Prevent Signs of Aging With These Tips
Facial aging is a natural and expected process of life, but what can we do to slow the progression? And how much of skin aging can we actually control?
Normal signs of aging can include wrinkles, volume loss (most often in temples, cheeks and under-eye areas) and sagging of the skin. Over time, these aging symptoms continue to intensify. At times, surgical correction (such as facelift surgery) is the best option, though there are non-surgical approaches that can also address the individual aspects of aging.
There are many options to help reverse signs of aging, but let’s focus instead on steps you can take to slow your rate of aging, thus preventing (or at least delaying) the need for surgical intervention.
Proper Sun Care
The most powerful way to prevent aging is protecting your skin from the sun. Many of the skin changes that we associate with aging are, in fact, caused by solar radiation. Overexposure to UVA and UVB rays from the sun directly lead to premature aging. This results in the development of wrinkles, sun spots, and dullness of the skin. Simple things like wearing a high quality sunscreen every day (especially on your face, neck and hands) or avoiding the outdoors during peak UV hours (10am-4pm) can have a significant impact.
Quit Smoking
In addition to the many other health concerns that smoking cigarettes has been proven to cause, smoking has been directly linked with accelerated aging of the skin. Smoking eats away at collagen and other skin proteins, leaving the skin looking wrinkled and leathery in appearance. Additionally, smoking decreases the body’s overall oxygen levels which in turn decrease the skin’s natural resilience to external environmental factors. This is a powerful one-two punch that accelerates aging.
Minimize Alcohol Intake
Similar to smoking, excessive alcohol consumption can age the skin, mostly through its effect on the skin’s hydration levels. The best way to avoid damaging your skin in the long and short term is to maintain a minimal or moderate level on your alcohol consumption.
Skin Care Regimen
Not only can a proper skincare regimen help your skin look its best, it can also minimize the effects of aging by keeping your skin healthy. Prevention is key: start taking care of your skin as early as possible.
Regular Exfoliation
Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells and other unwanted debris that cling to the epidermis (the outer layer of the skin). The process of exfoliation can help the skin maintain a healthy cell turnover process and collagen production; two critical foundations of youthful appearing skin. Regular exfoliation also helps topical skincare products, such as anti-aging serums, to better penetrate the skin and be more effective.
Apply a Retinoid to your skin nightly
Retinoid-based skincare products can help prevent and reverse the signs of aging. Retinoids are proven to reduce wrinkles, increase blood flow in skin, fight acne, increase cellular turnover, boost collagen and even skin tone. Though retinols (over-the-counter form of retinoids) do not have the same proven efficacy in reducing skin aging, they work well for exfoliation and preparing the skin for a medical grade retinoid.
Healthy Eating
What you eat now can have a future impact on your skin. Eating a healthy diet that is high in vitamins and antioxidants will provide your skin with all the nutritional value it needs to look and feel its best. There are even foods such as almonds and carrots that can help shield the skin from UV induced aging. However, there are also some foods that can actually harm the skin (which should be avoided).
Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Weight fluctuations, particularly from “yo-yo” or crash dieting, can have negative effects on the skin. Not only do most of these diets restrict much needed nutrition from the skin, but the cycle of gains and losses can stretch the skin, leading to sagginess. People should instead concentrate on maintaining their ideal weight through regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Preventative Treatments
There are many great non-surgical cosmetic treatments that can help prevent the need for more invasive procedures, especially when done early in the aging process. Regularly undergoing dermal fillers, chemical peels, micro-needling, or laser treatments can correct current aging symptoms while increasing the skin’s resiliency to future aging. Scheduling a complimentary consultation is a low-stress way to discuss a customized skin regimen and potential treatments available to target your skin’s needs.
Brianna Kay, MPAS, PA-C, Certified Physician Assistant, earned her Masters in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Brianna specialized in dermatology following her Masters degree and has since been practicing medical and surgical dermatology since 2012. She is board certified by the National Commission of Certification of PAs and is licensed by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners.
Nice info! I am so skin conscious these days. I want to protect my skin and keep it from looking old and worn out. I’m gonna have to give this a try, but nowadays I’m using one of the product recommended by my grandma, this anti aging serum. I’ve been using this product for the past one month and I could say that the result is just awesome. Just wanted to recommend to others!