Last updated on September 26th, 2023 at 12:47 pm
Introduction of glucose molecules, they lose their regenerative ability resulting in the thinning or cracking of the skin.
If you want to hinder this process, you need to reduce sugar consumption.
Experts have often cited sugar as a notorious trigger of accelerated skin aging.
How to Prevent Premature Skin Aging :
You cannot stop yourself from aging. But you can delay your skin’s premature aging.
Here are some preventive The skin is the largest organ of the body.
It has multiple functions.
It protects us from hazardous substances as well as thermal, mechanical, and physical injuries.
Helps regulate temperature, prevent loss of moisture, reduce the detrimental effects of UV rays, detect infections, and produce vitamin D.
Skin is also one of our sensory organs.
Without your skin, you won’t feel pleasure from the touch of your significant other.
You won’t feel the warmth of the summer sun or the simple delight of having a butterfly land on you as you while away the hours at the park reading a good book.
Your skin is also one of the most visible organs of the body.
If hair is your crowning glory, consider the skin as your robe.
And if it’s well taken care of with a beauty arsenal boasting skin essence, serums, and whatnot, you’ll feel like royalty.
Your self-esteem will improve. And you will be ready to face the world with positivity.
Unfortunately, your skin, exposed as it is, is quite prone to premature aging.
Signs of Skin Aging :
Skin aging manifests in a variety of ways.
The most obvious manifestations include rough texture, dry and dull appearance, and itchy sensations.
Your skin can also start looking slack, hanging loosely around the edges of your face, for instance.
Your skin might also appear transparent in an unnaturally shiny and clear fashion.
Plus, you might begin to notice dark spots or uneven skin tone here and there.
Aging skin becomes more fragile. Its susceptibility to bruises, redness, and inflammation, and even benign tumors increases.
These signs of skin aging are triggered by certain biological functions and processes that can be postponed more or less.
Causes of Skin Aging :
Several natural biological occurrences contribute to skin aging. Here are some of them.
- Thinning of the epidermis – The epidermis is the outermost layer of your skin. As you age, it becomes thinner despite containing the same number of cell layers. The result is skin that looks pale and dull.
- Collagen breakdown – Collagen makes up 75% of the skin’s dry weight. The quality and quantity of your skin’s collagen are crucial to its youthful appearance. Aging results from the degradation of collagen, making the skin look dull.
- Decrease of melanocytes – Melanocytes are pigment-containing cells. They decrease as you age, while those that remain increase in size. This makes your skin look translucent and more prone to age spots or “liver spots.”
- Photo defense – Almost 90% of premature aging symptoms and skin damage and skin cancer can be traced back to chronic exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet light. It is a notorious culprit for collagen degradation. Plus, repeated sun exposure without ample protection makes it more difficult for the skin to repair lost or damaged collagen. The skin’s elastin is also compromised. These make the skin loose and wrinkled. Photoaging does not happen overnight. Instead, its effects accumulate over the years, and before you know it the damages it has caused are irreparable.
- Elastosis – This weakens the connective tissues that make your skin strong and elastic. It is most apparent in sun-exposed areas. It is said to give the skin that leathery appearance common to workers who spend too much time outdoors.
- Oxidation – Free radicals are responsible for this process. They are small, highly reactive molecules. They can wreak havoc on the cellular level. Active free radicals create even more free radicals. If not curbed, they can damage your skin’s three layers exponentially. While our bodies produce natural antioxidants, they are not enough to fight the free radicals that increase in number as we age.
- Weakening of blood vessels – Aging means the blood vessels in your skin become more fragile. This results in a horde of conditions, including bleeding and bruising under the skin.
- Inflammation – This biological process is crucial to the optimum performance of our immune system. Inflammation happens as soon as your body detects foreign invaders such as viruses and bacteria. It is also responsible for tissue healing and cell repair, giving our skin a much-needed defense against pollutants and chemicals we come into contact with daily. However, chronic inflammation results in skin concerns that hasten skin aging too. These include redness and irritation.
Glycation – This process happens when excess bodily glucose molecules attach to your skin’s elastin and collagen fibers. These fibers are responsible for keeping your skin elastic. With the measures to follow and achieve youthful skin.
1. Eat Healthily :
What you eat will have a direct impact on your skin’s health and appearance.
Whether you dine in or out, make sure your diet includes sufficient servings of fruits and vegetables.
For example, mangoes contain vitamins A, E, C, and K.
That’s a deadly combo for the usual culprits for skin aging.
You can’t go wrong with kale too.
It’s rich in vitamins E, C, and K, which can easily turn your dull skin radiant.
Also, zero in on collagen-boosting food. Your options include bone broth, chicken, fish, and egg whites, among others.
2. De-stress :
You’ve probably heard it countless times.
Stress makes you look old. It’s high time you make life less complicated.
Doing so will not just benefit your skin but your mental health as well.
Make it a habit to meditate.
You don’t have to break your bones trying to imitate yoga poses your not-quite agile body can’t pull off.
Conscious breathing is a simple form of meditation.
Find your center and tune out the noise.
Be present.
Listen to the air that goes into and out of your body.
3. Sleep Right :
You’re probably too career-driven for your own good that sometimes you neglect sleep.
That does not work in your favor.
Lack of sleep will turn your skin lackluster in no time, and that can be detrimental to the career you hold dear.
So make it a habit to sleep at least eight hours every night.
During the day, find time to power nap just so you can recalibrate your body and mind.
Getting sufficient shuteye regularly will eventually manifest in your skin.
It’ll become more glowing.
Mind your sleep position too.
Try to change it up every night.
Your goal is not to isolate those sleep creases on a particular side of your face.
4. Exercise :
You do not have to commit to high-intensity interval workouts.
You’re not prepping for an appearance in American Ninja Warrior.
But you do need to keep your body sweating.
It will do wonders for your skin.
Exercise improves blood circulation.
That means your skin cells get the nourishment they need to stay vital and look young.
Sufficient blood circulation allows free radicals and other waste materials to be carried away from your skin cells too.
Plus, the more you sweat, the more toxins you release from your body.
In addition, your pores become less prone to clogging because they are regularly flushed.
5. Quit Smoking :
Many studies have shown that smokers are prone to premature skin aging compared to nonsmokers with the same age or level of sun exposure.
While there’s no definitive answer to why this is, the most common account relates smoking to compromised blood flow.
Whether you are having a cig in public or vaping indoors, chemicals present in cigarettes cause blood vessels to become narrow.
Such hinders the cells’ absorption of oxygen and other vital nutrients.
6. Reduce Alcohol Consumption :
If you’re a teetotaler, then please skip this part and move on to the next.
However, if you’re a cocktail or wine drinker, it’s best to start considering reducing your alcohol consumption for the sake of your skin.
Alcohol is a diuretic.
If you do not hydrate as much as you should while making your own wine or downing beers and cocktails, you’ll end up dehydrated.
That’s bad for your skin.
Also, alcohol dilates your pores.
Dilated pores worsen your susceptibility to blackheads, whiteheads, and even cystic acne.
If you can’t quit alcohol cold-turkey, at least tone down your consumption little by little.
7. Sun Protection :
Wear sunscreen every time you go out of the house.
Remember that the most visible signs of skin aging are attributed to the sun—and those are things you can avoid by simply applying SPF 30 sunscreen.
The ways to avoid the sun’s harmful UV rays are aplenty.
For instance, you can wear clothes that expose as little of your skin as possible.
Think long-sleeved shirts and pants.
Also, if you can help it, do not go out in the middle of the day when the sun’s at its peak.
8. Skincare Routine :
Know your skin type.
Buy skin care products based on the kind of skin you have.
The same goes for exfoliation.
Exfoliate depending on your skin’s oiliness or lack thereof.
Make it a habit to moisturize.
When you wash your face, be gentle.
The rule applies to when you dry your face too.
Avoid skin trauma and remember that rubbing your skin with a towel causes too much friction that your skin can do without. Pat dry instead.
You can level up your skincare routine with serums and essences.
Just make sure you read product labels properly before you put anything on your skin.
Conclusion :
Your body needs healthy skin to perform at its best.
Your mind needs glowing skin to ensure that your self-esteem does not suffer.
Both are important considerations you have to factor into every decision you make regarding your lifestyle.
Be wary of signs of skin aging.
Know what triggers them.
As soon as you notice dark spots, fine lines, and wrinkles appear, do the necessary measures to reclaim your glowing skin.
Or, better yet, be proactive about skincare.
Do not wait for signs of premature aging to manifest before you take skincare seriously.
Adhere to a strict routine.
Match that with healthy habits, and you’re bound to have skin that looks good and feels even better. Years from now, you’ll thank your younger self for making such smart choices.
This was a Guest Post by Lisa Garcia.
