Anti-Aging Beauty

Protecting The Skin:
The skin is the largest organ and it serves as a protective barrier against bacteria and other invaders As you age, your skin loses its elasticity, it gets thinner and it starts to wrinkle. In fact, the appearance of the skin is one of the main criterion that we use to judge a person's age. But, although the aging process results in skin wrinkling, it is only partly responsible: ultraviolet light from the sun also plays a large role.

How The Skin Ages:
A protein called collagen is responsible for keeping the skin supple, elastic and youthful. When the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun, collagen fibers are attacked and destroyed. Although you lose collagen naturally with age, exposure to the sun greatly accelerates this process (so does cigarette smoking). Ultraviolet rays also damage the layer of skin where new cells are formed. The shape of the cells changes and they become smaller. This causes the skin to lose its thickness and become more translucent. Skin ages at a different rate on different areas of the body. Two of the first places that wrinkles appear are the hands and the face because both are constantly exposed to the elements. The skin on the neck, which is very mobile, is also prone to viable loosening and sagging with age. Sebaceous glands, which secrete a lubricating substance onto the surface of the skin, become less active with age, resulting in dryness and flakiness.

Common Skin Problems:
Apart from wrinkling and sagging, there are some specific skin problems that are more likely to occur with age. These include broken veins and itchiness. Broken veins become more visible as the skin ages and becomes translucent. As with age spots, broken veins do not require any special treatment. If broken veins are particularly unsightly, however, they can be removed using techniques such as electrocautery. Itchiness of the skin may sometimes be associated with the menopause. A persistent sensation of tingling or itchiness around this time is known as formication. Some doctors may recommend hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat this irritating condition, as well as other menopausal symptoms.

Taking Care Of The Skin:
The single most effective way to prevent premature skin aging is to protect your skin from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. This means avoiding exposure to intense sunlight whenever possible, covering your skin and wearing a sun hat on sunny days, and getting into the habit of always wearing a high protection sunscreen or sunblock. Another way to protect your skin is to minimize free radical damage to body cells (free radicals are highly reactive substances produced during oxidation) from cigarette smoking and pollution. Avoid exposure to cigarette smoke (or quit smoking yourself) and environmental pollution, and eat foods that are rich in vitamin A, C and E, betacarotene and selenium or zinc. These nutrients help to fight free radicals in the body; you can also take them in supplement form. Skin health can also be enhanced by making sure that you always have sufficient quality sleep. Other dietary habits that will keep your skin youthful include the following: