Why Wrinkles and Signs of Aging Happen
The key to understanding how to take care of aging skin, well into your golden years, is to first understand what you’re up against. From there you will understand not just what sorts of products work but how and why they work. You see we have it so easy when we are newborns. We have fresh skin cooked up straight out of the oven of the womb. Your collagen and elastin is brand spanking new. It hasn’t been exposed to too much sun and UV light, which can cause damage to both. These wonderful little fibers are what provide support for the skin to keep it smooth and prevent it from collapsing in on itself. When it collapses on that microscopic scale, this is what appears to you as a wrinkle. UV-light also damages the skin’s own DNA, which can be repaired but this reparation becomes a longer slower process the older we get. Dermatologist’s call this premature sun aging, “photo aging”. When you’re a child, your skin also hasn’t had just years and years to start breaking down and sag quite yet. The other thing that happens as you age is that the skin can eventually become rather dry and scaly, as you stop producing much oil past a certain age. Around this time the skin can appear dull.
For these reasons, you will come to find that most anti aging skincare comes down to two things: firming and brightening. And we’re going to suggest the best ways to firm and brighten, without breaking the bank on Botox or injections. These methods will also be a lot safer. All the while, remember to protect yourself from the sun to avoid that premature photo-aging.
But first, here is a quick disclaimer. Bear in mind as well to not miss out on vitamin D entirely. According to US News, “In the winter, it's impossible to produce vitamin D from the sun if you live north of Atlanta because the sun never gets high enough in the sky for its ultraviolet B rays to penetrate the atmosphere. But summer is a great time to stock up on the nutrient. When the sun's UV-B rays hit the skin, a reaction takes place that enables skin cells to manufacture vitamin D. If you're fair skinned, experts say going outside for 10 minutes in the midday sun—in shorts and a tank top with no sunscreen—will give you enough radiation to produce about 10,000 international units of the vitamin. Dark-skinned individuals and the elderly also produce less vitamin D, and many folks don't get enough of the nutrient from dietary sources like fatty fish and fortified milk.” That said, all you need is a little time in the sun and beyond that, protect yourself.
Firming
Virgin Coconut Oil: research on virgin coconut oil showed that it has great ability to replenish or increase collagen. This was discovered via applying it to dermal wounds in rats. Wounds treated with coconut oil healed far faster and Pepsin-soluble collagen showed a significant increase. Antioxidants: According to an article published in Dermato Endocrinology, antioxidants reduce the level of collagen degradation by reducing the concentration of free radicals in the skin. Examples of antioxidants include Vitamin C, B3, and E--these ones in particular are better able to penetrate the skin because of their small molecular weight. Studies also support using Vitamin C and E in tandem, with greater results than with just using either alone.
Occasional Microdermabrasion: A study published in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy showed that this treatment was effective in rejuvenating the skin, promoting collagen production, and sloughing off top layers of dead skin. Because the therapy is literally abrasive, I personally recommend putting raw aloe on the face after a session. This brings us to our next contender.
Aloe Vera: Multiple studies and sources point to Aloe Vera as a multi-purpose plant. A review published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology claims that the mucopolysaccharides, a constituent in the plant, help in binding moisture into the skin. At the same time, aloe stimulates fibroblasts which produce collagen and elastin fibers. Another study published in the Annals of Dermatology, done on thirty healthy female subjects over the age of 45 showed that just 90 days of ingesting aloe as a dietary supplement was capable of reducing in wrinkles in both a high dose (3,600 mg a day) and a low dose group (1,200 mg a day).
Brightening Hydroquinone: the most commonly used and known skin lightener. It is stressed however that it only be applied topically and never taken orally, because of concerns on how it affects the body if ingested through the digestive system. Some still are skeptical of the cream, and prefer natural botanical options.
Licorice Extracts: According to an article published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, “Licorice extracts have several active compounds that may stimulate or suppress melanogenesis. Glabridin, the main ingredient in the hydrophobic fraction of licorice extract, inhibits tyrosinase activity in cultured B16 murine melanoma cells, at concentrations from 0.1 to 1.0 μg ml-1, without affecting DNA synthesis. “
Arbutin (a natural derivative of Hydroquinone): From the same article cited above, this compound might be your best bet if you want to forego the controversy of hydroquinone. It exists in the dried leaves of some plant species, such as bearberry. It also comes in the form of deoxyarbutin or α-arbutin, both of which are popular and effective for skin pigmentation disorders. Jump on our mailing list to never miss an idea , tip, article or video tip enjoy your art of living!
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