How to look younger than your age!

15 Nov How to look younger than your age!

Skin changes such as fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin are amongst the most visible signs of aging – and are generally the ones that we are least impressed with!!!  Skin changes are related to environmental factors such as smoking and pollutants; genetics and nutrition. The greatest single factor that causes these visible signs, though, is sun exposure.

So what actually happens to our skin as we age – and what can we do about it?!

To begin with, the outer skin layer (epidermis) thins, even though the number of cell layers remains unchanged.  Our skin cell cycle becomes much slower as we age, causing dead skin cells to collect on the top layer of the epidermis and make the skin look dry, rough and lined.

One solution for this is to make sure you exfoliate in order to increase cell turnover.  Exfoliation stimulates new skin cell growth, which helps smooth, thicken and strengthen the skin for a younger appearance. 

Some clinical treatment options include retinol, chemical peels, laser with BBL Hero and Moxi.

Another element of the skin ageing process is the change in the connective tissue which reduces the skin’s strength and elasticity. This is known as elastosis.  It occurs when there is a reduction in two essential proteins, elastin and collagen that help keep our skin looking youthful.

Elastin, as the name suggests, helps keep the skin elastic and resilient.  Collagen, on the other hand, helps our skin to maintain its rigidity. Loss of these causes ‘elastosis’ which produces the leathery, weather-beaten appearance common to farmers, sailors, and others who spend a large amount of time outdoors.

To combat this, we need to strengthen the deeper layers of the skin by boosting collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.  To plump the skin and improve the appearance of fine lines, you must work from the inside out. The dermis is strengthened by using ingredients that stimulate the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.

Some treatments that will do this include retinol, deeper chemical peels such as BioRePeel, Radio Frequency Micro-Needling, Sunekos skin boosters and laser with BBL Hero and Moxi.

Another visible sign of ageing is surfacing pigmentation. The number of pigment-containing cells (melanocytes) decreases.  The remaining melanocytes increase in size.  Large pigmented spots (often called sun spot, age spots, liver spots, or lentigos) may appear in sun-exposed areas such as faces, chest and hands.

To reduce hyperpigmentation and discolouration we often use exfoliating treatments and products that contain melanin-inhibiting ingredients. Using these methods simultaneously increases your chance of success.  Natural lightening and brightening agents like liquorice and kojic acid are perfect for this.

In-clinic treatment solutions include laser treatment with BBL Hero and Moxi, Alumier Vitamin C serum, retinol, chemical peels.

Another delightful element of the ageing process we see often is dryness!

Our sebaceous glands produce less oil as we age. Men experience a minimal decrease, most often after the age of 80. Women gradually produce less oil beginning after menopause. This can make it harder to keep the skin moist, resulting in dryness which shows more pronounced wrinkling and a rougher texture.

To solve this, we need optimise hydration levels.  However, heavy moisturisers are not always the solution. Use the right ingredients to draw and lock in moisture and improve the skin’s ability to produce its own moisture.

Treatment options include corrective Alumier skincare products, skin boosters such as Sunekos, and Dermalux light therapy.

Last but not least, we have a biggie – the SUN!

It’s estimated that 90% of skin aging is due to the effects of the sun!  Sun exposure causes damage to DNA and skin cells overtime reducing the skin’s natural ability to repair itself. The sun causes proteins in our skin to deteriorate, leading to the loss of our youthful appearance over time.

It is critical to protect skin with broad-spectrum sunscreens that provide both UVA and UVB protection.  Zinc oxide is currently the most effective sunscreen ingredient due to its ability to physically block UVA and UVB rays and you’ll find that in our medical-grade Alumier skincare.

Whether we like it or not, all of us will show some signs of aging as we get older.  Whilst we can’t control this aging, there are many options available to us for both prevention and treatment – it’s never too late to get started!