We start aging around our 25th birthday. And although this process cannot be avoided, we can delay it through lifestyle changes. A healthy diet, exercise, cleansing and moisturizing the skin, as well as sun protection are the basics of anti-aging.
Teenagers start experimenting with skin care products. However, what and how they apply to the skin often does not match its (skin's) needs. Moreover, taking care of your skin's radiant appearance and elasticity does not involve applying a cream or mask. Our external appearance directly depends on our lifestyle, diet and physical activity . As we wrote here, even genes are only responsible for 25% of the rate of skin aging. We therefore have many opportunities to slow down this process.
Skin aging is regulated by two types of stimuli - internal and external . Internal are those that we have no influence on, e.g. genes, cell renewal mechanisms . Over time, we all notice that our skin becomes thinner and drier. The first wrinkles appear on it. The face loses its youthful appearance and volume. And this is absolutely natural. However , external factors are those that we can influence . They largely determine when and how quickly we will start aging. External stimuli include the influence of the environment, diet, lifestyle and skin care . We will focus on them in the article.
The American Academy of Dermatology suggests 1 making the following changes to your lifestyle to keep your skin healthy and radiant for as long as possible.
Many scientific studies prove that smoking significantly accelerates the skin aging process. It becomes matte to the touch and earthy in color 2 .
It causes the skin to lose moisture and become more susceptible to damage. It significantly accelerates the changes that occur in the skin with age 3 .
For now, it's hard for scientists to determine exactly which type of diet is best for the skin 4 . However, it can certainly be said that processed food stuffed with preservatives, dyes and trans fats is not good for us. Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit every day. Make sure your diet contains enough protein, healthy fats and fiber. Limit your intake of sweets. You've probably heard the term "sugar face." It manifests itself, among others, grayish and sagging skin, wrinkles on the forehead and under the eyes. If you want to avoid this, you need to take care of what you feed yourself. It is also worth taking supplementation, but only with ingredients that cannot be obtained in sufficient amounts from food and which have a multidimensional impact on our health, proven in clinical studies. You can read why diet is the basis here.
Moderate exercise improves circulation and strengthens immunity. As a result, skin cells receive more oxygen. This helps maintain a youthful appearance for longer.
You can read about how much water you need to drink every day to maintain radiant skin here . Moisturizing cream is also an essential attribute of caring for the skin and providing it with the necessary moisture at any age.
Cleansing the skin of cosmetic residues and environmental pollutants allows the skin to breathe and regenerate better. Sweat should also be washed off your face as soon as possible, e.g. after training or after putting on a helmet.
Scrubbing may irritate it, which in turn accelerates the aging process. The skin cleanser should also be gentle but effective and should not dry out the skin. This applies to both tonics and facial cleansing liquids, gels or foams. If a product causes redness or burning, stop using it. This irritation also damages the skin.
This includes, for example, wrinkling the forehead and squinting. If you tense the same muscles over many years or for a long time, wrinkles become permanent. Sunglasses will help with squinting - sunglasses if the sun bothers you, or regular glasses if you squint due to deteriorating eyesight. The situation with frowning is more complicated, there is no remedy for it. However, training in mindfulness, including mindfulness to your own body signals, and self-relaxation exercises may bring benefits.
According to some researchers, UV rays are the cause of 80% of visible signs of skin aging, e.g. wrinkles 5 . Healthy sunbathing does not exist in the park, on the beach, or even in the solarium. If you want to have a darker skin tone during an event, it is better to use a self-tanner with a natural composition. On a daily basis, it is worth using a cream with a broad-spectrum filter, at least SPF30. And all year round. When in the sun, make sure your clothes cover your body. You must also apply sunscreen to all uncovered parts.
Losing 10 kg in a short time or gaining weight rapidly may have a negative impact on the appearance of your skin. After the age of 30, it is no longer as elastic and elastic, it may not shrink back to its previous "size".
The sooner the better, dermatologists say. Of course, the above list of changes is so universal that it fits even people in their 20s. And at this age it is worth starting to introduce them 6 . When it comes to cosmetics that can slow down skin aging processes, the list will vary depending on age and skin condition. However, cleansing, moisturizing the face and protecting against the sun are the basic elements of care for everyone.
Bibliography: “11 ways to reduce premature skin aging”, American Academy of Dermatology Association, aad.org, February 24, 2021. Kadunce DP, Burr R., Gress R., Kanner R., Lyon JL, Zone JJ, “Cigarette smoking: risk factor for premature facial wrinkling.” Ann Intern Med. 1991 May 15;114(10):840-4. Goodman G.D., Kaufman J., Day D. et al., “Impact of Smoking and Alcohol Use on Facial Aging in Women: Results of a Large Multinational, Multiracial, Cross-sectional Survey.” J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2019;12(8):28-39. Cao C., Xiao Z., Wu Y., Ge C., “Diet and Skin Aging-From the Perspective of Food Nutrition.” Nutrients. 2020;12(3):870. “Photo-aging/Photodamage as a Public Health Concern” American Academy of Dermatology Consensus Conference, March 3-4, 1988. Gold G., “This Is the Age When You Start to Visibly Look Older.” Marieclaire.com, November 3, 2015
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Napisała: Hanna Borowska
Editor, journalist, science writer, certified nutrition consultant. Motherhood made her interest in health issues change the direction of her professional path. She has completed several trainings and courses in Poland and abroad in the field of dietetics, functional medicine and aromatherapy. She is passionate about the unexplored power of the human microbiome. She graduated with honors from the Faculty of Journalism and Political Science at the University of Warsaw. For many years associated with Euroradio.fm.
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