Premature Aging: Reasons Why Your Face Is Aging Faster

As you get older, your skin becomes thinner and drier. As a result, your skin will begin to lose its elasticity, it starts to sag, and you notice an increase in wrinkles. Aging is a natural process that one cannot avoid. However, there are various things that you could be doing that might cause premature aging. These factors include genetic factors, overall health, and extrinsic factors. The key is to know these factors that can accelerate your skin’s aging process and avoid doing them. Here are reasons that can make your face age faster.

Overexposure to Sunlight

If you do not protect your face, ultraviolet (UV) rays can seriously damage your skin. If you are always outside between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., that is the time when the potential for your face damage is at its highest. Years of sun exposure will speed up your face’s aging process. The UV rays penetrate your skin and break down elastin and collagen, which causes the skin to sag, wrinkle, and stretch.

Always make sure to wear sunscreen when you are outside. You can protect your face with broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 30 or higher. It is also essential to cover up with sun-protective clothes such as wearing a hat to protect the skin on your face, long-sleeved shirts, and pants to protect your arms and legs.

Smoking

Smoking is a popular feature of an unhealthy lifestyle. It can have a severe effect on the appearance of your face. People often view smoking as a health risk to the heart, lungs, and brain, but it causes premature aging. Smoking could harm the blood vessels which carry oxygen to your skin. Without enough oxygen, your face is more prone to sagging and wrinkling.

Smoking also damages collagen and elastin fibres in the skin, leading to sagging skin and loss of firmness. Additionally, smoking causes a breakdown in the skin’s natural barrier, leading to dehydration and increased sensitivity to environmental factors. The best way to prevent smoking-related aging is to quit smoking. It’s never too late to quit; your skin will thank you. One older study found that people who quit smoking noticed that their skin looked more youthful, their skin started to look brighter, and their complexion improved.

Alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol dehydrates your body. Over time, this dehydration can cause dull skin and exacerbate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Alcohol also causes inflammation in the body, which can lead to collagen breakdown. When you have lower collagen, you will lose your skin’s elasticity. Alcohol makes you age faster because you are already losing elasticity and collagen as you age. As a result, this will damage your skin and, with time, make you look older than you are.

To prevent premature aging due to alcohol, it’s essential to drink in moderation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines moderate drinking as one drink per day for women and up to two per day for men.

Unhealthy Diet

The food you eat not only affects your health but also your skin. Some research shows that loading your diet with refined sugar, processed foods, and fatty foods can damage your skin. When sugar and carbohydrates enter your bloodstream, they attach to protein molecules, including collagen, forming advanced glycation end products. These molecules lower elastin and collagen, a protein that gives your skin elasticity, and this accelerates aging.

To avoid premature aging, eat a healthy diet that includes vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins. Incorporating activity into your routine can also be helpful. Exercise could improve circulation, which is beneficial for the skin on your face.

Conclusion

Aging is a natural process that we all go through, but some factors can speed up the aging of our face. Some things like too much sun exposure, smoking, alcohol, and an unhealthy diet can cause severe damage to the appearance of your skin. However, by caring for your skin and making healthy lifestyle choices, you can slow the aging process and maintain healthy and youthful-looking skin.

Originally published at https://lilykungu.com on May 6, 2023.