Skin Ageing: Prevention, prevention, prevention!

What can we do about skin aging?

Skin ageing - it happens to all of us and we hate it, but why does it happen and what can we do about it?

Firstly it's important to understand the structure of our skin. The skin is our body's largest organ, and it performs a range of functions which support our survival and performs a protective role for the body. The skin protects us from water loss and injury, helps to control body temperature, acts as a sensor to the brain to inform us of changes to the environment, and helps to produce vitamin D.

The outermost layer of the skin is the Epidermis. This layer contains pigment producing cells that give us our skin colour. This is where new skin cells are produced and they gradually rise to the surface until we shed them in the normal way. Just below this layer is the Dermis. This layer contains blood and lymph vessels, nerves, sweat glands and oil glands and is made up of approximately 95% Collagen giving us skin strength and 5% Elastin which gives us suppleness. Underneath the Dermis is the subcutaneous layer of fat cells which gives us skin structure.

So what happens to our skin as we age?

The Structure of Your Skin

As we get older, biochemical triggers cause chemical reactions within the skin that lead to the physical changes of our skin. Our skin starts to become thinner, and wrinkles begin to appear. This is because cell production begins to slow in the Epidermis. It also begins to sag, due to a reduction of elastin and collagen formation. We begin to see age spots as pigment cells in the Epidermis increase in certain areas, especially where there has been a history of sun exposure (which is why it is more common on hands and face). Lastly, skin becomes dryer as sweat glands and oil glands reduce in number, causing dehydration.

Unfortunately, this will happen to everyone, but the speed and intensity to which we age varies between us all and this is largely due to lifestyle, and not genetic factors, as was once thought. We can't stop our skin ageing, but we can prevent it from happening so quickly.

The main culprits of skin ageing.

• The Sun
  UV Rays break down collagen and elastin, and also accelerate the production of melanin which causes the age spots. The sun is the number one factor in skin ageing, and this is plain to see if you compare parts of your body that are always in the sun, like your hands and face, to areas that seldom see the sun, like your bottom! This is why wearing an SPF everyday all over your body is so important when it comes to delaying the ageing process.
• Smoking
  Nicotine narrows blood vessels which inhibit blood circulation, which gives smokers' skin that grey, dullish colour, and kills off collagen which keeps skin firm and supple. Smoking also slows down the body's healing processes.
• Stress and Sleep DeprivationThe face is often one of the first places that shows signs of stress. Be that spots, oiliness, dryness or increased sensitivity. It is while we sleep that our bodies get a chance to repair and rejuvenate, which is why so commonly we hear that many of us need our Beauty Sleep!

While there is no wonder cream that can reverse the signs of ageing, your best bet (apart from cosmetic surgery) is to stop or slow down the signs of ageing from happening in the first place. Invest in decent skincare. It doesn't have to be pricey, it just has to work! Skincare brands such as Dermalogica have identified the biochemical triggers of skin ageing, and as a result, have produced a skincare range that tackles this directly in the form of AGE Smart. Talk to your usual therapist about how your skincare can stop the biochemical triggers of skin ageing. To help yourself even further, always use a sunscreen to protect from UV rays, avoid smoking, drink lots of water to keep hydrated, eat a well balanced healthy diet to benefit from a range of vitamins, and exercise regularly to get that oxygen pumping round your body.

— Maria