rray of products and treatments out there, all purporting to provide the elixir of eternal youth – but what’s the right solution for you?
We take a look through the assortment of methods that are said to contribute to creating a younger you – from the most basic lifestyle changes to some exotic supplements and non-surgical procedures that use the very latest technology.
Take care of youWith the constantly busy, sometimes chaotic lifestyles that we now find ourselves leading, it’s all too easy to neglect your body.
Are you eating well every day? Your body is a finely tuned organism and you must maintain that delicate balance to avoid serious and lasting damage.
Skin ageing is a natural and normal process that usually begins around the early to mid-twenties, as new cells are not produced as rapidly and beneath the surface collagen production slows, elastin becomes less effective, causing skin to gradually lose more and more of its elasticity.
In addition, the world in which we live – and possibly our lifestyles – constantly exposes us to harmful chemicals and toxins that will impact the rate at which your body, and in particular your skin, ages. However, with a little extra care, a few simple steps can help you to prevent or limit the damage that causes youth to fade at such a rapid rate.
Find your routines
Regular exercise, plenty of good quality sleep and a balanced, nutritious diet are all essential ingredients to ensure that your skin and your body receives all of the vitamins, minerals and other vital nutrients that it needs to maintain and repair cells so that you stay
healthy and youthful looking for longer. Regular exercise keeps your circulatory system running efficiently which means that vital oxygen and nutrients will reach your skin. Yoga is great as just a 10-minute workout every day can help to improve your posture and tone your body.
Your skin is subjected to harsh environments and wear and tear throughout the day. It needs to repair itself while you are asleep – so to aid this essential process make sure you get at least eight to 10 hours a night as sleep deprivation and stress will take their toll in premature ageing.
Stay hydrated
Drinking purified or mineral water is another good way to keep your skin healthy. Water helps to hydrate the skin and move waste and nutrients throughout your system. Health experts recommend that we should all try to drink two litres of water every day.
Older skin has fewer sweat and oil glands than younger skin and while this may reduce the incidence of spots and blemishes, the downsides are that it will start to dry out much faster so regular moisturising becomes very important. Your skin will have different needs depending on its condition.
Feed your skin
As Gillian McKeith has suggested, eating raw fruits and vegetables can contribute to slowing down the ageing process. Garlic, avocado, carrot, citrus fruits, onion, spinach, mushrooms, green tea, pomegranates, blueberries, olive oil, walnuts, tomatoes, flaxseed and tuna are some of the best youth preservers, all of them being rich in vitamins A and E, polyphenols, beta-carotene, selenium and zinc.
Treat your skin
The treatment uses a jet to blast fine particles on to your skin removing all the dead cells, opening skin pores and essentially tightening your skin. Treatment at a professional clinic can be expensive and time-consuming, but there are DIY home microdermabrasion kits available at a fraction of the price, which still have noticeable results. At Home loves the Renew You Micro-Dermabrasion Masque and the Collagen Masque, with their rich complex of natural ingredients. Both are available from Boots, priced £1.49 each, so looking younger won’t break the bank!
The science bit
Free radicals
Ageing
is essentially caused by the accumulation over time of damage to and within cells at a minute level. Most of this damage is caused by free radicals – tiny chemical particles (often by-products of chemical processes) that have at least one unpaired electron, making them unstable. The free radical is stabilised by taking an electron from another chemical, which in turn becomes unstable as its chemical structure is changed. This chain continues and can be up to thousands of reactions long.
Damage to loose bio-molecules that are not part of a larger chemical structure is not serious. However, if a free radical steals an electron from a long and complex molecule, such as a protein strand like collagen, the change in the chemical structure will cause a break in the collagen strand and is very damaging. As multiple points of damage occur over time, the strand of collagen eventually loses its elastic quality and skin begins to sag. Over time, free radical damage to various components of the body accumulates, and grows more destructive.
Free radicals chip away at cell walls and DNA, molecule by molecule, creating holes and disrupting chemical balances that over a lifetime can cause cell malfunctions and ultimately the dysfunction of entire organs. This is ageing in a nutshell – progressive damage, caused by free radicals. There are three main sources of free radicals in skin:
The elimination of one or more of these sources will reduce the rate at which free radical damage occurs and slow down the ageing process. So, make sure your daily moisturiser has an SPF of at least 15 and try to avoid direct exposure to the sun.
Amazing antioxidants
Antioxidants are commonly thought of as the superheroes of the chemical world as they mop-up free radicals. They are able to donate an electron to a free radical, preventing potential damage without themselves becoming free radicals. Antioxidants therefore contribute to a deceleration of the ageing process.
As you may know, they are present in fresh fruit and vegetables, and a diet rich in antioxidants is an excellent anti-ageing strategy. Researchers have found ways for these delicate molecules to be incorporated into creams and serums and to be applied topically. The use of skincare products with a high antioxidant content are a key and highly effective way of staving off the effects of time on your skin. Some examples of topical antioxidants that are used today include kinetin, coenzyme Q10, lipoic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E and idebenone. Keep an eye out for these in your skincare products. A range of creams and serums are widely available costing around £40 for 30ml. We love MD Antioxidant Firming Serum, priced £38 by MD Skincare.
Skincare do’s and don’ts
Frequent hot baths will actually dry out your skin, as will the use of harsh soaps – opt for a cool or lukewarm shower and mild soaps instead. Sudden and drastic changes in weight are damaging to your skin and can cause premature ageing. Maintain a stable weight – by eating a healthy balanced diet and exercising regularly – and tight, supple skin will be yours for longer. Avoid alcohol and caffeine as they are also responsible for skin dehydration. Invest in a good detox – the sooner you eliminate those toxins the sooner your body can absorb all the goodness from a healthy diet. You’ll look and feel younger and find yourself full of energy. Strong eyebrow definition is a feature of youth so get yourself a good eyebrow pencil or brow powder and you could take years off in an instant. Surprising as it may sound, wear less make up. Avoid metallic and frosted shades, which can result in a caked-on look. Choose a light primer instead and mix with a light-reflective product for a youthful, radiant glow.Your guide to non-surgical procedures
Laser tightening
An infrared light is used to heat the dermis below the skin’s surface to bring about collagen contraction when the surface is cooled. Results can take some time, but a more youthful complexion with less looseness of the skin will gradually develop. This technique is suitable for treating sagging skin on various parts of the body.
Dermal fillers
A collagen based solution is injected into the skin to add volume, filling any wrinkles or depressions in the face and almost immediately creating a more youthful appearance that will last around six months.
The ‘liquid
facelift’
A solution is injected into the skin to stimulate production of collagen which results in tightening, lifting and filling of sagging, lined or wrinkled skin. The effect is not immediate and the procedure can take time to produce visible results but, once achieved, they can last for years.
The Enhance UK Rejuvenation Clinic offers a range of treatments – call 01296 582039 or visit www.enhance-uk.com for further details.
Be a quitter
You’ve heard it all before but, if you haven’t already, give up now. The harmful effects of smoking are especially pronounced in the appearance of long-term smokers. Regular exposure to the numerous toxins in cigarette smoke dries out the skin on your face, which is especially sensitive and causes fine lines and wrinkles to come into sharp relief. Give up and you may live to be older while looking younger.
Give us a smile
Eight out of 10 people consider a nice smile an important asset. Improving your smile is easier than you think. With the expertise at the Pure Dental Studio, many nervous patients are now enjoying the benefits of their investment in a new healthy smile.
As well as veneers and crowns, you may also want to consider implants for missing teeth that could affect chewing. Finish off your new smile by eliminating unwanted frown lines and wrinkles using botox or collagen. Do you want to improve your smile?
Gillian Says
‘Stop worrying, as stress increases the signs of ageing. Eat a diet of whole, natural foods with plenty of water, fruit, vegetables, herbs, sea vegetables, whole grains, pulses, nuts and seeds. Eat more raw food, raw soups, salads and fruits. Raw food provides the body with food enzymes which help digestion and other body processes. Avoid added sugar, refined carbohydrates, processed foods and junk foods as these create free radical damage that leads to ageing. Get moderate exercise daily and find relaxation techniques that work for you. Surgery is not necessary. Embrace your age; welcome it. It is a gift.’
