Developing dull and wrinkled skin as you age is not inevitable. The skin aging process is preventable and, to some degree, even reversible. With a good skincare regimen, you can slow the skin aging process and improve many of the outward signs of skin damage.
The key to maintaining healthy skin as you age is to address the internal and external factors that accelerate aging, as well as implementing tools that restore skin to its youthful glow.
The most common visual signs of aging are
- Lackluster, thinning, and brittle hair, skin, and nails.
- Reduced skin elasticity resulting in loose skin.
- Deep wrinkles.
- Rough patches, sun spots, or brown patches.
- Poor wound healing.
- Skin dryness and cracking.
As you age, your skin loses its firmness, elasticity, and hydration due to the reduction in three important skin building blocks called collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycans.
The external factors that speed up aging include photodamage from too much UV exposure and environmental damage from factors such as cigarette smoking and air pollution.
While it is possible to reverse the signs of aging, prevention is the ultimate goal. The earlier you get started with an anti-aging skincare regime, the longer you will be able to maintain a youthful complexion.
So, let’s take a look at how you can remove the unnecessary causes of skin damage.
Addressing the internal factors that damage your skin
Your body’s production of collagen and hyaluronic acid dramatically declines throughout life. These two compounds have a massive impact on the health of your skin and how quickly it shows the signs of aging.
Luckily, you can supplement your body’s natural production of these compounds to maintain an optimal level throughout life.
Collagen
Collagen is found almost everywhere in the body and its main job is to hold tissues together, as well as provide strength and flexibility. It is most abundant in the skin, bones, tendons, and ligaments.
After the age of 20, you produce about one percent less collagen each year. And as a result, the skin becomes thinner and more fragile with age.
Maintaining a robust production of collagen throughout life provides you with healthy glowing skin, strong nails, thick shiny hair, and healthy joints free from injury.
My favorite collagen product is the Blackberry Collagen Blast from Vital Proteins. Adding 1-2 scoops of this collagen powder into a drink or meal every day will give your body the collagen it needs to build and maintain healthy skin.
Collagen will help your skin to maintain its strength and flexibility. But, hydration is also a key to maintaining soft skin and a healthy glow. For this, I recommend hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid
The skin’s moisture level depends on your body’s production of hyaluronic acid and, like collagen, the production decreases as you age. The lack of hyaluronic acid can also cause your skin to overcompensate and produce excess oil leading to breakouts, oily skin, and fine lines.
Poor skin moisture is a big problem and leads to rapid aging, especially during the cooler months when it results in dry, flaky, and cracked skin.
To keep your beauty routine as simple as possible, Vital Proteins has included hyaluronic acid in their Blackberry Collagen Blast powder.
Addressing the external factors that damage your skin
Three of the most common external factors that damage the health of your skin are excessive UV radiation from the sun, cigarette smoking, and air pollution. And while UV radiation and air pollution are unavoidable to some degree, you can certainly limit your exposure and use skin treatments that reverse the damage.
A note on UV radiation, sunscreen usage, and skin cancer
Sun avoidance and the overuse of sunscreen lead to low vitamin D levels in the body. Vitamin D is important for a healthy immune system, including the prevention of skin cancer. When you apply sunscreen you block your body’s ability to produce vitamin D which requires UVB ray exposure from the sun. Wearing sunscreen also allows you to stay in the sun longer than you should, which exposes your skin to too much radiation and leads to skin cancer and premature aging. Unfortunately, current research suggests that Vitamin D supplementation does not provide the same health benefits as sun exposure.
Reversing skin damage
One important tool to have in your skin repair regime is the use of topical peptide treatments. Peptides are naturally occurring chains of molecules that make up critical proteins in the body. Anti-inflammatory peptides stimulate the production of collagen which allows your skin to heal more quickly and reduces the appearance of scarring and blemishes.
The peptide GHK-Cu is one such peptide that reduces the signs of aging and has a wrinkle-reducing effect similar to botox. GHK-Cu can be applied directly to the skin eliminating the need for invasive injections.
GHK-Cu (a natural peptide complex of glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine + copper) promotes collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycan production in the skin. This means that it improves the scaffolding that makes up the strength and suppleness of your skin. On average, 20-year-olds have 200 ng/mL of GHK-Cu in their plasma and this declines to 80 ng/mL by the age of 60.
The benefits of using topical GHK-Cu cream include
- Stimulates collagen production in the skin creating more youthful skin
- Promotes wound healing by signaling skin self-repair which reduces acne scarring and blemishes
- Provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that result in an even skin tone
How GHK-Cu works
GHK-Cu acts directly on skin repair and maintenance by targeting the cells (fibroblasts) that control the production of collagen, elastin, proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, and decorin. Further, it stimulates enzymes (metalloproteases and protease inhibitors) that remove damaged skin cells. Together these functions start the skin repair process and promote healthier skin.
I recommend the GHK-Cu topical face cream from Tailor Made compounding pharmacy.
To order
1 – Click here,
2 – Select Cosmeceuticals in the upper left corner, and
3 – Look for GHK-Cu.
A more youthful glowing complexion is within reach
We have very effective and easy ways to keep our skin looking healthy and youthful as we age.
I recommend starting the process by increasing your intake of collagen and hyaluronic acid and using the wrinkle-busting peptide, GHK-Cu.
When you give your skin the proper tools to stay looking healthy and fresh you will look like you’ve discovered the fountain of youth.
