Anti-Aging Skin Care- What Makes Our Skin Age?

There are many things that can make our skin look old. Obviously, having birthdays and getting older is most likely the first thought that pops into your mind, but believe it or not, this is not the number one cause of aging.

There are factors that contribute to what I would like to call age appropriate features and other factors that can cause an individual to look 5, 10 or even 20 years older than their chronological age.

I have seen a 28 year old female with wrinkling and changes of her skin more advanced than a 45 year old female with the same skin features and complexion.  So, what caused this big difference?

Well the 28 year old was a former lifeguard who spent summer after summer outdoors around the pool for extended periods of time and the aging of her skin was accelerated.

What about the 45 year old whose facial appearance caused her to look well into her 60’s?  Well, she was a chronic smoker who had smoked more than a pack a day of cigarettes for over 25 years.

Based upon observations over the years, cigarette smoking ages the skin the most (even secondary smoke can be harmful), sun exposure is next in terms of the aging effect on the skin, and birthdays are really third.

These are the top three, but additional factors can contribute as well, there are also many things we do that make our skin look older related to diet, exercise, and stressful encounters.

Here are some suggestions on how to manage these factors that contribute to premature aging.

• Smoking – Cigarette smoke is unhealthy, period, and it can really ravage a person’s skin. Smoking takes vitamin C from your body, and this is one of the nutrients that help to keep your skin plump and supple. Also, the nicotine in cigarette smoke acts as a vasoconstrictor and reduces blood flow to the skin so that less oxygen and other nutrients are available to the tissues. When you smoke, you will probably have dry skin, and be prone to wrinkles, especially around the mouth and it is fairly common for the mid face to become discolored and thickened in areas as well.  If a chronic smoker quits, a significant improvement in the appearance and texture of the facial skin can become apparent in as short a time as 90 days.
• Sun – If you spend a lot of time in the sun, you need to have some kind of protection. It is important to wear a hat with a large brim that will keep your face shadowed, and you should also be using a sun block with an SPF of at least 30. Too much exposure to the sun may give you a great tan now, but you will pay for it later on in life when you have premature wrinkles. It is important to use sun protection that blocks ultraviolet A (UVA) light as well as (UVB) light to get the maximum safety benefit. Natural sunlight contains a blend of UVA and UVB light, but since SPF’s only refer to UVB protection, it is important to make sure that your sun protection product is able to block the absorption of both.  Furthermore, if you spend time going to tanning salons which deliver higher than natural dosages of UVA light, this can cause you to age prematurely as well
• Diet – The foods you eat also play a role in the health of your skin. Again, following a healthy, well balanced diet will help, not only to keep you healthy in general, but also to ensure that you have healthy, glowing skin. Make sure that you are drinking lots of water, and that you keep alcohol consumption to a minimum, even though studies show that red wine consumption can be of benefit.  Clinical studies suggest that resveratrol, which is the ingredient in red wine that has beneficial anti-aging properties can help to set back the aging clock up to 10 years, this effect cannot be duplicated by drinking the red wine itself.
• Anti-Aging Skin Care – It is wise to take great care of your skin by using appropriate cleansers, toners, and moisturizers in addition to the sun protective measures mentioned above. When it comes to your face your skin care professional can analyze your skin and make the most appropriate recommendations for your specific needs. A good selection of scientific based products are currently on the market and available to choose from in several different price ranges so you should be able to find something that you can use.  When necessary, professional treatments can also be utilized to help you look your best.

If you take good care of your skin, you can expect that it is going to look great, even as you age and have more birthdays.

Make sure that you eat right, get plenty of exercise, don’t smoke, avoid sun and cold weather, and use good products, and you will be well on your way to avoid premature wrinkling and looking older than you are.  If your skin is already in a state of premature aging, then see your dermatologist or skin care professional to take corrective actions.