There are lots of recommendations for anti-aging skincare every single day. These recommendations aren’t for people not to age as that is impossible.
Anti-aging skincare doesn’t mean to stop or prevent the natural aging process, it is the use of skincare products and skincare practices to prevent, reverse or treat premature aging.
Aging is a natural process that everyone undergoes as they advance in age, however, some factors could make the skin age faster than it should. This is called premature aging and this is what anti-aging skincare and practices tackle.
Factors That Cause Premature Aging
- Sun exposure
- Cigarette Smoking
- Excessive alcohol and caffeine intake
- Stressful lifestyle
- Poor sleep quality
- Daily environmental pollutants
- Frequent and longterm use of some skincare ingredients e.g. Sulfates (sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, etc), some alcohols, topical steroids.
- Rare genetic conditions e.g. Werner syndrome
It’s never too late to benefit from anti-aging. Even people who already have signs of premature aging can benefit from anti-aging skincare and lifestyle changes/modifications. By starting, you give your skin a chance to repair some of the damages done.
Signs Of Premature Aging
- Fine lines
- Wrinkles
- Sagging skin
- Thin, veiny and wrinkled hands (Gaunt hands)
- Hyperpigmented spots also known as sun spots, age spots or liver spots.
- Patchy discolouration on chest (in the absence of other skin conditions)
- Drier and itchy skin
Is Your Skin Aging Faster Than It Should Be? – 5 Tips That Will Transform Your Skin
- Sun Protection: Make broad-spectrum sunscreens with SPF30 and above your most used product daily when protective clothing alone isn’t sufficient. Sun protection is the most important form of anti-aging skincare. Aging is a multifactorial process which depends on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors and the main extrinsic factor is sun exposure (UV rays).
*Read More: The Sun and Your Skin.
- Start Anti-aging Skincare Products Early: As you get older, your body’s internal processes start to slow down and take longer to complete. It’s impossible to avoid these changes completely, but you can help reduce the signs of aging by starting antiaging skincare and practices early.
Incorporate skincare products with antiaging properties in your skincare routine from your 20’s. Products that contain Vitamin A derivates, Vitamin C and derivatives, other antioxidants, ceramides, humectants such as hyaluronic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic acid, lactic acid, etc), Niacinamide,
Vitamin A Derivatives: Topical retinoids are proven wrinkle-fighters. They increase skin cell turnover, support healthy collagen production and they also have anti-acne properties especially in the treatment of comedonal acne.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C in both oral, parenteral and topical forms have potent antioxidant properties. Topically, vitamin c is used in anti-aging skincare to brighten and even complexion, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin texture.
Other Antioxidants: Resveratrol, Green Tea, Peptides, Vitamin E, Caffeine (topical), etc.
- Stop Smoking: The toxins in cigarette smoke exposes the skin to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when there is an excess of free radicals. This reduces oxygen supply to the skin, causes damage to collagen and elastin in the body thereby speeding up skin aging. There are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke.
- Reduce alcohol intake: Alcohol dehydrates the skin, lowers antioxidant defences in your skin and in time, damages the skin.
- Healthy food and eating habits: Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables may help prevent the damages that lead to premature aging.
Other tips to help you on your anti-aging journey include:
- Warm bathes with mild soaps (avoid very cold or very hot baths).
- Regular moderate physical activity: this can help you maintain a healthy weight.
For quicker results and visible changes, there are antiaging procedures such as botox, cosmetic/dermal fillers, microneedling (collagen induction therapy), anti-aging spa services (Youth Builder facials with Radio-Frequency, Firming Peptide Facial with Galvanic, etc) to consider. However, your topical anti-aging skincare products would still be needed for maintenance and daily care.
*Read: Difference Between Fillers and Botox Injections
At Skin101, we offer all forms of anti-aging skincare, let’s help you start that journey, call us now on 09086000001!
