There’s no harm in having wrinkles. A few facial lines can be endearing and add character to your face. But does it seem like you’re ageing before time? Premature ageing is when it happens faster than it should. If you are noticing these common signs of premature ageing in your skin- wrinkles, age spots, dryness or loss of skin tone, pigmentation etc., then you need to change some bad habits affecting skin in your routine.
It’s true that without medical or surgical intervention, it can be challenging to reverse the appearance of wrinkles once you have them. But sometimes the cause is environmental and lifestyle factors which you can easily change. Let’s find out what are those-
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Bad Habits Affecting Skin
Not moisturizing skin
Giving some love to your skin through moisture is a must! A well-moisturized skin looks supple and maintains a healthy skin barrier. Moisturizer, along with sunscreen, is one of the most critical skincare products. You should never ignore it if you want younger-looking skin.
I am not claiming that moisturizers prevent wrinkles, but at least they trap water in the skin and delay the appearance of tiny lines and creases. Moisturizers help to nourish and hydrate the skin. Make sure to use a moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acid and vitamin C.
We all know that exposure to the sun can damage the skin, leading to premature ageing and wrinkles. Therefore protect your skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays by using a good sunscreen with SPF of between 30 and 50 every day.
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Going to bed without removing make-up
If you can take time out to apply make-up in the morning and do a bit of touch-up hours later, you should also spare some time to remove make-up. Not removing make-up is one of the many bad habits that can make you older than your age.
Do you know that the skin repairs and renews itself overnight? And if you sleep with your makeup on, it can mix with the dirt and oil that has built up throughout the day on the surface of your skin. This can lead to clogged pores, and breakouts and cause extensive damage to your skin during the night. So, it is important to use a makeup remover before going to bed and then moisturise your face to help your skin breathe right. Read More- Bedtime Beauty Routine You Should Follow Before Going To Bed
Too much exfoliation
It’s true that when you scrub your face, it removes the dead and damaged skin cells and allows the skin to rejuvenate. But then too much of anything is always bad. Over-exfoliation can lead to redness, and irritation, and may leave the skin in worse condition than what you started with. It can cause inflammation, and inflammation can cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Always use a gentle natural exfoliant and that too not more than twice a week. You should decrease frequency if your skin shows signs of irritation.
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High Sugar Intake
It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but do you know that researchers now believe that a lifetime of overeating sugar can make skin dull and wrinkled?
Ageing is a natural process but a poor diet accelerates the process, especially skin ageing. Consuming a diet heavy in refined carbohydrates and added sugars can lead to collagen damage, ultimately causing sagging and deep wrinkles. Sugar should be consumed in moderation for optimum health. Sugar molecules cause the glycation of collagen, and this process leads to quicker collagen degradation. So, if you like to have sugar in your tea, coffee, snacks or in desserts or drinks, avoid that. Although reducing added sugar cannot reverse wrinkles, it can slow the skin ageing process.
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Staying Dehydrated
Dehydrated skin often displays accelerated signs of ageing. Your skin becomes dry and itchy and perhaps dull looking, too. With dehydrated skin, you might also notice darker under-eye circles, or tired eye appearance, more sensitive fine lines and wrinkles.
So, if you underestimate the power of drinking water and the positive effects it can have on your skin and your overall health, think again. Water flushes out the toxins in your body, especially the harmful toxins that can take a toll on your skin and health. Drinking more water is the most natural way to get that beaming, glowing and healthy skin we all want.
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Consuming Alcohol
If drinking alcohol is your daily habit, it’s definitely time to say goodbye to it as alcohol can add years to your face and body. In fact, consuming it can age you faster than normal. Drinking alcohol can pull more water out of your body and make your chances of dehydration even higher. If you drink too much or too frequently, you speed up the ageing process by accelerating collagen loss. Reduced levels of collagen lead to a loss of elasticity and fullness in your skin, which are essential to keep it looking young and supple.
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Smoking
Smoking leads to increased production of an enzyme that causes the narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin. It damages collagen and elastin — fibres that give your skin its strength and elasticity and makes it look more aged, sagging and wrinkled.
Nicotine is known to constrict blood vessels, reducing blood flow to your skin. When your blood flow is reduced, your skin doesn’t get all of the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. Fewer nutrients mean more wrinkles. Some studies even suggest people who smoke are more likely to go bald. Smoking accelerates the process of hair loss also. Therefore quitting smoking is a better idea to improve your appearance.
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