Living with Middle-Aged Skin

Submitted by Patrick Hatfield on

We all know that our face is the first thing that people notice about us.  We must ensure that we take care of our skin with the utmost care to prevent the signs of aging that will take a toll on our faces.

Prevention – Sunblock must be used on your skin daily, even when you may not see the sun outside.  UVA/UVB rays are always shining and we must protect ourselves from their damaging effects.  It is also important to used topical antioxidants to protect our skin from smoke and pollution.  Green tea and vitamins A, C, and E are great ingredients to look for in your antioxidant serums.

Less is More – We often overload our skin with products that are useless or that even counteract the effects of other products.  It is imperative to use what you truly need and use the products in the order that is most beneficial to your skin type.  A dermatologist can look at your skin care regimen and let you know what you are doing right and what could be hurting your skin care routine.

Research – Make sure you are looking at the active components in your facial products and determining if that ingredient is backed by science.  Determining which ingredients are scientifically-proven and looking for products that contain these ingredients is the way to select skin care products for your health.

Sleep Conditions – When you are sleeping, your room should be dark and relaxing, so your skin can heal and regenerate from the damage throughout the day.  Light disrupts your circadian rhythm and can interrupt the healing process.  You should also consider silk pillowcases, which can avoid fine lines and wrinkles.

Continuous Use – Using products continuously allows them to work as effectively as possible.  There is a myth that if you use a product too long, it will no longer be effective.  This myth is not true, as dermatologists state that worthwhile products will actually improve your skin over time.

Moisturize – As we age, our skin starts to lose moisture and we are responsible for replenishing this moisture with products that work with our skin type.  Itchy and dry skin needs a thick ointment to hydrate and soothe skin.  Normal skin can get away with creams to moisturize.  Sensitive skin and oily skin may need lighter lotions to hydrate and not cause irritation.

Retinol – One important ingredient that helps protect against the signs of aging is retinol.  It removes dead skin and cells to release the new skin underneath.  This new skin is softer and lacking the defined lines and wrinkles of the old skin.  Retinol can make your skin more sensitive, so remember to keep your sunblock on regularly.

Sunglasses – You should wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from sun damage.  However, they also work to prevent the formation of fine lines and wrinkles, due to the lack of squinting to avoid sunlight.  They also cover the most delicate parts of your skin around your eyes from sun damage.