We tend to associate a lot of value with the quality of our skin. Though the narrative is slowly changing, there is still an enormous amount of one’s esteem depending on how one looks. One of the major concerning factors is premature aging. Wrinkles, lines, and pigmentation are enough to give one nightmare. While there is not much that can be done on the outside, simple lifestyle changes can effectively manage symptoms from within. Here are a few factors which make your skin age faster. An insight into them might help you give your skin the extra care it needs.
Environmental Stress
According to dermatologists, some of the major skin aging causes are environmental stressors, the primary ones being sun’s radiation and air pollutants. Prolonged exposure to the sun without protection allows the ultraviolet rays to penetrate the deeper layers of skin and damage the underlying mesh of proteins which impart elasticity and turgidity to the skin.
The skin thus begins to loosen, shows wrinkles, the radiance dials down, age spots appear, and other signs of a premature aging kick in.
In addition to this, there are some air pollutants that have the potential to produce free radicals. These, on reaction with the skin, damage the proteins and lipids on the outer layer, hampering the protective barrier that it forms. The effect is most seen in the form of skin pigmentation.
Deeming these as serious contributing factors to premature aging, it can be safely said that applying sunscreen lotions with a high sun protection factor and loads of antioxidants can act as super effective skin aging remedies for you.
Incorrect Food Habits
Eating the wrong kinds of food can also make your skin age faster. A higher consumption rate of sugar is often associated with premature skin aging. The damage is caused due to a phenomenon called glycation, where sugar molecules get attached to the collagen in the skin and lead to its gradual stiffening.
This results in the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the skin. It has also been found that an abysmally high amount of sugar in the body strips off its ability to produce antioxidant enzymes, increasing the susceptibility of the skin to damage by free radicals.
Other skin aging problems are also caused due to a high intake of alcohol and caffeinated drinks. Both lead to serious dehydration of the skin, making it look dull and wrinkled. Alcohol, in addition to that, dilates blood vessels under the skin. This increases blood flow, giving the skin a red and inflamed look.
Moreover, an excess of fried foods and processed meat can also lead to collagen degradation, thus contributing to an early onset of skin aging.
Lack Of Proper Sleep
Experts report that one of the best skin aging remedies is to get the right amount of sleep your body needs. A spike in the stress hormone cortisol is an important response to sleep deprivation. That consequently leads to collagen degradation, zapping the skin’s structure and elasticity.
It has also been found that the body produces growth hormones during sleep which stimulates cell production and fixes the damages caused earlier. Insufficient growth hormones will prevent your skin from regenerating and attaining the desired thickness.
If you are compromising your sleep, it is a direct indication that your body is compromising on the quantity of protective antioxidants that would shield you from oxidative damage. Besides these, sleep deprivation also welcomes a plethora of skin aging problems like disruption of the protective barrier, inflammation, and dehydration.
So, if you don’t want to look older than you are, then the best thing to do is to hit the pillow at the right time and not leave it before you should.
Chronic Stress
There is no denying that people who shoulder a lot of stress not only age early from the mind but also their body begins to show signs of aging much before it should. The psychological factor has a profound influence on the physiology that results in this external transformation.
Stress increases the level of cortisol that degrades collagen, as discussed above. It also hampers the tissue’s ability to heal from existing damage. This bars the skin from getting rejuvenated.
As per research, the body becomes resistant to insulin while experiencing chronic stress. A high blood sugar level leads to glycation and, subsequently, collagen disruption. This gets reflected as loss of elasticity and formation of wrinkles.
Improper Skin Care Regime
Another important point from the list of skin aging causes is an improper skin care routine. If you do not have one already, it’s high time you made one. Since we cannot completely shield our skin from pollutants and UV rays, it’s essential to follow a proper cleansing routine. Moreover, hydrating the skin is also important.
Cleansing the face more than twice a day removes the necessary oils from the skin, making it excessively dry. To restore that, the skin overproduces oils leading to acne and breakouts.
Yet another factor is using a lot of cosmetics and not removing makeup before going to bed. That acts as an occlusive layer, blocking the skin pores. This evidently leads to the dullness of skin, blemishes, and breakouts.
Final Words
The rise of social media has tremendously revolutionized beauty standards. While some put in a lot of energy to retain the suppleness and luster of the skin, others are loud enough for all to hear that embracing your skin, irrespective of how it looks, is crucial. However, we believe that exclusively afflicting to any of these two schools of ideas will do one no good.
While it’s important to accept yourself, it is also your responsibility to make sure that your skin is properly taken care of since it faces the world for you. When a slight change in food habits, a simple and consistent skincare routine, and regular exercising can do all the intrinsic cleansing and revitalisation, then why leave our skin to age faster?