Sure it freshens your breath and can help you quit smoking, but did you know that some cosmetic surgeons believe that chewing gum may cause wrinkles?
According to an article on msnbc.com, one dermatologist claims that he’s noticed the development of a wrinkle pattern amongst his gum chewing patients. Experts attribute the gum-wrinkle connection to two things. First, there’s the repetitive motion of chewing, which causes lines and folds around the mouth due to muscle overuse. Second, the muscle over-activity may result in a break down of support tissue within the skin, contributing to volume loss and perhaps loss of skin elasticity. As well, chewing gum can dislodge dermal fillers that people have injected into their faces to plump up their wrinkles.
It’s repetition that’s the culprit; the occasional gum chewer isn’t implicated. So go ahead and enjoy – just don’t do it all the time.
