Premature skin aging: Signs, causes, treatment, and prevention
Environmental and lifestyle factors can cause you to age earlier. If you want to prevent premature skin aging and maintain a youthful appearance, you need to form healthy living habits and take care of your skin early.
Skin aging is a natural process of the body. However, some people look older than their actual age and vice versa. To prevent premature skin aging, it’s important to understand your skin and the aging process.
1. Signs of premature skin aging
Over time, the body naturally ages and skin is inevitable. Depending on the location of each person, the skin condition can age sooner or later.
Signs of premature skin aging include:
Wrinkles: When you turn 30, the amount of collagen in the body decreases, so it is easy for wrinkles to appear on the forehead and other skin areas affected by the sun.
Age spots: Age spots are one of the early signs of skin aging caused by hyperpigmentation. They are brown to gray, flat, and appear on skin surfaces that are frequently exposed to the sun, such as the face, backs of hands, and arms.
Dry Skin: As we age, the skin thins, loses oil and water, and becomes more difficult to retain moisture, leading to dry and rough skin.
Hyperpigmentation: Many people have hyperpigmentation, skin discoloration like age spots but large size. This early sign of skin aging also appears in areas of the skin that are regularly exposed to the sun.
2. Causes of premature skin aging.
Sun exposure causes many skin problems. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun cause the skin to age faster than normal, causing 90% of the visible changes in your skin. UV rays damage skin cells, contributing to early changes like age spots. This exposure to the sun also increases the risk of skin cancer.
Blue light from smart electronic devices and infrared light are responsible for another 10% of skin changes. These forms of light do not increase the risk of skin cancer, but they do affect collagen and skin elasticity.
Other environmental or lifestyle factors that cause premature aging include:
Smoking: When you smoke, the toxins in nicotine change the cells in your body. These toxins break down collagen and elastic fibers in the skin, leading to sagging and wrinkle formation.
Unhealthy diet: A few studies suggest that a diet high in sugar or refined carbohydrates can cause premature aging. On the other hand, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps prevent premature changes in the skin.
Alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can dehydrate and damage your skin over time, leading to early signs of aging.
Poor sleep: Studies show that not getting enough sleep or not getting enough sleep causes cells to age faster.
Stress: When you are stressed, your brain releases cortisol. This hormone blocks the synthesis of hyaluronan and collagen – helping to keep the skin plump, and full of life.
3. How to overcome premature aging skin
If your skin already shows signs of aging such as age spots or wrinkles, you can use interventions to correct such as:
Microdermabrasion or microdermabrasion: A non-invasive exfoliation method. Microdermabrasion works well on dull skin, brown spots, and age spots.
Laser Resurfacing: Reduces facial wrinkles and skin abnormalities, such as dark spots and acne scars.
Plastic surgery such as facelifts, or injections of fillers is also used in the treatment of skin aging.
Use topical anti-aging drugs (or cosmetics) containing ingredients such as Retinol, alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), and vitamin C.
Replenish essential nutrients for the skin and collagen.
4. Prevents premature skin aging
Avoid sun exposure: Use a year-round sunscreen with a sun protection factor of SPF 30 or higher. Cover with clothing, hats, and sunglasses.
Stop Smoking: If you smoke, quit as soon as possible.
Balanced diet: Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Avoid eating too much sugar or refined carbohydrates.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and manage stress to improve overall health and prevent premature aging.
Early skin care: Wash your face properly, remove makeup, moisturize and exfoliate. Stop using skin care products that cause irritation, stinging, and redness.
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