Can We Prevent Facial Skin Aging?

Men and women have always strived to look good. Although most people are fortunate to have normal skin, there are many others who cannot count this among their blessings. These people suffer from oily, sensitive, dry, normal/combination or sun-damaged skin that requires extra care.

For many years, it was believed that genetics was the main cause of ageing skin. But new studies have shown that free-radical activity and environment factors cause greater damage to skin.

When the face is exposed to sunlight (photo-ageing) and air pollutants, it results in an increase in fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration and changes to skin texture. People who smoke also have more facial lines and wrinkles, and experience slow skin healing.

To see how sunlight accelerates skin ageing, just compare the skin under your upper arm with that on your face and the back of the hands - see the difference? In fact, sunlight has such a powerful detrimental effect that fair - skinned people who spend too much time outdoors are more prone to skin cancer.

Facial skin is very delicate, thus it requires more attention than the rest of the body. This is because the face has more oil glands - in the centre of the forehead, and near the eyes, nose and chin. The skin around the eyes is so thin that it contains no fatty tissue and is highly susceptible to wrinkles. This is why wrinkles and fine lines are found mostly around the eyes and mouth.

Collagen, which gives skin its structure and firmness, gradually breaks down as we age, leading to sagging skin and the formation of wrinkles. This process is usually slow, but when skin is exposed to sunlight, the deterioration of collagen is accelerated. Other factors that can cause fine lines and wrinkles are irregular thickening of the dermis (the layer after the epidermis) and a decrease in the moisture content of the epidermis.

Wrinkles can be treated with botox injection, surgery, anti-wrinkle cream, instant wrinkle filler etc. However, each work differently and need to be repeated to maintain the benefits. Botox injection makes skin appear smoother and less wrinkled but needs to be repeated every 3-4 months. Most surgical procedures often need several treatments before skin is less wrinkled and feels firmer. Anti-wrinkle cream helps to lessen the appearance of the wrinkles, depending on how often it is used, the type and amount of active ingredient in the wrinkle cream and the extent of the wrinkles to be treated. An effective instant deep wrinkle filler helps fill fine lines and wrinkles whilst firming the skin over time.

To prevent premature facial skin ageing:

1) cleanse your face frequently

2) stay out of sunlight as much as possible

3) use sunscreen with Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 every day

4) stop smoking

5) reduce your stress levels

6) limit alcohol and caffeine intake

In addition to the steps above, you should also use a concoction of plant extracts that are rich in antioxidants to help eliminate or reduce the appearance of wrinkles more effectively and slow down the process of skin ageing.

Rejuvenate your skin now for a better complexion and younger appearance!