7 Ways You Can Prevent Your Skin From Sagging
Expensive skin care and facials alone will not extend your youth. It is essential to play your part to fight those embarrassing jowls and wrinkles. With some minor tweaks to your lifestyle choices, it is possible to slow the signs of ageing and be the owners of youthful and radiant skin.
Eat a Healthy well Balanced Diet:
“Everything you eat becomes a part of not only your inner being but the outer fabric of your body as well. The healthier the foods are that you consume, the better your skin will look,” says Samantha Heller, MS, RD, a clinical nutritionist, NYU Medical Centre, New York City.
So, the lesson here is to cut back on junk and processed food and include fresh fruit and vegetables into your diet that are rich in antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids. Evidence shows that these foods slow down ageing and other degenerative processes in our bodies. And yes, limiting foods with high sugar content may be difficult for some but remember, next time you are about to munch into that blueberry muffin, the sugar contained in it will weaken your collagen and elastin, causing your skin to sag.
Increase Water Intake
Up to 60% of the human adult body is water and according to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, “the skin contains 64% water”, therefore it is essential to replenish your skin with an adequate amount of water, to achieve fresh, soft, and radiant skin.
So, what is “adequate?”. Most health authorities commonly recommend about 2 litres of water or 8-ounce glasses. Water regulates body temperature, maintains skin moisture and replenishes skin to increase its elasticity.
Stop Smoking and Limit alcohol consumption
According to research published in The British Journal of Dermatology ‘smoking around 20 cigarettes, a day can make one look 10 years older than you really are’. In another study, it has been observed that the skin of smoking addicts at the age of 40 years resembles the skin of non-smoking 70-year-old adults’. Urbańska M1, Nowak G, Florek E, 2012. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23421102
The reason behind this premature ageing is the nicotine contained in cigarettes that narrows our blood vessels around the skin surface, reducing blood flow, limiting oxygen and nutrients, required to maintain healthy skin. Other harmful chemicals in cigarettes weaken the collagen and elastin bonds that are needed to maintain skin firmness.
For those who like a tipple, remember that alcohol is known to dehydrate the body, including the largest organ – the skin. Excessive intake of alcohol deprives the skin of essential nutrients and vitamins and cause premature ageing.
Always use sun cream
Who doesn’t like the warmth of the sun on the skin but overexposure can lead to premature ageing. The harmful UVA and UVB sun rays are mainly to blame for this. In addition, the high energy visible (HEVIS) is also adds to oxidative stress causing cellular damage. Using a broad-spectrum suncream at least factor 30 + can protect against the harmful UV rays and prevent the skin from further photoaging.
Have a facial massage regularly
You will be surprised to know what a difference a basic daily facial massage can do for your skin. Facial massage increases the blood circulation, bringing along all the essential nutrients and vitamin to enhance cell turnover. This helps strengthen skin tissues through maximisation of collagen and elastin production, keeping the skin firm, tight and prevent of fine lines and new wrinkle from forming.
Maintain the skin
Maintaining the skin will keep you looking younger for longer. Treatments such as Microdermabrasion (deep exfoliation), Chemical Peel (eliminates the very dull top layer of skin) and LED Light therapy can smoothen and illuminate skin as well as induce collagen and elastin production in the long run. Other treatments such as Microneedling can really benefit one to eliminate fine lines / wrinkles and for those with acne scars, Microneedling can do wonders. These treatments, however, are not a one off and require regular sessions.
Try Aesthetic Treatment
There are many non-invasive skin firming aesthetic treatments available nowadays that can tighten up the jowls and firm sagging skin. Some of the well researched and sought after treatment are HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) and RF (Radio Frequency) skin tightening. These treatments are known to lift, tighten and contour the skin especially around the face, jowls, double chin, brow, neck and decolletage. HIFU and RF skin tightening treatments are a great alternative to costly surgical options.
