7 SNEAKY CAUSES OF PREMATURE SKIN AGING
Avoid these not-so-common culprits.
Collecting years is a privilege, but with age comes unavoidable changes in both our inner body and outward appearance. In terms of our looks, the older we get the more we develop fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots, and skin laxity. That said, there are ways to both slow the clock down and prevent it from cycling too far ahead, which results in signs of premature aging.
“When these changes associated with aging occur earlier than they should, it is called premature aging,” explains Jodi LoGerfo, DNP, a doctor of nursing practice specializing in medical and cosmetic dermatology. These signs include discoloration, rough texture, dullness, skin laxity, thinning skin, and wrinkling or creping.
To prevent premature aging, it’s important to avoid culprits responsible for the reduced structural integrity of our skin. Some causes are more obvious—like spending too much time in the sun without proper protection—while others are much more sneaky.
Forgoing Sunscreen When It’s Cloudy or You’re Inside
We’ll bet you’re pretty good about slathering sunscreen before hitting the beach or whenever you plan to spend a good chunk of time outdoors. Did you know that sunscreen is a necessity even when you’re indoors or when the weather’s gray? The sun’s UV rays still shine through windows and clouds, and they’re the biggest culprit in premature aging.
“[Sun damage] is what is to blame for most of the age-related changes to the skin,” Dr. LoGerfo says. “This particularly occurs in those people who have a history of lengthy, extended and repeated exposure to UV radiation, especially in those individuals who are fair-skinned.”
Eating Lots of Junk Food
It’s important to nurture our bodies from the inside out, which means drinking enough water every day and eating foods that fuel and nourish our organs.
“Eating a poor diet is a sneaky cause of premature aging,” Dr Logerfo says. “This includes eating lots of processed, chemical-laden, sugary food. Food is the basis and underpinning of our existence, and food is the primary way we get the necessary nutrients for growth and preservation. It has been proven that poor eating practices are an important cause of premature skin aging.”
Extreme Dieting And Rapid Weight Loss
In addition to fueling our bodies with the right kinds of foods, it’s important to make sure we’re eating enough, as well, notes Payman Danielpour, a board-certified plastic surgeon for Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group.
Not only does extreme dieting take a huge toll on our bodies and compromise our well-being, but it can also lead us to lose so much weight that our skin can’t keep up.
“Rapid loss of volume can lead to premature aging by ‘deflating’ our face and body leading to decreased collagen and elasticity and skin laxity,” Dr. Danielpour says. “It is always better to lose weight slowly over time to allow your skin and collagen production to catch up with the rate of weight loss.”
Neglecting Your Mental Health
In the same way it’s important to nourish our bodies with nutritious foods, tending to our mental health is integral to general happiness. Feeling great is the end goal here. However, science also demonstrates that poor mental health can show up physically on our face over time.
“Studies have shown that being depressed and sad may possibly accelerate the aging process at the molecular level by influencing cellular aging,” notes Dr. LoGerfo. “Being depressed may alter the body’s stress and immune reactions, which might expand and increase inflammation. All of this could possibly cause skin aging.” Further, repeated expressions associated with being sad, angry, stressed, or depressed can start to become “imprinted” into the skin, Dr. LoGerfo adds.
Not Applying Enough Moisturizer
Cleansing your skin and applying sunscreen are two of the most important steps of anyone’s skincare routine. Applying moisturizing is also critical. While lack of moisture doesn’t directly cause aging, it can make you look older than your years.
Hydrated skin helps protect the skin barrier and provide comfort while also helping you look more youthful.
“When skin is dry, it shrivels otherwise plump skin cells and causes the tissues to be depleted of much-needed water content,” explains Sage Hallman, an aesthetic nurse specialist at SkinSpirit. “Moisturizing the skin can help trap water in the skin and help replenish its tissues to provide a more plump, hydrated appearance.”
She adds that moisture also allows skin to be more soft and supple during movement, which can make fine lines or wrinkles less noticeable. To that end, moisturized skin looks less dull and far more radiant compared to dry skin.
Getting Inadequate Sleep on a Regular Basis
No doubt you’ve heard the phrase “get your beauty sleep” over and over again. This device isn’t just an old wive’s tale; science tells us that getting good sleep can directly impact our appearance.
Not only are you apt to look “rough” following a rough night of sleep (or lack thereof), but chronic poor sleep can age you from the inside out, notes Dr. LoGerfo. She says that it’s been shown to negatively impact our body, which can ultimately influence our skin cells. It also prevents our bodies from doing the important work that takes place while we sleep, including skin cell turnover and collagen production.
Excessive Exfoliation
Our skin’s cell turnover rate reduces as we get older, which makes exfoliation an important part of many skincare regimens. However, this is one area where too much of a good thing can start to backfire.
“Excessive exfoliation—which is greater than once weekly or biweekly—can lead to microtears in the skin, removes necessary cellular components, and [causes] drying of the skin,” says John Layke, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon for Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group. “This also increases inflammation that leads to premature skin thinning.” Instead, use a gentle exfoliator no more than once per week.
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2023-06-07T20:08:38Z dg43tfdfdgfd