Sometimes, our body starts showing aging signs sooner than you might
expect. A number of environment, lifestyle and dietary factors can cause
premature aging and this makes you look and feel older, faster.
Here you have the top 9 habits that make your skin age faster.
Smoking
It is a well and widely known fact that smoking harms your health in many ways but smoking can also accelerate the aging process of your skin.
The harmful chemicals that are contained in cigarette smoke chronically deprive your skin cells of oxygen, which can lead to pale, uneven coloring and it even triggers the breakdown of collagen and can cause loose, saggy skin.
What is, the whole process of smoking can cause deep wrinkles around the mouth.
One study made at 2007 and that was published in the Journal of Dermatological Science reports that smoking tobacco leads to accelerated skin aging. Therefore, those who are more concerned about their appearance should try to stop smoking.
Some time later, a 2013 study published in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery highlighted the facial changes caused by smoking between smoking and nonsmoking identical twins.
The research has found out that a 5-year difference in smoking history can cause noticeable differences in facial aging in twins.
No matter if you smoke or you spend time with a smoker, cigarette smoke is bad for your skin.
In case you quit smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke, you can restore your skin’s health. A study from 2010 that was published in SKINmed Journal reports that quitting smoking improves skin conditions and, above all, skin-aging effects.
Drinking in Excess
The alcohol is a natural diuretic, so when you drink in excess it causes dehydration. Experiencing dehydration depletes the natural moisture from your skin, which automatically makes you look older than your age.
A lot of alcohol ingestion causes a depletion of healthy nutrients in your body, particularly vitamins A and C and these antioxidant vitamins are essentail for maintaining vibrant and supple skin.
What is more, the excessive alcohol intake is one of the triggers for rosacea outbreaks.
High doses of alcohol intake is even associated with skin cancer.
In one research from 2014 that was published in Cancer Causes and Control reports that higher current alcohol intake, higher lifetime alcohol intake and even a higher preference for white wine or some liquor, were associated with increased risk of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer.
This certainly does not mean that you cannot enjoy having a drink at all. Just dconsume it in moderation or occasionally.
In accordance to the American Heart Association, men should limit themselves to 1 to 2 drinks a day, and women to 1 drink a day (1 drink is 12 ounces beer or 4 ounces of wine).
Holding Grudges
Forgiveness is a thing that most of us believe in, but we don’t always practice it. In case you are holding grudges against any person or situation is not good for your health as well as appearance.
In caser you are not able to forgive, you are actually adding more stress to your life, which boosts your level of the hormone cortisol and that in turn can as well lead to some weight gain, a high blood pressure and a high blood sugar.
Experiencing stress even leads to more frowning, one of the key causes of wrinkles on the forehead.
A study made in 2005 and published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine highlighted the link between lack of forgiveness and reduction in stress. Experiencing some stress is a very common cause of a lot many health problems and also contributes to aging.
Do not ever allow an old grudge to sap your youthfulness. Practice forgiveness every time and experience better mental and physical well-being.
Sun Exposure
No matter the truth of how amazing the sun feels on your body, regular and prolonged exposure to sunrays is one of the worst things you can do for your skin.
A very long term exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun weakens your skin cells and blood vessels, which causes a tanned, leathery-looking skin and it even leads to bad pigmentation of the skin, reduced skin elasticity and a degradation of skin texture.
Moreover, the risk of skin cancer is significantly higher due to sun exposure.
There was actually one research that was published in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology states that UV exposure seems to be responsible for 80 percent of visible facial aging signs.
Our freckles might turn into brown sun spots, the skin takes on a dry, leathery appearance, and wrinkles and sagging increase.
Just before you are going out in the sun, protect your skin by wear a hat, covering up with clothing and using sunscreen that is broad-spectrum, SPF 30 (or higher).
You shall definitely apply sunscreen throughout the year and if you like a tanned look, apply a self-tanner rather than soaking up the sunrays.
In case you are worried about sun-damaged skin, consult a doctor to reduce existing damage.
Too Little Sleep
Only one night of bad sleep can make you look and feel tired. It can even lead to dark circles and bags under your eyes. And so now, imagine what lack of sleep for days can do to your skin appearance.
Having a sleep deprivation can cause skin damage in several ways. What is first, it is able to increase your cortisol level, which in turn can worsen inflammatory conditions. And second, it can as well cause poor collagen formation, which leads to skin aging.
In a study made in 2013 by the University Hospitals Case Medical Center, physician-scientists found that sleep quality impacts skin function and aging.
In accordance to this study, the poor sleepers had increased signs of skin aging and slower recovery from several environmental stressors, such as disruption of the skin barrier or UV radiation.
Even though staying up late can be fun, but burning the midnight oil can make you look older as you age.
In order to enjoy beautiful and flawless skin, make sleep a priority and try to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night.
But you shall definitely avoid sleeping too long on one side of your face, as it can cause wrinkles and sleep lines. What is more, always use a satin pillow case to avoid fine lines and wrinkles.
Feeding Your Sweet Tooth
Some sugar packed diet is able to take a toll on your waistline and weight. It can even accelerate the skin-aging process. It can as well make your skin dull and wrinkled.
This every time happens due to the process known as “glycation”, in which sugar attaches to and damages proteins like collagen and elastin and these proteins are needed to keep skin smooth and flexible.
A study from 2009 published in PLoS Genetics shows a connection between a rise in age-related diseases and over-consumption of sugar.
What is means is that, drinking sugary sodas can lead to obesity, diabetes and heart attacks. In accordance to a 2014 study published in the American Journal of Public Health, consuming sugary sodas may also speed up your body’s aging process.
Excluding sugar from your diet is not easy if you have a sweet tooth but you can definitely try to avoid processed sugar and opt for natural fruits to satisfy your cravings for sweets.
You can as well choose dark chocolate, which is also good for your health due to its high antioxidant content.
Stress
Did you ever notice that you frown a lot when you’re feeling stressed and frowning is actually not good for your appearance.
As time passes, our muscles in the face actually conform to that movement and this in turn leads to wrinkles on the forehead, which make you look older.
Experiencing stress even plays a key role in initiating and driving events that cause skin aging at the cellular level and it contributes to breakdown of the collagen, also it damages the DNA and promotes the release of pro-inflammatory mediators (cytokines), which trigger premature aging signs.
A study from 2014 that was published in Inflammation Allergy and Drug Targets highlights how the brain and skin communicate with each other, how the skin reacts to the stress by activatingyour endocrine and also the immune systems, and the negative impact of chronic stress on skin health.
What is more, the stress is a common risk factor for several chronic diseases including high blood pressure, obesity and heart disease.
Nothing at all takes its toll on your skin faster than constant worry, anxiety or stress. It will never go away completely, but what you can do is manage it and reduce the effects through meditation, yoga, gentle exercise and other relaxation techniques.
Improper Skin Care
In order to keep your skin healthy and flawless, it is essential to follow a proper skin-care routine. Variety of skin types need different types of treatment, thus it is necessary to know your skin type to help learn how to take care of it.
No matter your skin type, you must always wash your face twice a day as well as after exercise or whenever you’ve been sweating.
Having sweat irritates the skin and can cause skin problems and gentle washing will help remove dirt, makeup and other substances without irritating your skin.
Every time use the right makeup products for your skin type.
What is more , do not ever forget to remove your makeup before going to bed because the chemicals in makeup can block the skin pores and lead to aging signs. It is as well important to use minimal makeup.
So, definitely avoid using conventional skin-care products, as they contain sulfates, parabens and phthalates, and these are chemicals that alter your hormones and accelerate aging. Therefore, try by switching to natural alternatives for glowing, youthful skin.
Surviving on Unhealthy Food
The food you consume has on you a direct impact on how your skin looks and the overall health of your body. In case you wish to delay the aging process, you will certainly need to pay attention to your diet.
So, definitely always avoid eating inflammatory foods, such as vegetable oils, margarine, red meats, white bread and sugary, processed foods because these foods can cause inflammation in your body, which may acclerate skin as well as overall aging.
Consume the foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, avocados, salmon and olive oil because these foods help fight inflammation to prevent chronic diseases and also keep your skin soft and supple.
Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables daily so because they are abundant in zinc, selenium, vitamin C and beta-carotene, which aid the body’s production of collagen.
What is more , consume protein-rich foods, as low protein intake can cause tears, wrinkles and cracks in the skin. Some valuable sources of protein include eggs, lean meat, poultry and beans.
Always say no to junk food because the unhealthy levels of sodium, fat and cholesterol in these foods are not good for your skin as well as overall health.
As last, do not ever ignore the importance of keeping your body hydrated. Ingest an ample amount of water each day to prevent dehydration and to enjoy younger-looking skin.