What Causes Aging Skin and How to Prevent it

As you get older, you often notice changes in your skin. This may lead you to wonder what causes aging skin and how to prevent it from accelerating. A variety of different factors cause wrinkles, volume loss, sagging, skin textural changes and uneven skin tone. Some elements are under your control, while others happen with time. Knowing the causes behind aging skin raises awareness of the importance of properly caring for your skin.

What is Aging Skin?

Skin changes are one of the most noticeable signs of aging. Evidence of increasing skin aging includes wrinkle formation, volume loss and sagging. Your skin can appear more fragile, thinner, friable and less sensitive to sensations of touch, hot, and cold. Aging skin takes longer to heal than young supple skin. Wound healing can take up to four times as long. Fortunately, there are many ways to prevent your skin from aging prematurely in Kelowna.

Causes of Aging Skin

Skin aging and skin damage can be attributed to environmental factors, genetics, nutrition, and more. The most significant factor for accelerated skin aging is sun exposure. You can notice this by comparing areas of your skin that have received regular sun exposure with areas typically protected from sunlight.

Age

Year by year, as you get older, your skin loses elasticity and becomes more fragile. With hormone changes, decreased oil production can dry out your skin, leaving it dulled and full of unwanted fine lines and wrinkles.

As you age, fat stored deep beneath your skin diminishes. This causes the skin to appear loose and saggy and filled with noticeable lines and folds.

Sun Exposure

Although it feels great to bask in the sun, ultraviolet rays cause more harm than good. Sun exposure can cause changes in your skin pigmentation and thickening of the skin. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation speeds the aging process up, causing premature wrinkling. Ultraviolet light breaks down the connective tissue of the skin. This diminishes collagen and elastin fibers lying deep beneath the skin surface. As a result, your skin loses its strength and flexibility. This causes the skin to sag and wrinkle early.

Smoking

Smoking can speed up the regular aging process of your skin, contributing to unwanted wrinkles. Smoking increases the production of enzymes that break down collagen and elasticity. This causes the skin elasticity to drop, making it appear more saggy, wrinkly, and aged. Smokers use repetitive movements, causing smokers’ lines to form around the mouth and lips.

Facial Expressions

Other overly repetitive facial movements and expressions can cause you to gain fine lines and wrinkles. Every time you move a facial muscle, lines form beneath the skin’s surface. As your skin ages, its elasticity decreases, causing once-temporary lines to become permanent on your face.

Sleep Position

Relying on the same sleep position can cause overnight folds to appear on your skin. Sleeping on your face repetitively at night can cause asymmetry and increase creases on one side.

Prevention of Skin Aging

Protecting your skin from damage can minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Follow these tips to safeguard your skin.

1.      Sun Protection

It is crucial always to protect your skin from the sun. Even on cloudy days, sun protection should still be used. Sun protection includes using sunscreen in Kelowna, shading yourself, and wearing sun-protective clothing to cover your skin and eyes. You should use a minimum SPF 30+ broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreen should be applied every two hours and more often if you are highly active or perspire a lot. Even if you do not experience visible sunburn, ultraviolet light can still damage the skin.

If you want to tan, use tanning lotions. Emitting all harmful UV rays from outdoors and tanning beds can decelerate the skin’s aging process.

2.      Moisturize to Prevent Skin Aging

Dry skin shrinks plump skin cells, leading to early-onset wrinkles and fine lines. Moisturizing your skin regularly traps water under the surface and provides a protective skin barrier. This protects your skin from irritants that can cause damage. Moisturizing also helps conceal small lines and creases. It can take several weeks to start noticing the benefits on your skin.

3.      Gently Cleanse Your Skin

Cleansing your skin can remove harmful debris and irritants from the skin’s surface. Scrubbing your skin vigorously can irritate your skin and accelerate skin aging. It is essential to cleanse your skin gently to remove impurities and damage from happening. Your face should be washed twice a day and after exercising.

4.      Do Not Smoke

Quitting and avoiding smoking can improve your skin tone and texture. You may have smoked for a while or currently smoke, but quitting can prevent your skin from further damage and premature aging.

5.      Drink Less Alcohol

Alcohol dehydrates the skin and, after repetitive consumption, ends up damaging the skin. In the long run, you and your skin will benefit from drinking less.

6.      Eat Healthy Foods

Nutrition plays a significant role in your skin health. Nourishing your body with proper vitamins and minerals can enhance your skin’s youthful glow. Staying hydrated with water, fruits, and vegetables can be showcased in healthy and glowing skin.

Eating a sugary diet can speed up the aging process of the skin.

7.      Sleep on Your Back

Sleeping on your back can prevent overnight facial wrinkles from becoming permanent wrinkles. If sleeping like this is impossible for you, switch up your position to decrease the wrinkles formed from repetition.

Following these tips can help your skin health for the long haul.

Schedule a Skin Aging Consultation

If you are concerned about skin aging, contact our Kelowna skincare clinic at (778) 760-5050 to book to consultation today. Our skincare experts will help you achieve healthy, youthful radiant skin.