Secrets of Youthful Skin
By: Bakhru
Like your other body organs, your skin begins to slow
down its functions as you age. As levels of estrogen
and progesterone decline, skin becomes drier, thinner,
and secretes less oil. Circulation decreases, and wrinkles
appear when collagen and elastin, proteins in the skin
that provide elasticity, break down. The rate of cell
production and turnover decreases, and cells grow thicker
and more tightly packed together.
Common Signs of Aging Skin
Common signs of
aging skin include unevenness of skin texture and pigmentation,
wrinkles, and "age spots," the brown patches caused
by accumulated sun damage that appear on the face, chest,
and the backs of the hands.
Skin Changes
However, most of
the skin changes that are blamed on aging are primarily
the result of long-term exposure to the sun's ultraviolet
rays. Compare the skin on the underside of your arm
(which rarely is bared to the sun) to the skin on your
face. If your facial skin had never been exposed to
the sun, it would probably not look much different at
age 50 than it did at when you were 20. Sun damages
not only the top layer of skin, but the underlying supportive
layer of collagen and elastin as well, which causes
wrinkling and sagging.
Avoiding Skin Damage
Fortunately, it's
never too late to begin improving the condition of your
skin because skin cells have the ability to repair at
least some of the damage caused by the sun's ultraviolet
rays. Studies show that women who use a sunscreen daily
experience significant improvement in the condition
of their skin after only six months. Obviously, the
degree of improvement is related to how much sun damage
you have incurred, but the important point is that avoiding
further sun exposure will help you have better-looking
skin.
Protecting Skin
From Sun Damage
Use a sunscreen
with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or higher
every day, even during the winter and on cloudy days,
and make sure that the sunscreen you are using blocks
out both UVA and UVB rays. While using an SPF 15 sunscreen
allows you to stay out in the sun 15 times longer than
you normally would be able to without burning, the best
way to prevent sun damage is to avoid direct sun exposure
when the sun's rays are the strongest, which is usually
between the hours of 10 A.M. and 3 P.M. If you are outdoors
during those hours, make an effort to stay in the shade
as much as possible, and use physical barriers such
as tightly woven long-sleeved clothing, sunglasses,
and a broad-brimmed hat.
Krishan Bakhru is the editor of Natural
Home Remedies and " Natural
Home Remedies for Heartburn and Acid Reflux
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