We all want brighter, healthier, younger-looking skin. However, for many of us, skin damage and the signs of aging keep that perfect complexion at bay, and we’re left with fine lines, wrinkles and frustration.
Thankfully, though, by identifying the causes of damage and premature aging, we can avoid those unsightly effects and improve the health and appearance of our skin. Keep reading to find out more.
Overexposure to the Sun
Overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays is one of the most common causes of premature aging. In fact, UV rays affect the health of your skin in more ways than one. For example, in addition to problems like thinning skin, lesions and an increased risk of skin cancer, over exposure to the sun can also affect the skin’s production of collagen, which results in sagging, lackluster and older-looking skin.
Thankfully, you can protect your skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays. What’s more, you may be able to reverse some of the signs of sun-related damage. Skincare tips like the following can help:
- Use sunscreen: SPF 15 or higher, each and every time you’re out in the sun. Don’t forget to reapply after a few hours, or if you’ve been in the water.
- Exfoliate: The sun’s drying and discoloring effects can leave your skin blotchy and uneven. Exfoliating techniques can slough away dead skin cells, boost circulation, and leave you with soft, glowing, fresher-looking skin.
- Moisturize: To combat dryness, use a moisturizer formulated for your skin type. You could also use a heavier cream or serum at night, and a lighter, water-based formula during the day, or combine your usual moisturizer with a wrinkle reducing face cream, such as Dermasome.
Stress
Stress can have a major impact on our skin, appearance and health, in general. In addition to weight gain and an increased risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, excess stress can result in the development of wrinkles, puffiness and tired-looking skin.
To reduce these effects, and prevent future problems, bust stress with the following techniques:
- Exercise: Regular exercise is one surefire way to beat stress and reduce its effect on our bodies. For maximum effectiveness, be sure to incorporate cardiovascular exercise, strength-training and stretching into your workout regimen.
- Deep breathing: Deep-breathing techniques can calm the body’s response to stress, and help us deal with stress in healthier, more effective ways.
- Get plenty of sleep: Exhaustion not only exacerbates the effects of stress, but can cause it, as well. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep, each and every night.
Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices
Our health and appearance are a direct result of the way we treat our bodies. Unhealthy lifestyle choices like the following can wreak havoc on the skin, as well as drastically impair health and quality of life:
- Smoking: Smoking leads to an onslaught of cell-damaging free radicals, which reduce the body’s production of collagen and prompt the development of fine lines, wrinkles and age spots. And since we know that smoking can also put us at risk for cancer and other diseases, quitting is the only sensible option.
- Drinking too much: Though fine in moderation, alcohol can have drying, aging effects on your skin. Drinking too much can deplete your skin of moisture, and also rob it of essential vitamins and minerals. Plus, too much alcohol can lead to bloating and puffiness, as well as long-term effects like rosacea and busted capillaries. To avoid these complications, cut back on your alcohol intake, and, when you do drink, alternate between water and your beverage of choice.
- Poor nutrition: Processed, fatty and high-calorie foods can make your skin look tired, dull and older. On the other hand, a balanced diet, rich in vitamins and minerals, can give you the healthy, glowing skin you’re after. Hydration is also important, so be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water per day, and cut back on caffeine and sugary beverages.
Achieving healthier, younger-looking skin is not impossible. With the tips provided here, you can reduce the signs of aging, treat and prevent damage, and enjoy a brighter, fresher more youthful complexion.