Do you look older than the age indicated on your driver’s license? Have you, to your indignation, stopped being carded at clubs?
We’ve all accepted that skin aging is going to happen, but none of us wants to experience the age-related changes earlier than our time. Unfortunately, things may not always go according to plan, especially when we throw caution to the wind as we head out to the beaches for our summer jaunts and down one too many martinis on a night out with the girls.
Still, all is not lost, if only we can recognize the signs of premature aging, and stop it in its tracks early enough.
Sun spots, age spots & other coloured villians…
The sun can harm your skin, but this damage can actually age your skin’s appearance with unsightly brown patches. As we enter our 30s, we begin to see the cumulative impact of sun damage, including sun spots. While much of the damage that causes sun spots is UV-induced, but hormones can fuel spots and splotches too.
SOS: Seek out products containing active skin lightening ingredients such as arbutin, and niacinamide. mequinol or tranexamic acid. Or reverse the visible damage with a few sessions of Pico Pigment lasers, one of the most advanced pigment lightening therapies available. If you’re one who is accumulating new pigment patches faster than you can treat then, then seeking out laser options to eliminate stubborn patches before moving to topicals for maintenance can be a cleverer strategy.
Read more: Ulthera Motive: 4 Reasons Why Ultherapy Is the Ultimate Skin Booster
Dry patches, itchy rashes…
When you’re a teen you worry about oily skin, but as your skin ages, you may encounter the opposite problem. But when you experience dry skin earlier than expected in your twenties or thirties, this could be a sign of premature skin aging.
“Gaps in the skin’s protective top layer can let out precious moisture molecules and allow in irritants,” says Dr Low Chai Ling, founder of SW1 Clinic and cosmeceutical lines Chai and SW1. “Sun, smoking, and even stress can contribute to this breakdown”, she adds. While dry skin may seem like a godsend for those battling sebum and acne, nothing could be further from the truth. People with dry skin tend to have slower healing and are prone to wrinkles and lines, not to mention have a higher propensity for rashes and dermatitis. Not a pretty sight if you want to maintain a visage that shouts youth.
SOS: To keep your skin healthy and hydrated, look for moisturizing ingredients like omegas, coconut oil, ceramides, and dimethicone, found in Rose Gold serum, one of the most hydrating serum that we have tried. Specially focus on areas such as your eyes and your neck as these areas are devoid of oil glands and are prone to more severe symptoms of dry skin. Use Dream Cream, an eye cream that specially nourishes the sensitive skin of the peri-orbital area as well as Gold retinol neck oil, an organic oil for the neck that combines rosehip, jojoba and coconut with a good measure of retinol for a vitamin-enriched skin rejuvenating experience.
”A once-a-week mask—either a humectant-laden sheet or a rich overnight cream mask—can keep skin hydrated and sated, allowing anti-aging actives to perform better. We love Water infusion masks simply because it does what it says on the packet, infuse your skin with much needed dermal water. Without leaving your skin greasy or oily, is a godsend for dehydrated skin types.
Lines, wrinkles and crinkles…
While everyone will one day succumb to lines around the eyes, some are finding their appearance way ahead of time. This is due in part to the present-day love affair with mobile phone and tablets. Constant use of the eyes will lead to straining of the eye muscles which in turn lead to the formation of crow’s feet even in younger faces.
SOS: To treat the muscle hyperactivity of this area, there are no half measures here. No creams will help to ease the overworked muscles. Instead opt for anti-wrinkle injections such as BOTOX which will help to relax the peri-orbital muscles, returning the skin of the eye area back to its restful state.
Read More: 5 Things You Should Do When Acne Won’t Clear
Dull, lacklustre skin…
Warning, cell phone addicts: Your phone is aging your skin. You may think you’re protecting against sun damage, but the infrared and high energy visible light from your phone can also leave its mark on your face. Certain wavelength of visible light, specifically blue light, which is emitted from our computers, televisions, tablets, smartphones, and even some indoor light bulbs, can also contribute to spots. Plus, “new studies are demonstrating that women who live in urban areas and are exposed to higher levels of pollutants are more likely to develop brown spots on their skin.
SOS: Combat the damage with an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant cream. When it comes to antioxidants for the face, topical application triumphs oral route as it goes directly to where it is needed. If you have no time or patience for a daily skincare regimen, opt for Vitamin therapy, a monthly facial that saturates your dermis with all the vital antioxidants it needs to fight ageing anf look fabulous in under an hour.
Read More: How to Get Brighter, Clearer Skin in 20 Minutes or Less
Sunken-ness, hollows, shadows….
Yes, it sounds like a description for Lord Voldermort. But the truth is that modern lifestyles of crash dieting, digital addiction and poor dietary habits can take its toll on a once youthful face. Even stress has been listed as a culprit for the loss of youthful volume in the face.
If you feel like you’ve begun to take on a hollow appearance, it might be because you’re losing fat below your skin. This layer of fat supports and cushions the skin, giving us our plump, youthful contours—however, as we mature, we lose volume in this layer.
SOS: Consider facial fillers. Made from a sugar molecule, hyaluronic acid fillers are a godsend for sunken faces. A touch on the undereye shadows or a measured dose just below the cheekbones can help a face restore its youthful fullness and vitality.
Read More: 5 Reasons Why Beauty Sleep Is Essential to Your Looks & How You Can Fake It
Papery, thin skin…
Even though you’re not yet elderly, prematurely aging skin may start to look as thin as your grandmother’s. Two things contribute to that fragile, paper-like texture that develops on the skin, First, levels of calcium, which is critical for keeping the skin firm, drop as our skin matures. Second, the pH of the skin climbs. These pH changes can eat away at collagen.
SOS: Adjust your pH using a moisturizer with probiotics such as Blue Orchid. Probiotics restore enzyme activity closer to that of young, healthy skin. Another way to improve your skin’s overall resilience is to take oral probiotics such as Skin Food Probiotics that are specially formulated not just for the GI but for the skin as well. Study has shown that when taken orally, probiotics can improve overall gut and skin health, improving a variety of skin conditions from acne to eczema.
Read More: 5 Common Skin Mistakes of Youth That You Will Regret
Bumps, lumps…
This is one of those skin conditions that look like acne but aren’t. Tiny white or flesh-colored bumps called milia are caused by buildup from sun damage or harsh face products. Milia are small cysts filled with a protein called keratin, and form as a result of the skin’s localized inability to exfoliate naturally,
SOS: To address milia, seek in-clinic electrocautery treatments. “They are quick, painless and effective” says Dr Kenneth Lee. “There’s no reason to live with milia, especially simce they cannot be effectively treated with skin creams alone.”
Read More: 5 Facial Alternatives That Give You Gorgeous Skin with No Downtime