Ageing. Most of us want to avoid it, but it really shouldn't be feared. Ageing is beautiful.
Ageing is inevitable, unstoppable and untreatable. Those bothersome deep wrinkles, dark spots, dry and sallow skin, we wish to erase and unsee but cannot. It's important to embrace your natural beauty regardless of age, but we all want healthy plump skin so we chatted to Dermatologist Dr Kathleen Eusebio-Alpapara to give us some tips to help mature skin glow.
There are multiple factors that can cause mature skin. The most common of course is Chronologic or Natural ageing which can be due to internal factors like our genes, hormones and metabolic processes in our body. This type of skin ageing can't be altered. Extrinsic or premature ageing is caused by external factors we are exposed to based on our lifestyle, like UV exposure, smoking, pollution, stress, and diet.
When it comes to caring for your mature skin, it's important to try to achieve two things: improve your current skin and slow down its progress. Yes, you can gradually let your skin age naturally and gracefully while minimising the signs of premature ageing. How?
Apply sunscreen. Make sure to reapply 20 minutes before sun exposure and reapply it every 2 hours if with continuous sun exposure.
Do not smoke. Remember, cigarette smoking can increase free radical damage, which leads to impaired collagen production.
Have a healthy diet. Exercise and avoid too sugary foods and desserts. Remember the advanced glycation end products!
Use a skin care routine that's specific for mature skin.
Dry skin or xerosis is common among people as we age. Elderly skin has a rough skin texture, tight with fine lines and wrinkles, it may also appear ashen or grey. People with sensitive skin types can develop red, flaky and itchy itchiness areas, which may become thicker and itchier and develop fissures when continuously scratched.
Xerosis comes with natural ageing and sometimes worsens if you have other health conditions like diabetes mellitus, end-stage kidney disease or liver disease. As we get older, sweat and sebum production reduces, decreasing the amount of moisture and oil content on our skin. The natural lipids that keep the skin barrier intact are also reduced increasing water loss and decreasing skin hydration. Dry skin also has a slow skin cell turnover rate, meaning dead skin cells are retained longer, making the dark spots appear darker.
Although we can never escape intrinsically aged skin, we can totally avoid having dull, uneven skin tone and wrinkles we see in premature or photoaged skin. When we look for anti-aging solutions, we must realise that "looking better" does not necessarily mean you will look younger. Here are a few must know about dealing with mature skin.
Aside from wrinkles, pigmentary changes and dry skin, mature skin also sags due to gradual loss of skin elasticity. Using suitable skincare products with anti-aging ingredients work wonders.
Anti-ageing creams and serums
Antioxidants, such as vitamin C (L ascorbic acid), B3 and E and green tea polyphenols, fight free radical damage reducing collagen degradation. (add link to products rich in vitamin C, B3 and E and contains green tea).
Cell regulators
Retinol, peptides and growth factors boost collagen production. Retinol (vitamin A) is proven to prevent wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity and unwanted pigmentation, and it is a common key ingredient of an anti-aging night cream.
Cleansing Face + Body Oil View
Rose Pink Clay Mask View
Ageing skin has a slow turnover rate so gentle exfoliation with alpha hydroxy acids like lactic acid or sugar scrubs helps remove unwanted dead skin cells that are taking their sweet ass time to shed.
Avoid too much UV light exposure to minimise sun damage, which can lead to skin ageing and skin cancer. Not just sunscreens but all forms of sun protection like wide-brimmed hats and clothing should also be considered.
When it comes to clothing, do you know that there are factors that can increase UV protection like tightly woven, dark colours and unbleached fabrics with thicker fibres.
Forget smoking.
Remember, tobacco can increase free radicals in the body and enhance collagen breakage.
Sleep like a boss
You should also have enough sleep. Published clinical research shows that chronic poor sleep quality increases natural or intrinsic ageing.
Have a proper diet.
Avoid high fat and sugar diets. Boiled and steamed cooking methods are preferred over grilling, frying and baking. It has something to do with the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which also accelerate ageing.
Kathleen May Eusebio-Alpapara is a board-certified dermatologist who practices both medical and cosmetic dermatology at VE Eusebio Skin Centre.
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