Skin Care and Aging

Do you notice some wrinkles on your skin?
Our skin is the largest organ in the body. It is a thin layer of live body cells that try to protect us from the sun, the effects of harsh weather and the countless chemicals and pollutants and toxic materials found in the environment, in our work places and our everyday cleaning and beauty solutions. Our daily activities create sun-induced free radicals and affect collagen production which is necessary for maintaining an elastic, firm, smooth skin. The skin suffers from our own bad habits too, habits like smoking, frowning and the many chemicals we apply to it for cosmetic purposes or even protection! And then there is another reality: as we age, our skin loses its elasticity, smoothness, and its protective outer layer so that our blood vessels show more readily through the skin. Our skin also becomes more delicate and more easily bruised. But there is help! Changes to our diet and nutritional intake, changes to our lifestyle and changes to the products we apply to our skin can help make our skin more elastic and maintain a more youthful appearance.

One of the simplest and cheapest way to keep your skin healthy and young looking is to stay out of the sun. Sunlight is a major cause of the skin changes we think of as aging — changes such as wrinkles, dryness, and age spots. Your skin does change with age. For example, you sweat less, leading to increased dryness. As your skin ages, it becomes thinner and loses fat, so it looks less plump and smooth. Underlying structures — veins and bones in particular — become more prominent. Your skin can take longer to heal when injured.

You can delay these changes by staying out of the sun. Although nothing can completely undo sun damage, the skin sometimes can repair itself. So, it’s never too late to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun.