Could you be at risk? Here’s what your wrinkles may be telling you about your health
Your wrinkles may be saying more about your health than you think. While wrinkles have been an aesthetic concern for some, scientists reveal that deep facial lines can be an early warning sign of deadly heart trouble.
According to research shown at the world’s largest heart conference, adults who have prominent forehead wrinkles and lines between their eyebrows are 10 times more likely to die at a younger age than those with smooth skin.
The research was conducted by following 3,221 volunteers for 20 years after examining and assessing their appearance.
Those with no wrinkles were given a score of zero, but those who had “numerous deep wrinkles” were issued a score of three.
Experts believe that by closely studying people’s skin, GPs will have an easy and affordable way to spot early signs of stroke and heart attacks.
Yolande Esquirol, the associate professor of occupational health at the University Hospital of Toulouse in France, claims that deep furrows are a red flag for clogged arteries – also known as atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis is a condition that stops the flow of blood and oxygen to reach organs inside the body, which in turn increases the chances of lethal clots.
Esquirol told the European Society of Cardiology conference in Munich that “the higher your wrinkle score, the more your cardiovascular mortality risk increases".
“You can’t see or feel risk factors like high cholesterol or hypertension.
“Just looking at a person’s face could sound an alarm, then we could give advice to lower risk.”
According to Esquirol, the cause of deep wrinkles has nothing to do with stress or hard work, but more to do with cell and protein damage.
Fellow researcher Professor Jean Ferrieres, from Toulouse University School of Medicine, said that assessing a wrinkled forehead is a better indicator of heart problems than high cholesterol.
“We found it is a simple visual screening tool that can be used by GPs to identify people at risk,” Prof Ferrieres said.
“This is more precise than cholesterol levels, as it is a sign blood vessels are already being damaged.
“We would advise patients with wrinkly brows to see their GP and make lifestyle changes, such as more exercise and better diet.”
While the risk of heart disease is inevitable as people age, there are ways to reduce the chances of being in a dangerous situation through lifestyle and medical interventions.
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, the Vice Chair of the Royal College of GPs, finds the results “interesting".
“Any research that seeks to aid better identification or treatment of heart disease, and further our understanding of the condition, is welcome, however strange the connection may seem,” said Prof Hawthorne.
But Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, Professor Jeremy Pearson, says that these findings won’t be replacing traditional steps when uncovering heart-related problems.
“Perhaps wrinkles can tell us more than we think about our heart health but counting lines won’t replace tests for well-understood risk factors, such as high cholesterol and blood pressure,” he said.
What do you think about these findings? Let us know in the comments.