While skin of all ages looks great, time can dull its glow. Help keep your complexion plumped, glowing and smooth by minimizing these habits that can cause premature skin aging.
1. Persistent rubbing of the eyes can cause dark circles and fine lines. Bags
under the eyes are part of the natural aging process and occur when the muscles around the eyes weaken, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. For most people, rubbing their eyes isn’t a problem and won’t cause permanent side effects, says Paul Jarrod Frank, MD, a certified dermatologist in New York City and author of The Pro-Aging Playbook.
But the continuous rubbing of the eyes can create a problem by increasing inflammation in the area, according to Mount Sinai. “The constant rubbing of the eyes can affect the lines around the eyes,” says Tanya Nino, MD, certified dermatologist and director of the Providence St. Joseph melanoma program in Orange County, California. You often see that this becomes a problem for eczema patients, who may rub their eyes excessively due to itching and irritation. Dr Nino says there’s even a name for those puffiness and wrinkles: the Dennie-Morgan lines, which can almost look like a black eye, according to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego.
That’s not all. “Pulling, pulling and rubbing the delicate skin around the eyes can cause darkness,” says Jeanine B. Downie, MD, certified dermatologist, co-author of Beautiful Skin of Color and director of Imaging Dermatology in Montclair, NJ.
Skin Solutions Find out why you are rubbing your eyes. According to Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, allergies are the most common cause of itchy eyes (and excessive rubbing of the eyes), so see an allergist to diagnose and treat symptoms. Nino cautions that if it’s eczema that’s causing you discomfort, a dermatologist can advise you of your treatment options.
RELATED: How to Get Rid of Dark Circles and Bags Under the Eyes
2. Not getting enough sleep disrupts skin renewal
Sleep is essential for energy, focus and complexion. “At night, the skin enters a state of renewal,” says Jeannette Graf, MD, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
Skimping on the dream may appear on your face over time. A study published in January 2015 in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology involving 60 women found that lack of sleep (defined as five hours or less) was linked to increased signs of aging, a function of the poorer skin barrier and a less satisfaction with appearance.
Skin Solutions To get enough sleep, follow these four tips from the National Sleep Foundation:
Sleep and get up at the same time every day to keep your body on a schedule.
Make your bedroom dark, cool and quiet.
Finish eating two to three hours before going to bed.
Limit the amount of caffeine you consume in the afternoon.
3. Drinking through a straw can cause fine lines
Do you drink soda, tea and coffee through a straw? This can help prevent pearly white from staining, but it can cause fine lines around the mouth, which is a sign of aging skin.
Nino points out that when you drink through a straw, you activate the muscles around the lips: “The more we activate these muscles, the more likely we are to have this crease in the skin. It’s the same reason that smokers also develop wrinkles around their mouths, he explains. According to the Mayo Clinic, these lines can be attributed to repeated lip folds.
Skin Solution You don’t necessarily have to avoid straws like the plague, but while you can do without them, skip them, says Nino.
RELATED: 6 Ways To Eat And Drink For Healthier Skin
4. Stress releases cortisol, which causes collagen to break down
“Every part of our body is affected by our stress,” says Dr. Frank. This includes your skin.
If you’re chronically concerned (or if you lose sleep because of stress), your body is constantly pumping stress hormones, which can cause premature aging. “Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, breaks down collagen, causing sagging skin and wrinkles and causing inflammation,” says Amy Wechsler, MD, board-certified dermatologist and psychiatrist. York. And chronic stress can speed up the aging process due to increased inflammation, research has shown.
Solutions for the Skin “Stress can be reduced primarily through lifestyle changes, including good nutrition, good sleep and meditation, which have a huge effect on the biological and cosmetic aging process,” says Frank.
Find out what really helps you relax and do it regularly.
5. Rely on makeup because sunscreen leaves skin unprotected
To protect skin from premature aging, SPF is king. An earlier study found that exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light was responsible for 80% of visible signs of aging on the face, including wrinkles and pigmentation changes.
But if you rely on makeup that contains SPF to block harmful UV rays, you may not be protecting your skin enough. “Most makeup protects against UVB rays but does not block UVA rays, which cause fine lines, dark spots, large pores and wrinkles,” says Dee Anna Glaser, MD, certified dermatologist, professor and interim president from the Department of Dermatology at St. Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri.
Also, you would need to coat yourself in a lot of cosmetics to benefit from the sunscreen. “Makeup will provide extra protection with SPF, but on its own, that’s probably not enough,” says Frank.
Skin Solution Apply moisturizer or broad-spectrum SPF sunscreen before applying makeup. A broad spectrum means the product will protect your skin from UVA rays, which contribute to skin aging, and UVB rays, which can cause sunburn, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. “People need an SPF as a separate application from their makeup,” says Frank. “SPF 30 is generally the acceptable number for protection.”
Studies suggest that when we apply sunscreen, we avoid blemishes, says Dr. Glaser. Research published in April 2019 in PLoS One found that 20% of 84 study participants did not detect the area around the eyelids when they applied SPF moisturizer, and 14% of people who applied sunscreen to the eyelid. instead of a moisturizer also lost the eye area. “So if you apply lotion and then put on makeup, it’s more likely to cover the missed areas,” says Glaser.
RELATED: Sunscreen Products Used By Dermatologists
6. Ignoring the neck and hands can cause UV damage
“UV light is the most preventable risk factor for aging,” says Nino. But even the most assiduous SPF users can overlook the neck and hands, which is why they are one of the first areas to reveal their age. In fact, previous research found that women whose hands had visible veins and wrinkles were perceived to be older than their peers with plumper hands.
“As we age, we lose a bit of elasticity,” explains Nino. Plus, your hands lose volume and oil, so you end up with translucent skin with wrinkles and age spots, according to the Cleveland Clinic. “Your skin is getting thinner, basically, so your hands don’t look as full,” says Nino. “You start to see the tendons a little more, you start to see the vessels and they look more wrinkled.”
Nino says the neck can become discolored and look older, usually from prolonged exposure to the sun.
Solution for the Skin Again, avoiding harmful UV rays can help, and if you are going out, «the easiest thing to do is find shade and wear a hat on board, sunscreen and clothing. sun protection, ”explains Nino. He adds that some of his patients wear UV gloves to protect their hands from the sun when driving.
7. Forgetting sunglasses can damage the eyes and surrounding skin
According to Piedmont Healthcare, sunglasses protect the eyes from ultraviolet rays, which can damage the eyelid, cornea, lens and retina (and, as noted below). above, UV rays can also damage the delicate skin around the eyes.)
“Repetitive motions like squinting, laughing and frowning mark fine lines and wrinkles on your face in the long run,” says Dr Downie, while Nino explains that the more you activate your muscles in a facial expression, the more you will start to. see the folds when your face is at rest.
Skin Solution Even in winter, wear sunglasses – the more coverage, the better, says Nino. Look for a pair that says «100% UVA and UVB protection» or «100% UV 400 protection» on the label, according to the University of Utah.
RELATED: Do You Need To Wear Sunscreen Indoors?