What's Your Skin's Age?

It feels great when we get people telling us, “Wow! You look younger than your age!” But if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of someone mistaking you as being older than you are – that certainly doesn’t feel as great.

Other than putting it down to good genes, how youthful our skin looks and the rate that one appears to age has plenty to do with your dietary habits and lifestyle.

Making small adjustments to your daily routine can make a huge difference. Zap out these habits that are secretly making you look older than you actually are. Read to the end for our secret to looking and feeling your best at any age!

#1 Consuming Too Much Sugar-laden Foods & Drinks

Consuming too much sugar is usually associated with weight gain and increased risk of heart issues but do you know, too much sugar can affect your skin too? Excess sugar attaches to proteins in your bloodstream and creates harmful molecules called Advanced Glycation End Products, or AGEs, that basically does what they sound like they do – age your skin. They damage collagen and elastin, protein fibres that keep your skin firm and youthful, resulting in premature formation of wrinkles and saggy skin.¹ Need help in curbing frequent sugar cravings? Try these glucose management supplements .

#2 Having A Glass Too Many

Unwinding after a long day with a glass of your favourite cocktail, wine or beer can provide a “quick-fix” to relax the mind and relieve some tension. But do you know, having one too many when it comes to alcoholic drinks can wreak havoc to our skin. When alcohol is consumed in excess, the toxins that build up in the deep layers of our skin can cause discomfort, which can then result in redness, dehydration, acne, fine lines and broken capillaries. Furthermore, alcoholic drinks such as cocktails or mixers used contain a fair amount of sugar which causes collagen and elastin to weaken leading to premature wrinkles and aged skin. If you are a teetotaller, that’s fantastic news for your skin but if you do enjoy the occasional drink, it’s always a good idea to “make it up” to your skin by taking extra care during your skincare regime (apply a hydrating mask), drinking more water and consuming foods and supplements that provide skin-friendly nutrients. It is also a good idea to remember to keep your liver healthy as our skin is often a reflection of our liver’s health.

#3 Not Sleeping Enough

Sleep does so much for us. Apart from “recharging our batteries” and keeping our minds sharp and focused, sleep is also crucial for our skin’s health.

Sleep is the time when our body repairs itself. During sleep, our skin goes into a renewal state - blood flow increases, and our skin takes this time to rebuild collagen and repair damage caused through UV exposure, reducing wrinkles and age spots³. A study shows that poor sleep (defined as five hours or less) is linked to increased signs of ageing, compromised skin barrier function, and reduced satisfaction with appearance⁴. The National Sleep Foundation recommends between 7 – 9 hours of sleep for adults every night.

Not sleeping well? Here are some tips that can help.

• Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day so your body gets on a routine
• Try to relax before bedtime and limit any stimulating activity before bed
• Keep your sleep area conducive
• Get some help with our sleep supplements

#4 Smoking

Smoking is not only bad for your health but also your skin. Tobacco smoke contains thousands of toxins that causes blood vessels to constrict and prevents oxygen and nutrients from circulating to the skin. It changes the skin, teeth, and hair in ways that can add years to your looks. In a study comparing the facial features of 79 set of twins, researchers found that those who currently smoked, or had smoked for 5 years more than their twin, were more likely to have drooping eyelids, undereye bags, lip wrinkles, lines around the mouth, sagging skin and poor skin tone.⁵

#5 Too Much Sun

Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can damage the skin, making our skin look older than it really is. Excessive exposure to UV rays is the cause for 80 per cent of visible facial ageing, including dryness, pigmentation and wrinkles.⁵ This process, called photoaging, happens when UV rays hits unprotected skin (that’s why sunscreen and sun protection products is so important) – the excess exposure to UV rays actually results in DNA changes at a cellular level. Because photoaging happens in the deepest layers of the skin (the dermis), it can actually take several years before the damage surfaces and becomes visible. Signs of photoaging includes the appearance of wrinkles, pigmentation such as age spots, loss of skin elasticity and broken capillaries (spider veins).

To avoid this, apply adequate amount of broad-spectrum sunscreen every 2 hours. Broad-spectrum means the product will protect your skin against UVA, which contributes to skin ageing, and UVB, which can cause sunburn. The National Skin Centre recommends at least SPF 20 for adequate protection⁶.

Not wanting to apply sunscreen every 2 hours? Here’s our little secret. Simply take LAC Taut Sunshield to protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays from inside-out. Formulated with Golden Tomato, a prominent photoaging protective ingredient and Vitamin C, an antioxidant essential for healthy skin renewal, these 2 ingredients work together to help protect against skin ageing, leaving you with bright, radiant and youthful looking skin.

#6 Chronic Stress

Stress plays a major role too when it comes to “fast-forwarding” our skin’s ageing process. When we are plagued by chronic stress, our body produces stress hormones called cortisol, which breaks down collagen, causing sagging skin, wrinkles and inflammation. As a result of increased inflammation, it speeds up the skin’s ageing process thereby causing premature ageing.⁷

Feeling stressed out? Stress can mostly be reduced through lifestyle change. Here are some healthy ways to cope with stress:

• Adopt a different perspective, see stress as an opportunity to grow and learn
• Practice good time management to reduce chances of stress
• Engage in activities and hobbies that help you relax
• Connect (and stay connected) with family and friends

#7 Not Eating the Right Foods for Your Skin

• 13,000mg RDS® premium collagen from Red Snapper Fish
• Fortified with AG (Anti-glycation) complex to firm, hydrate and restore skin
• Further enhanced with age-defying nutrients including Placenta, DNA, Hyaluronic Acid, Aqueous CoQ-10, Ceramide and Vitamin Bs and C

References:
¹https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/features/how-sugar-affects-your-body
²https://mdcosmeticandskin.com.au/effects-of-alcohol-on-skin/
³https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/beauty-sleep
⁴https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25266053/
⁵https://www.businessinsider.com/how-smoking-ages-the-face-of-identical-twins-2013-11
⁶https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3790843/
⁷https://www.nsc.com.sg/Patient-Guide/Health-Library/Types%20of%20Skin%20Conditions/Pages/Care-Of-The-Skin.aspx
⁸https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4082169/