The way your skin ages can depend on many different factors, some that are in your control and others that aren’t. These are known as extrinsic and intrinsic ageing. Extrinsic ageing includes lifestyle, stress levels, environment, and diet. Intrinsic ageing refers to the natural ageing process we all go through, which has more to do with our genetics.
While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with growing old gracefully, if you are worried about signs of ageing there are some anti-aging methods that can keep your skin looking healthy and youthful while also boosting your overall well being. We’ve put together a quick guide to some markers to look out for, as well as some tips on what to do to hold them at bay.
Common Early Signs of Ageing
- Crow’s feet – These eye wrinkles are named for their resemblance to, well, crow’s feet! Normally found around the outer corners of the eyes, crow’s feet can be caused by smiling, squinting, sun damage, or any repetitive stress to the naturally thin skin around our eyes.
- Loss of elasticity in the skin – This sign of ageing is caused by the natural, intrinsic process of growing older. Sun damage and pollution can also cause a lack of elasticity while lifestyle habits such as smoking, a poor diet, or a lack of sleep cause skin to lose firmness.
- Sagging – As skin ages, it naturally stops producing the collagen that keeps it looking plump and bouncy. In combination with a natural weakening of the muscles that comes with age, this can cause the face to show signs of sagging.
- Wrinkles – Wrinkles can range from very fine to very deep creases anywhere on the body. As time passes, we tend to experience some loss of fat and bone density in our faces – this can cause the skin on top to wrinkle as it loses support.
- Sunspots – You may be able to guess from the name but sunspots are caused by overexposure to the sun. Depending on your skin colour, sunspots can appear as varying shades of brown and should be flat to the touch.
Anti-Aging: Our Top Tips
While there’s not much you can do about natural ageing and the genes you’ve inherited, there are several ways you can change your lifestyle habits to help delay the main signs of ageing.
- Reduce sun exposure without sunscreen/sun-cream – As we mentioned before, many of the signs of ageing are caused by sun damage. If you can, limit your time in the sun entirely, or wear sunscreen if that’s not possible.
- Quit smoking – The chemicals in cigarettes damage collagen and cause our blood vessels to restrict, making it harder for blood and nutrients to reach the upper layers of the skin. Quit smoking right away to prevent unnecessary wrinkling.
- Sleep longer – Sleep is vital when it comes to restoring and healing our bodies. A lack of sleep has been proven to accelerate signs of ageing so make sure you’re getting your recommended hours.
- Care for your skin with appropriate skincare products – Glowing, bouncy skin needs regular moisture and a boost of any vitamins and nutrients that it might be lacking. A regular skincare routine, including an anti-aging moisturiser, anti-aging serum, and strong SPF and UV protection should keep you looking youthful.
- Remove makeup before sleep – Not only does makeup clog the pores overnight, it can also trap free radicals that are found in pollution. These free radicals are a major cause behind collagen breakdown so make sure to use an anti-aging cleanser and toner every evening to keep your skin safe overnight.
- Reduce alcohol consumption – As we grow older, our bodies become less capable at processing alcohol. The dehydration caused by drinking too much can leave skin looking tired and dull, so cut down if you want to retain your glow.
We think everyone looks beautiful in their own skin – but sometimes the busyness of life can make our skin look tired, dull, and older than we’d like. If you’re worried that you might be showing signs of ageing, or would like to know more about skincare and taking care of your skin, get in touch with L’abu today.
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