Many of the external causes of aging skin are determined by the health
and lifestyle decisions you make every day. Making unhealthy choices
can cause prematurely aging skin, and this makes you look older,
faster.
An important part of any anti-aging skin care program is to know what
you may be doing that is harming your skin and speeding up your skin's
aging process.
Here are 7 habits that contribute to aging skin, making you look older
than your years:
1. Cigarette smoke: Whether you smoke, or you spend time with a
smoker, cigarette smoke is damaging -- and aging -- to your skin.
Research has shown that exposure to cigarette smoke significantly
increases skin wrinkles and dryness.
This is partly due to the behavior of smoking, and also because
cigarette smoke depletes your body of Vitamin C, which is a key
ingredient for keeping skin plump and moist.
Some researchers believe that exposure to cigarette smoke (whether you
smoke or not) is as damaging to aging skin as exposure to the sun's
ultraviolet rays.
2. Sun exposure: Sun exposure is very aging to skin. Unprotected skin
that is exposed to the sun becomes more mottled in appearance.
Freckles can turn into brown sun spots, the skin takes on a dry,
leathery appearance, and wrinkles and sagging increase.
The risk of skin cancer is significantly increased by sun exposure.
The good news is that sun damage is avoidable, and if you start now,
you can improve the condition of sun damaged skin.
See your health care provider to assess the amount of sun damage you
may have, and to rule out possible skin cancers. He or she may be able
to prescribe medication that can help
to reduce existing sun damage.
If you want to avoid aging skin but don't want to avoid the sun, make
sure you use sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
Choose sunscreen with SPF of 15
or higher, and use it all year-round, even on cloudy days. Clouds do
not protect you from ultraviolet ray exposure.
3. Lack of exercise:
Living a sedentary life contributes to aging skin, because exercise
helps to tone your muscles and get your blood flowing. Exercise should
be an important part of every anti-aging skin care program.
Researchers have also discovered that sedentary older adults are at
higher risk for dementia.
In addition to the physical benefits of exercise, the benefits of a
regular exercise program will show on your face. Having a bright smile
and lots of energy will help you look and feel
younger, at any age.
4. Exposure to cold weather: Cold winds and low temperatures
contribute to aging skin by making skin dry, so if you venture out in
the cold be sure to use a good moisturizer.
It's important to use moisturizer indoors too, as heated rooms can be
very drying to skin. Consider using a humidifier to help keep your
skin more comfortable and reduce the aging skin effects of heated
rooms.
5. Alcohol use:
Alcohol contributes to aging skin by dilating small blood vessels in
the skin and increasing blood flow near the skin's surface. Over time,
these blood vessels can become permanently damaged, creating a flushed
appearance and broken vessels on the skin's surface.
6. Stress:
Maybe you've heard this expression: "Don't frown, your face could stay
that way." Stress and worry cause frowning, and over time the muscles
in the face actually conform to
that movement.
To help reduce aging skin due to stress, be aware of your stress level
and try to vary your facial expressions during the day. A good
anti-aging skin care program should include meditation, yoga, gentle
exercise or other relaxation techniques. Keeping stress in check --
and frown lines and aging skin wrinkles to a minimum -- will help you
look and
feel younger.
7. Lack of sleep:
Too little sleep makes you look and feel tired. One of the first
places lack up sleep shows up is on the face, with dark circles and
bags under the eyes, and sagging skin. Lack of sleep is also a major
factor in memory loss and symptoms of depression that include low
interest in daily activities and negative thinking.
Research has shown that most adults function best with 8-9 hours of
sleep each night. Reduce caffeine during the day (with none in the
evening), avoid eating at least 2 hours before bedtime, and maintain a
sleep routine that includes going to bed at the same time each night.
For more sleeping tips, see
How to Get a Good Night's Sleep. If you are having trouble sleeping,
for any reason, it's important to see your health care provider.
While some signs of aging skin are inevitable, there's a lot you can
do to look your best at any age. Taking good care of yourself is the
most important step in your anti-aging skin care program.
