brought about by the muscles and reflected on the skin. The vasa i.e. muscle fat which is also a sub-tissue of muscle tissue provides lubrication and moistness / unctuousness to the skin.

Medo Dhatu – The main function of the fat is to provide unctuousness and lubrication. The skin also derives the same from the subcutaneous fat. Excessive exercise is said to be one of the causes for wrinkles. Excessive exercise burns the fat and depletes the muscle and muscle fat. This affects the skin.

Muscle, fat, muscle-fat and kapha contribute to the elasticity and moistness / unctuousness of the skin and also contribute towards skin health and immunity.

“Vali” – a symptom of Rasa Pradoshaja Roga

“Ayatha Kala Valayah” is one of the symptoms of rasa pradoshaja roga i.e. diseases caused due to contamination / vitiation of rasa tissue. Valayah is plural of Vali which means wrinkles. Vali is the Ayurveda word used to describe wrinkles. Ayatha kala means ‘premature’ or that occurring at unusual times. Rasa contamination can cause other diseases also. Vali i.e. wrinkles should also be relatively understood to these conditions. One or more of those conditions may coexist or be the cause of wrinkles. This understanding is very important for planning treatment for wrinkles.

Examples:

If wrinkles are present along with disinclination / aversion towards food, tastelessness, indigestion, bad taste or no taste in the mouth, nausea, early satiety etc (mentioned amongst rasa pradoshaja rogas), the gastro-intestinal health and digestive errors might be contributory towards premature wrinkles.

Similarly the other symptoms mentioned in this context like anemia, heart diseases, impotency, emaciation, tiredness, fever etc should be relatively considered if they coexist with wrinkles.

Mala involvement in Wrinkles

It is found that excessive sweating irritates the skin and predisposes to formation of wrinkles on long run. The contamination of sweat carrying channels should be managed on the lines of treating fevers. The roots of sweat conveying channels are located in the fat and pores of the skin.

Sara Purusha and Wrinkles

Though we are made up of all the tissues from rasa to shukra, we would have a richness of one or two of those tissues. When we have a richness of a particular tissue in relation to other tissues i.e. one best quality tissue, we will be called as sara purusha of that particular tissue i.e. having or made up of the best essence and richness of that tissue. Example – if a person is having good quality and quantity of muscle tissue which his or her body type would admit, he or she will be considered as being mamsa sara.

Among the sara we do not have ‘rasa sara’ being explained. Instead of that we find Twak Sara i.e. richness of skin or a person who has best quality skin.

Twak sara purusha would be immune to many skin ailments and natural conditions like wrinkles (to an extent) in comparison to the others.

Every other person too would have certain good features of skin and rasa in spite of not belonging to that sara because all of us have rasa and skin. It is important how these people preserve, conserve and protect their rasa balance.

Signs of best quality skin / rasa tissue

The signs found in the skin and body hair, both shall be considered for assessment of quality and health of skin and rasa tissue.

The skin of the people bestowed with high quality rasa tissue will be unctuous, smooth, soft, charming, delicate, delicate and lustrous. On the other hand, the hairs of these people are unctuous, smooth, soft, pleasant, delicate, minute, sparse and deeply rooted. Master Sushruta opines that these people have pleasant, soft and glossy skin and hairs. Master Kashyapa opines that these people (children) would be free from skin diseases, pleasure seeking, have clear and sharp features and his or her wounds would heal in quick time.

Master Charaka adds to this and tells that people having enriched rasa tissue and healthy skin are endowed with happiness (comfort), luck (fortune), wealth, luxury, intelligence, knowledge, good health (disease free), pleasure and longevity.

These people will have good skin health and immunity and will not easily catch up with skin diseases. This also means that formation of wrinkles will be delayed or will be of lesser proportion or premature wrinkling will not occur. The compactness and elasticity of the skin will be intact.

Etiology and influencing factors (modern) and Ayurveda

Etiological factors explained in modern medicine include ageing, expressions, excessive exposure to the sun and UV light, excessive smoking and alcoholic addiction.

While in old age vata dominates, excessive expressions too will aggravate vata, exposure to sunlight would aggravate vata and pitta while depleting kapha and fat and damaging skin and muscles. Excessive smoking and alcohol consumption would disturb all the doshas, damage some tissues including rasa and ojas and impart bad effects on the skin.

Influencing factors and doshas

Factors influencing / affecting wrinkle development include –

– exposure to the sun – would cause imbalance of pitta and vata
– dehydration – would imbalance vata and pitta
– outdoor sports – impacts vata, vata-pitta
– smoking – influences vata, pitta, rasa and ojas
– environmental factors – affect tridoshas
– genetic factors – involves vata

Ayurveda Treatment Principles for Wrinkles

Nidana Parivarjana

One should keep away all the etiological factors which would cause wrinkling of skin. Old age cannot be avoided but managing skin health in the old age can be planned and customized by talking to an Ayurveda doctor. Regular oleation (external and internal), body purification (with panchakarma therapies) and Rasayanas are a must, with advancing ageing.

Taking care of agni, eating good foods and keeping hydration levels to optimum, attending to body’s natural urges as and when they occur, adaptation to seasonal changes, wearing protection against sunlight, not indulging in too much alcohol and exercises and keeping away all vata aggravating foods, life activities and stress are the ideal measures one should follow to keep up good skin health. Any disease which would likely cause wrinkles, shall be addressed.

Anti Vata Measures

We have seen that vata is the main dosha which is responsible for causing wrinkles. So an effective ‘vata care plan’ to keep vata in a state of balance is the key to prevent or address wrinkles. This is very much essential for people of vata prakriti who tend to get wrinkles and premature wrinkles earlier than the people of other constitutions. Similarly those who are prone for vata disorders should take regular treatments for the same. Vata balancing therapies, customized diet protocol predominantly having warm foods mainly having sweet, sour and salt tastes with added ghee or oil, lifestyle modulations so as to keep vata in a state of balance, rest / sleep and keeping away stress will immensely help.

Vata-Pitta balance

Looking at the causes of the wrinkles we can understand that pitta too may be involved in the causation of wrinkles along with vata. Both vata and pitta may be involved in certain people. Here both the involved doshas shall be handled effectively.

Sneha Pradhana Chikitsa – for prevention and cure of wrinkles

Therapies including medicated oils and ghee both internally and externally are very much essential in not only combating the wrinkles but also to prevent the same. Below mentioned measures shall be used as and when needed, either singly or in combinations –

– Abhyanga – herbal oil massage / anointing the body with herbal oils – should include entire body, face, head and feet
– Sarvanga Taila Dhara – showering or bathing the body with streams of medicated oils or ghee (only for the body)
– Avagaha – tub bath with herbal oils or ghee or combination of both (only for body)
– Mukha lepa – facial application of pastes made with anti-vata herbs mixed with oil so as to keep the application unctuous
– Snehapana – medicated ghee or oil or combination of both for drinking in small quantities to keep up the lubrication and moistness of the skin
– Basti – enema with medicated oils and ghee, the most efficient way of balancing vata and its hyperactivity, to keep away the skin from getting extremely dry and hence preventing wrinkles
– Nasya – nasal instillation of medicinal oils (as drops)

Nasya

Nasal medication explained in Ayurveda has broad spectrum action. Medicated oils instilled in the nose regularly will prevent and cure many pathological conditions manifesting on the face. It is also beneficial to keep wrinkles in check. Pratimarsha Nasya, a kind of nasya done regularly with drops instilled in very small quantities will take care of this condition. It is a good remedy and prevention for premature wrinkles. To avoid wrinkles which would appear in old age, one needs to start using Nasya from the middle age or when one is approaching old age with aging symptoms starting to appear. Anutaila, Shadbindu Taila or Ksheerabala Taila can be used for this purpose.

Shodhana

The morbid doshas accumulated in the body will be harmful and damaging in due course of time. They need to be eliminated with suitable cleansing therapies i.e. Panchakarma therapies from time to time or as and when required. The worst damage to the skin comes from vata and pitta. Vasti and Virechana administered as and when these doshas show signs of aggravation or seasonal cleansing of these doshas even in healthy individuals will give immunity to the skin, preserve its elasticity and health and prevent wrinkling.

Ama pachana and Deepana

Less digestion strength leading to production and accumulation of ama in the system as well as in the channels of transportation and in the cells would clog the supply of necessary nutrition to the parts of the body and would create an opportunity for many diseases to manifest. Wrinkles too may form due to this. Medicines and measures to kindle the digestion strength and to digest ama are essential when signs of ama accumulation are seen in the body.

Kavala and Gandoosha

Mouth rinsing and gargles with medicated oils / oil pulling is healthy for facial muscles and skin and prevents premature wrinkling when done regularly. Plain sesame oil, coconut oil or cow ghee can also be used for this purpose.

Rasayana

Rasayanas are all materials (foods, medicines etc) and methods which are useful in enhancing the qualities of the tissues to an optimum level so as to contribute towards a comprehensive health and immunity of individuals. Regular consumption of rasayanas will help in preventing premature ageing, graying of hairs and wrinkling of skin and would keep the person looking young, energetic and going in spite of the biological age being in progress.

Some useful Rasayanas in this context are –

– Brahma Rasayana
– Chyavanaprasha
– Agastya Rasayanam
– Triphala Rasayanam
– Narasimha Rasayana