It becomes more complex to look after your skin as you enter the retirement years. Everyone ages differently, but there are some universal truths to ageing skin. The healing time for the skin slows down as time goes on. Skin gradually becomes thinner and it’s easily aggravated. It’s also more sensitive for some people. Skin doesn’t hold its moisture as well as it once did and it becomes drier. Furthermore, skin wrinkles and develops age spots/ marks as you age.
Everyone knows that there’s no way to stop the signs of ageing on your skin, however, there are some steps that you can take to enhance your skin as you age.
When many of you were younger, sun protection wasn’t as much of a deal as nowadays. Many people didn’t know the dangers of the sun and consequently, you didn’t cover-up. If your skin’s sun affected and you’ve developed wrinkles and sunspots, it’s still really important to be sun safe. By protecting your skin from the sun you reduce the risk of skin cancers. Also, you’ll avoid further damage from the sun.
The Cancer council state that Melanoma is the most dangerous of skin cancers. It’s largely caused by sun exposure and getting sunburnt. The Australian Cancer Council recommend that you protect your skin at all ages by wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen, and by covering up your body when you head outdoors. This includes wearing a hat, long sleeves, and sunglasses.
The best way to cover up when you’re venturing outdoors is to wear a broad-brimmed hat, clothing that covers as much skin as possible, and sunglasses.
If you’re cruising on a boat, hiking through the mountains, or walking along the sea wall, don’t forget to protect your skin from the sun. Seek shade when you can too.
As mentioned, exposure to the sun causes skin cancers, as well as one of the major causes of wrinkles and sunspots.
Skin dries out as you age, so keeping your skin hydrated is really important. Consider using a daily moisturiser that contains sunscreen if you’re not already, and invest in a good quality night cream too.
Also, think about using a pH neutral body wash with moisturiser instead of a soap bar. Little differences to your beauty routine can help your skin in the short and long term.
It’s common knowledge that cigarette smoking isn’t good for your health. People often don’t realise how bad it is for their skin. It really increases the signs of ageing. This is evident in smokers that have smoked for a long period of time.
They develop lines around their mouths, staining to their teeth and much drier skin. It’s all of the chemicals contained in cigarette smoke that cause this.
The chemicals in cigarettes include nicotine and carbon monoxide among other dangerous additives. Carbon monoxide and nicotine cause a reduction in blood flow and impact on the skin’s ability to breathe.
Research shows that wound healing slows when you smoke as blood vessels constrict and oxygen flow slows down. Also, there’s decreased collagen synthesis, as well as slowed down the growth of new blood vessels. This escalates the process of ageing skin.
Did you know that skin is an organ made up of cells, and cells require water to work efficiently?
When skin cells become dehydrated, the skin appears dry and is more prone to wrinkling too.
People in cold and hot climates rely on heating and air-conditioning more and more. This can be very drying for the skin, and as a result, you can become really itchy as the air has less humidity.
Investing in a humidifier is something that we often don’t consider in warmer climates. But if you can keep the humidity in your home at around 50% your skin will definitely feel less itchy and dry.
Considering that your skin is an organ made up of many cells, everybody should nurture it by keeping hydrated. Additionally, you can nurture your skin by maintaining a balanced diet and looking after your body holistically.
By adding exercise to your routine you can improve your health and well-being. It’s great for your heart, your muscles and your bones, and it’s also wonderful for your skin. Cardio activity is great for you and resistance training helps to make your skin firm yet flexible. So in essence exercise increases circulation and oxygen levels in the body and aids in keeping your organs healthy.
Last but not least exercise helps you to get a better night’s sleep. Sleep gives you a stress-free look to your skin and it aids in keeping away those bags under the eyes.
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