Skin Health Restoration
Back to Basics
Once, we thought lines & wrinkles were unavoidable, poor complexion was accepted & persistent acne was tolerated. A 'tan' was a badge of honour among the chic, while brown spots were often blamed on ‘eating too much liver’. At-home skin care amounted to no more than a bar of soap or perhaps moisturising if we were feeling adventurous.
The last few years have seen incredible developments in terms of learning about what damages & prematurely ages the skin & how damage can be prevented & repaired.
We now know that ageing is affected by:
Once, we thought lines & wrinkles were unavoidable, poor complexion was accepted & persistent acne was tolerated. A 'tan' was a badge of honour among the chic, while brown spots were often blamed on ‘eating too much liver’. At-home skin care amounted to no more than a bar of soap or perhaps moisturising if we were feeling adventurous.
The last few years have seen incredible developments in terms of learning about what damages & prematurely ages the skin & how damage can be prevented & repaired.
We now know that ageing is affected by:
Sun Exposure
It may be the 21st century, but we still haven't grasped what a 'tan' really is!
The fact is a ‘tan’ is the skin’s reaction to damage caused by the sun. This damage will cause premature ageing, not to mention increasing the risk of skin cancer.
We all enjoy the sun but it is essential to limit (not eliminate) the time you spend in it – your body needs Vitamin D from sunlight. Avoid the sun between 10am & 2pm. Remember, sand & water reflects almost 100% sunlight while UVA-rays are able to penetrate glass. Most importantly use sun block everyday even in winter! Using an SPF of at least 30 will visibly enhance your skin. If you don’t protect yourself, accumulated damage will become visible as leathery complexion, brown spots & an abundance of wrinkles.
It may be the 21st century, but we still haven't grasped what a 'tan' really is!
The fact is a ‘tan’ is the skin’s reaction to damage caused by the sun. This damage will cause premature ageing, not to mention increasing the risk of skin cancer.
We all enjoy the sun but it is essential to limit (not eliminate) the time you spend in it – your body needs Vitamin D from sunlight. Avoid the sun between 10am & 2pm. Remember, sand & water reflects almost 100% sunlight while UVA-rays are able to penetrate glass. Most importantly use sun block everyday even in winter! Using an SPF of at least 30 will visibly enhance your skin. If you don’t protect yourself, accumulated damage will become visible as leathery complexion, brown spots & an abundance of wrinkles.
Pollution
Each of us has experienced walking down a congested city street during rush hour. Fumes alone are enough to harm your skin. Damage to the ozone layer is worsening; this makes us more susceptible to breakouts, irritation & sensitivity. Dust clogs pores & increases the occurrence of acne.
On the subject of acne remember this advice: touch your face less & wash your hands more! It's tempting to pick, poke, squeeze & scratch but the more you traumatize, the greater your risk of scarring. Apply the appropriate products & let them work. Start-Smiling will help select the correct products for you.
Each of us has experienced walking down a congested city street during rush hour. Fumes alone are enough to harm your skin. Damage to the ozone layer is worsening; this makes us more susceptible to breakouts, irritation & sensitivity. Dust clogs pores & increases the occurrence of acne.
On the subject of acne remember this advice: touch your face less & wash your hands more! It's tempting to pick, poke, squeeze & scratch but the more you traumatize, the greater your risk of scarring. Apply the appropriate products & let them work. Start-Smiling will help select the correct products for you.
Smoking
Everyone knows that smoking is bad, most people though are unaware that smoking damages the largest organ of your body, the skin.
You can often tell a smoker by the colour & texture of their skin. The decreased flow of oxygen & nutrients to facial tissue creates pale skin tones with a grey tinge.
Smokers are susceptible to blackheads because pores become dilated due to the decrease of collagen levels in the skin. At the very least, smokers’ lips are constantly pursed, causing permanent lines to form on the upper & lower lips.
Everyone knows that smoking is bad, most people though are unaware that smoking damages the largest organ of your body, the skin.
You can often tell a smoker by the colour & texture of their skin. The decreased flow of oxygen & nutrients to facial tissue creates pale skin tones with a grey tinge.
Smokers are susceptible to blackheads because pores become dilated due to the decrease of collagen levels in the skin. At the very least, smokers’ lips are constantly pursed, causing permanent lines to form on the upper & lower lips.
Deficient Nutrition
Vitamins & natural oxidants found in food help the skin to stay healthy & function properly.
Including foods rich in antioxidants & Vitamin E in your diet helps to combat the issue of oxidation in our bodies brought about by living in a polluted world. Drinking at least 4 pints of water every day is still a crucial aspect of keeping the skin glowing & hydrated.
Eating well offers many other health benefits, from protecting against conditions such as Cancer & Type-2 Diabetes, to helping you maintain a healthy body weight. This in turn reduces strain on your heart thus lowering cholesterol levels & keeping blood pressure down, it can also reduce the risk of heart disease & increase chances of survival if you are unfortunate & suffer a heart attack.
Vitamins & natural oxidants found in food help the skin to stay healthy & function properly.
Including foods rich in antioxidants & Vitamin E in your diet helps to combat the issue of oxidation in our bodies brought about by living in a polluted world. Drinking at least 4 pints of water every day is still a crucial aspect of keeping the skin glowing & hydrated.
Eating well offers many other health benefits, from protecting against conditions such as Cancer & Type-2 Diabetes, to helping you maintain a healthy body weight. This in turn reduces strain on your heart thus lowering cholesterol levels & keeping blood pressure down, it can also reduce the risk of heart disease & increase chances of survival if you are unfortunate & suffer a heart attack.
Sleepless Nights
While you sleep your body is working harder then ever to unwind & regenerate. Your body is secreting growth hormones that are responsible for restoring cells & building skin, hair & bone. Continually deprive your body of enough sleep & the consequences become clear with red, dark-circled eyes & dull skin. Enough sleepless nights will add up to a less than beautiful reflection in the mirror.
While you sleep your body is working harder then ever to unwind & regenerate. Your body is secreting growth hormones that are responsible for restoring cells & building skin, hair & bone. Continually deprive your body of enough sleep & the consequences become clear with red, dark-circled eyes & dull skin. Enough sleepless nights will add up to a less than beautiful reflection in the mirror.
Stress
We all know what causes stress, but what are the results? There are the obvious issues but stress is also a leading cause of premature ageing. This is due to stress encouraging the body to create the hormone Cortisol. Long term exposure to Cortisol can cause extensive damage to the body, including weight gain. Of course, all that scowling can also lead to premature wrinkling!!
We all know what causes stress, but what are the results? There are the obvious issues but stress is also a leading cause of premature ageing. This is due to stress encouraging the body to create the hormone Cortisol. Long term exposure to Cortisol can cause extensive damage to the body, including weight gain. Of course, all that scowling can also lead to premature wrinkling!!