SKIN AGING PREVENTION

Aging is a very sensitive issue for women. Women always want to look young, attractive, sexy and healthy. Skin is very important component in women appearance, and this is why every woman should know all possible causes of skin aging and effective actions which can prevent early skin aging.

Our skin is an important living organ – actually the largest organ of our body. Skin is first affected by several external factors (sun exposure, pollution, air temperature and chemicals) and skin can be affected by lifestyle (stress, depression, sleep problems, unhealthy diet, etc.) as well as by side effects of medications.

You never can stop natural body aging and it is absolutely impossible to stop skin aging but it is possible to make in slow and smooth.

Skin aging is a normal biological process which includes changes in skin collagen and elastin making skin sagging. Collagen and elastin are main skin proteins (main skin support structure) which keep skin firm (while we are young). With aging collagen-elastin network weakens and skin can start sagging. At the same time, with aging skin becomes thinner and losses fat which is also negative for skin aging.

Very important component of skin aging is genetic code – actually our skin type, skin appearance, skin metabolism and skin aging are genetically programmed. Some women still look young after 50 and some women look much older of their biological age.
Women body inherits the ability to produce enzymes that operate as antioxidants. It is well known that antioxidants are responsible for the effective repair of the damage to our genetic code that occurs with the aging process. So actually our parents are also responsible for the speed and mechanism of our skin aging.

Although we cannot change the genetic factors, we can still have an influence at several external factors which could place an important role in skin aging processes.

SKIN AGING PREVENTION TIPS

Avoid sun exposure

Sun exposure is the number one enemy of women skin. Sun exposure could trigger skin spots, wrinkles, reduced elasticity and sagging. Scientists discovered that actually about 70% of skin aging process depends on the amount of sunlight our skin is exposed to throughout our life because solar radiation accelerates destruction of collagen fibers in the skin during oxidation process. Destroyed basic skin elasticity structure usually accelerates the skin aging processes.

Intensive sun exposure can also damage the genetic material in the skin cells and cause an abnormal division of cells which can cause rough, thin and wrinkled skin as well as could also increase the risk of malignant and pre-malignant skin lesions.

Not controlled sun exposure can also have negative effect on the sebaceous glands which could cause dry and sensitive skin or sometimes could force excessive oil production by sebaceous glands.

Avoid stress and depression

Modern life is full of stress factors and different people handle stress differently. It is known that prolonged emotional stress causes increased secretion of so called “stress hormones” such as cortisol and adrenaline. Scientists discovered that increased levels of stress hormones can accelerate various aging processes in the skin.

Prolonged depression also could have negative effect at skin cells by causing shortening of so called “telomeres” which affects the genetic material (DNA) in all cells. The deficit of telomeres could stop skin cells’ division and trigger premature cell death. In this situations skin cannot produce enough young skin cells and skin aging is becoming visible.

Avoid active and passive smoking

It is well known that smoking trigger premature skin lines and wrinkles that typically appear on places where the skin is very thin (around eyes and lips). Dermatologists can easily diagnose “smoking lines” on women faces – it was noted that “smoking lines” appear in smoking women 10-15 years before they appear among non-smoking women. Early skin wrinkles are visible under the microscope in smoking women as young as 20. The more years and packs you smoke, the more likely skin aging (wrinkles) will occur. Doctors also discovered that skin lines and wrinkles are more likely appear deeper in smoking women.

Scientists discovered that smoking women have reduced levels of vitamin C. Actually the vitamin C is very important element in the production of collagen fibers in the skin and vitamin C is responsible for the elasticity and appearance of youthful and healthy skin. Lack of vitamin C is acceleration and speeding the skin aging processes.

Passive smoking is a special condition which means you are “smoking” without being a smoker – you are breathing the smoke with thousands of toxic chemicals from smoking people. Passively received smoke is as dangerous as real smoke in smoking women.

Follow healthy diet

We are what we eat and our skin is a mirror of our food. Healthy diet and special skin diet are recommended for all women who want to have young beautiful elastic skin.

Protein is important component in women diet because protein structures in the skin are vital to the appearance of nice fresh skin. At the same time, increased levels of sugar (sweets) cause the connective tissue in the skin to become rigid and lose its elasticity.

Antioxidants are also crucial for healthy skin processes. Daily skin diet should always include fresh fruits and vegetables which are the main sources of antioxidants. It is also important to mention that several fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin C which is essential in skin collagen production. Other vitamins (B, A, E) are also very important for skin protection, skin cells production and skin metabolism in general.

As skin hydration is also crucial for skin aging, it is strongly recommended to drink enough water every day – about 1.5-2 liters per day.

Have enough good sleep

Sleep is very important period of women life because body repairs itself during sleep. Each healthy woman needs proper amount of deep sleep during night – at least 7-9 hours non-stop sleep. Healthy sleep improves our health and it is necessary for maintaining normal health indicators and carry daily skin “refreshments”. During deep sleep our body produces growth hormone from the pituitary gland (brain) and this hormone has a great importance in keeping body tissues renewal, including skin cells. Actually during sleep our body produces more proteins, which are absolutely necessary for old skin cells’ regeneration and replacement by new skin. Prolonged lack of sleep can accelerate skin aging and can also trigger different skin problems.

Avoid drinking habits

Some women “treat” stress and life problems with alcohol. Some women have unhealthy habit for regular social drinking. But every woman should remember that alcohol causes damage to the skin texture and color and has considerable influence on the eye sockets. More alcohol you use – more skin problems you could have. Skin can accumulate alcohol toxins in deeper skin layers and trigger not only appearance of capillaries and redness of the cheeks and on the nasal bridge but also unpleasant bulged eyes and face.

Avoid useless mimic habits

Emotional women usually have habits to speak with several personal mimic movements without thinking that intensive use of facial muscles brings exaggerated expression lines on the face that causes skin wrinkles (first signal of skin aging). It is important to know that beyond wrinkles, repeated use of expression muscles causes their dominance under the skin and damages the relaxed and smooth appearance which is typical to young looking face. Over a lifetime, habitual facial expressions like frowning, smiling, or squinting leave their mark on our skin.