Stop Wrinkles Before They Start
Our dermatologists in Jupiter, FL have many years of experience in helping your skin return to its most youthful appearance. But we often see patients who, with a little prevention, could forestall the most common causes of aging skin.
Here are the eight best ways we know of to prevent fine the lines and wrinkles that impair your skin’s natural beauty.
- Avoid the sun
Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30 whenever you’re out in the sun is the best way we know of to prevent premature skin aging. The sun damages the top layer of skin (epidermis) with every exposure. Researchers estimate that exposure to sunlight’s UVA and UVB rays counts for 90 percent of the symptoms of skin aging. Over time, this damage adds up, resulting in wrinkles, age spots, and visible redness.
In addition, frowning or squinting against the harsh light causes permanent wrinkles between the eyebrows and around the eyes. Sun exposure also raises the risk of skin cancer. If you can’t live without a tanned appearance, use a skin bronzer or spray tan instead of the sun, and be sure to wear sunglasses whenever you’re outdoors.
- Don’t smoke
Nicotine narrows the tiny capillaries that bring blood to the surface of the skin, inhibiting the renewal of cells and the removal of toxins. It also releases an enzyme that breaks down the collagen and elastin you need to keep your skin looking young. Vaping nicotine products has the same effect. Finally, cigarette smoke contains hundreds of toxins that circulate in your bloodstream and are carried to the surface of your skin, causing a dry, ruddy appearance.
- Eat healthy foods
Fats, refined flour, and highly processed foods can all break down the elastin and collagen you need to keep your skin looking younger. Try to eat the recommended five fruits and vegetables a day, as well as lean protein like salmon, while avoiding saturated fats. Also look to such foods as olive oil, nuts, avocados, berries, and flaxseeds that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which not only nourish skin but help to plump it, thus reducing fine lines and wrinkles. Finally, avoid alcohol and caffeine, both of which tend to pull water from the skin’s cells.
- Shun sugar
Yes, it tastes good. It also increases your blood sugar, which triggers inflammation throughout the body, including on the skin. In addition, it triggers a process known as glycation which damages collagen, the substance that supports skin and prevents wrinkles.
- Exercise regularly
One of the best things you can do for your skin is to exercise regularly. This means a 30-minute aerobic workout several times a week. Exercise brings blood to the surface of the skin, which bathes the skin in oxygen and the nutrients it needs to produce healthy cell turnover. It also promotes the circulation of lymphatic fluid, which is the body’s way of removing waste and delivering nutrients to the cells.
- Reduce stress
Chronic stress releases the hormone cortisol, causing inflammation throughout the body, including the skin. Inflammation has been implicated in numerous diseases because it impairs the body’s ability to repair itself through cell renewal. When it comes to maintaining a youthful appearance, stress-induced cortisol is your enemy; or rather, your skin’s enemy, because it causes a breakdown of collagen. If you can’t reduce stress, at least take steps to cope with it, including slow, deep breathing several times a day.
- Be gentle
Treat your skin as though it belonged to a new-born baby. Always use the gentlest cleanser you can find, and don’t scrub; cleaning too harshly will strip skin of its natural protective oils. This also goes for drying: Don’t rub; pat your skin dry.
- Get enough sleep
When you don’t receive the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep a night, excess cortisol builds up. This fight-or-flight hormone attacks cells throughout the body, interfering with their ability to renew themselves. Also, sleep on your back to prevent permanent wrinkling of your cheeks and chin.
Of course, nothing can prevent the eventual aging and wrinkling of the skin. Then, of course, you will want to hear about the many state-of-the-art methods we have to correct skin damage and impart a new, more youthful appearance to the skin. Call us today and let us show you how to return your skin to its natural beauty.
Upregulate your collagen with regularly scheduled non-ablative treatments such as Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Halo dual fractional laser.
