How we can confront the aging of our skin in a healthy and natural way?
What actually worries us is not arriving at the destination, but how we get there. The latest well-being trend causes us to worry about "the how". We worry about this healthy and natural aging, because we have accepted that our lives are going to be prolonged and fulfilled. Fighting and winning this small daily battle will be our biggest challenge. Because there is no doubt that it is going to be full of big moments and endearing experiences.
Therefore it is important to base our skin-care routine on prevention with a healthy lifestyle. We will learn that the skin aging is a travel companion that we should respect rather than hate.
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DIET
A diet heavy in saturated fats and high calories changes the lipid metabolism and affects the composition of our skin. It can have a negative impact on the appearance of dermatosis and can even aggravate it. Among the prohibited foods is the dreaded sugar. According to the famous report from World Health Organization (WHO) many years ago and the new current recommendations, the simple and refined sugars that are in bottled sodas contribute to a deteriorating cellular health, including skin health. When you consume large amounts of sugar over a long period of time, the oxidative stress is emphasised which causes the cells to die more quickly. The natural production of collagen slows down, the concentration of hyaluronic acid decreases and the skin clearly loses its elasticity, composition and texture.
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HYDRATION
Drinking approximately 1.5-2 litres of water a day is fundamental to maintain the fluid and electrolyte balance of our body for today and tomorrow. If you drink more, your body will only absorb the necessary amount and the rest will be lost through urine output.
It must be stressed here that hydration isn’t referencing the water in the skin, but the water that the body retains. 500-600cc of water is expelled daily from the skin to maintain the body temperature. Therefore, a hydrated skin is one that resists the passage of time because it has maintained the lipid layer that makes up the most external part of our skin and the daily dehydration is naturally compensated by the intake of water. It is important to remember that we should avoid using an excess of aggressive soap, using gentle soap and creams, taking into account that the skin loses 25% of its natural hydration during showers.
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SUN PROTECTION
Photoprotection is fundamental for the daily care of our skin to reduce the appearance of lesions, spots and the risk of skin cancer from the exposure to UV rays. Additionally prolonged exposure to UV rays accelerates the oxidation and cellular metabolism which causes premature aging. Solar radiation is harmful throughout the whole year therefore it is a good idea to include products that have a solar protection (minimum 15-20 SPF in winter) in the daily care and hydration not only in dermatological treatments but also in your make-up.
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REST
As well as a healthy diet we recommend that you rest properly. Stress is a part of our daily life with sudden changes in the sleeping patterns having a negative affect on our skin, accelerating the aging process. Stress causes a deterioration in the collagen and hyaluronic acid that gives way to cutaneous dehydration and alters the protective thermoregulation factor of the skin.
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AVOID TOBACCO, COFFE AND ALCOHOL
They generate oxidative products that damage the cutaneous cells. Tobacco in particular boosts the general aging of the body, the nicotine damages the fibres and texture of the skin, as well as causing such telltale yellow spots.
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DERMATOLOGICAL TREATMENT
We can’t fix everything with a good lifestyle, therefore we advise you to carry out a preventative treatment appropriate for all skin photo types. For the treatment of wrinkles it is recommended to take products containing vitamin A (Retinoids). For spots we advise you to take vitamin C, always in the form of ascorbic acid and with a concentration higher than 5%. Alpha-hydroxy acids are important for the maintenance of the skins uniform texture and the adequate support for its radiance (instant effect ampoules). There are also other types of treatments that are more aggressive against aging.
There is no doubt that one of the keys to happiness is the secret to growing old, therefore, looking after your skin is linked to this objective. It is certain that the skin will also age, but at least we can reduce the consequences of the passage of time.
