Your age in years is not necessarily the same as your Skin Age and it is greatly impacted by your lifestyle choices and skin aging. According to the American Society of Dermatology, 10% of the symptoms that we call signs of aging are due to our genetic DNA and predetermined by our parents. This is known as Intrinsic aging. The other 90% is known as Extrinsic aging. Extrinsic aging is within our control simply by being mindful of our everyday choices. The three primary actions that Extrinsic aging causes are:
Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress is a chain reaction where there is an imbalance of free radicals (reactive oxygen species) and defending antioxidants to neutralize
the damaging effects. A free radical is an unstable molecule that steals an electron from another cell which then in turn steals an electron from another cell setting off a damaging chain reaction. Not only is this important to know regarding skin care, but it also can lead to memory loss, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, and brain fog. A blood plasma test can determine this imbalance within the body.
Glycation
Glycation is a natural occurring process primarily due to a combination of UV damage, a high sugar diet, and stress which increases glucose levels in the blood. This dangerous combination causes a chemical reaction where metabolism slows and the ability to digest sugar decreases, forming AGEs (advanced glycation end products) that stick to lipids and proteins like collagen and elastin fibers making them more brittle leading to cross liking, deep wrinkles and accelerated aging. When lipids are affected by glycation, they can’t perform their job adequately and the skin’s barrier becomes compromised and unable to retain moisture and protect against allergens or irritants
Inflammation
Inflammation is the skin’s first line of defense against bacteria and viruses. It also kick starts the tissue’s healing response limiting damage to the skin tissue. Glycation, however, accelerates inflammatory pathways leading to chronic inflammation that worsens skin conditions like acne, rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis. It is a catalyst for the visible skin ageing process known as “inflammaging”.
The primary cause of extrinsic aging is UV rays, air pollution, poor diet, alcohol, smoking, stress, lack of sleep, harmful chemicals in foods and personal care products. Signs of extrinsic ageing include the appearance of vertical and horizontal lines, degradation of collagen and elastin proteins, leathery texture, pigmentation irregularities and it speeds Intrinsic aging. It is never too late to start and is actually quite simple. It starts with better daily choices around healthy eating, limiting uv damage, get outdoors to connect with nature to destress and get enough rest. Use clean beauty brands like Dubois Beauty and focus on the key steps to skin care. Proper cleansing and exfoliating, use of antioxidants, use of retinol and peptide to stimulate repair and renewal and finally hydration and proper sun protection.
