You can't stay young forever, but it is quite possible to delay the onset of old age by decades. You don't have to wait for the first wrinkles to start antiaging care - on the contrary, it's better to take preventive measures in advance. Let's consider where to start, what to pay attention to and what results to aim for.
How the skin ages
The aging process affects every cell in the body, and the skin is no exception. This process is influenced by both internal and external factors. The first group includes genetics, ethnicity and hormonal levels – things that are impossible or very difficult to change. The second is stress, exposure to air and ultraviolet pollution, smoking, diet, lack of sleep and exercise, and various diseases. These factors can be controlled. It is possible to at least partially neutralize the negative effects by providing quality skin care.
With age, many processes that depend on the condition of the skin slow down, for example, cells do not regenerate as quickly as when they were young. Blood circulation and thus cell nutrition deteriorates. Due to the lack of hyaluronic acid, hydration levels decrease and less collagen and elastin are produced. The skin becomes thinner, drier and less elastic, wrinkles appear.
External factors make the situation worse. Thus, as a result of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the structure of the skin changes, it becomes thinner and less elastic. Smoking slows down the regeneration of the epidermis and impairs blood circulation, as a result of which cell nutrition is disturbed. Air pollution causes age spots and wrinkles.
The good news is that a healthy lifestyle prolongs youth. Eating foods rich in antioxidants, quality sleep and moderate physical activity will help you stay beautiful for a long time.
Prevention or treatment?
It is believed that the skin begins to age as early as the age of 28. In practice, everything is individual: some show the signs of age earlier, others later, depending on genetic characteristics, health status, lifestyle and the influence of external factors. In any case, self-care should not be postponed until the reflection in the mirror stops pleasing you. Prevention is always more effective and affordable than treatment, so you should take care in advance to prolong your youth. The further you go, the stronger products will have to be used, but to prevent aging, careful skin care and protection from negative effects is enough.
When choosing cosmetics, you should focus not on the brand, but on the beautician's recommendations, given after a face-to-face examination. All people are different, the aging process also happens differently, and its correction requires an individual approach. The doctor will determine suitable means that correspond to the biological age, not the calendar.
Key features of antiaging care
- Gentle effect. It's time to give up harsh scrubs and aggressive products that dry out the skin. Mature skin is sensitive and poorly regenerates after traumatic procedures. She needs delicate, gentle care;
- Mandatory skin protection. The sun is the skin's enemy no. 1. It is not for nothing that there is a special term "photoaging" to denote the changes that occur in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays. With age, it becomes more and more difficult for the skin to resist their effects. Creams with SPF will help her with this. It is also necessary to protect the skin from the effects of free radicals;
- Intensive moisturizing. The direct cause of tone deterioration and the appearance of wrinkles is a lack of moisture. Antiaging care is based on deep hydration;
- Stimulation of collagen production. In adulthood, collagen, which is responsible for the elasticity of the skin, is synthesized more slowly and is destroyed faster than in youth. This means that additional stimulation of the formation of its own protein compounds is required, which is necessary to increase the turgor of the epidermis;
- Not just cream. A thin layer of moisturizer may not be enough. Anti-aging care also includes intensive skin nourishment, the use of exfoliating products, masks and serums. The need for professional procedures is also increasing every year;
- Regularity. New skin will forgive its owner such minor sins as unwashed cosmetics at night or irregular care. Adult women need to take care of their face, neck and décolleté constantly, day after day, year after year. Only in this case you can count on a significant effect.
Doctor's comment:
You don't need to complicate the skin care process in your mind, start small, with proper home care! If you have dermatological diseases, you should consult a dermatologist! Because even quality home care will not be able to get you out of the acute process. First, treatment on the background of cosmocetic care, then only everything else.
Can you do without a beautician?
Aesthetic medicine and cosmetology have not yet made the dream of eternal youth a reality, but have brought it much closer to its realization. Injections and hardware cosmetology procedures allow you to regenerate from the inside and naturally restore the skin. However, it would be a mistake to believe that it is enough to take a course at a cosmetology clinic once a year, but neglect face and body care the rest of the time. Professional care must be supplemented with care at home - permanent, daily. This approach makes it possible to achieve optimal results and delay aging by many years.
To stay young, cosmetic treatments are highly desirable and home anti-aging care is an absolute must. It is best to combine both.
Home anti-aging care
And now it's time to consider in detail what anti-aging skin care should consist of. What stages does it consist of, what tools should be used and how to use them correctly.
Once again, it should be emphasized that the age at which you should begin to approach facial care from the point of view of regeneration is determined individually. It is difficult to independently assess the condition of your skin and detect changes in time, so it is better to consult with a cosmetologist to draw up an individual plan to preserve youth.
Cleaning
It is necessary to constantly fight age-related changes, and it is better to choose even ordinary personal hygiene products with a rejuvenating effect. To prevent fading, it is recommended to use the mildest, gentlest cleansers possible. They should easily remove make-up residues, sebum and dirt, but should not dry out and damage the skin.
When choosing a cleanser, you should focus on the condition of the skin. If there is a feeling of tightness or discomfort after washing, you should look for another option with a higher content of moisturizing components. Also, the appearance of an oily sheen, oddly enough, indicates a lack of moisture. If irritation and redness occur, you should pay attention to hypoallergenic products.
Even if your skin is prone to rashes, you should not choose aggressive drying agents. It is better to give preference to cosmetics with anti-inflammatory effects.
Cleaning in the morning and in the evening are two completely different procedures. In the first case, you just need to remove the skin secretions and the remnants of the night cream. Foam can easily cope with this task, and in some cases it is enough to use only tonic. In the evening, you should also remove all traces of suntan, cosmetics and atmospheric pollution. Lotions, creams and make-up removing oils will come in handy in this situation. In addition, a pore-cleansing mask should be used 1-2 times a week.
Not only the face should be cleaned, but also the neck and décolleté area. These areas are very sensitive to aging and therefore require careful attention.
Toning
This stage of care is underestimated and completely wasted by many. Using a tonic, the balance of water and acids is restored, the face is prepared for cream application and protected from aggressive effects. In addition, residual contaminants that the cleansing lotion or foam could not deal with are removed.
The tonic is chosen according to the skin type and used after washing (or other cleansing) in the morning and in the evening. In both cases, the same suitable remedy can be used.
Hydration
Perhaps the most important thing in antiaging care is hydration. Mature skin always needs moisture and appropriate moisturizing products and professional treatments.
The hyaluronic acid molecule is impressive in size and cannot penetrate the epidermal barrier to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin, so injections have been and still are the most effective way to use it. However, scientists have learned to manipulate the molecule so that it penetrates the dermis better. Thanks to these developments, the effectiveness of modern external products with hyaluronic acid has increased significantly.
Another well-known hydrant is urea. Don't be put off by the unpleasant name: the substance effectively saturates the skin with moisture while stimulating cell renewal. Such products are good for dry, dehydrated, rough and rough skin. Creams with a small urea content are sufficient to maintain moisture levels and improve complexion. More concentrated products are used to smooth rough calluses on the feet.
Glycerin is another popular ingredient. Due to its hygroscopicity, it attracts and binds water molecules such as hyaluronic acid. In terms of moisturizing properties, trivalent alcohol (glycerin) is inferior to hyaluronic acid, but it has smaller molecules that easily penetrate the skin. This component is included in most budget moisturizers with an anti-aging effect. At the same time, concentrated glycerin can have the opposite effect of pulling moisture from the epidermis, so most manufacturers combine trivalent alcohol with other skin moisturizers.
Doctor's comment:
I would like to emphasize that we choose products with urea in cases of hyperkeratosis, for example, with rough skin, with psoriasis, with ichthyosis. Urea helps exfoliate scales, while other product ingredients moisturize and nourish.
Nutrition
Unlike other organs, the skin can receive nutrition not only in the traditional way - with blood, but also by absorbing substances that are applied to its surface. It is not only moisture, but also all kinds of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and lipids. They fill nutritional deficiencies in the skin, improve the structure of the epidermis, saturate it with useful components and strengthen the protective lipid layer.
If earlier cosmetics were confidently divided into moisturizing and nourishing, now this line has been erased: the same cream can saturate the skin with moisture and nutrients. Usually, modern creams, serums and masks combine both types of effects.
To nourish the skin, first of all, you need fats and fat-soluble substances. Don't underestimate their importance in staying young. With age, the skin needs more and more lipids. Even those girls who complained of excessive sebum secretion in their youth note that their skin becomes drier with age. The fat film on the surface of the skin becomes thinner and is no longer able to protect the epidermis from negative environmental influences.
Lipid deficiency causes:
- Increased sensitivity;
- Slowing down of exfoliation of dead cells;
- Reduced humidity;
- Premature withering.
It is believed that the skin absorbs nutrients best at night, so it is recommended to use nourishing products in the evening, at night.
Doctor's comment:
Our skin is covered with a hydrolipidic membrane, it is a very important structure that ensures the normal functioning of our skin! If its integrity is violated, the skin becomes fragile, dry, dehydrated, it does not withstand aggressive environmental factors, the balance of skin microflora is disturbed. We become vulnerable and lose resistance to various skin diseases.
Protection
The skin protects internal organs from negative environmental influences. It comes into contact with polluted air, ultraviolet radiation, aggressive substances, low or high temperatures. This effect does not go unnoticed: the condition of the skin worsens. To avoid premature aging, you need to take care of skin protection throughout your life.
First of all, it is necessary to protect the skin from sunlight. And you should do this every time you go out in the daylight, not just when getting ready for the beach. The cream is applied for 20-30 minutes until it comes out in a rich layer, if necessary, it needs to be renewed. In addition, it is necessary to choose the following products according to your phototype: the whiter the skin, the higher the protection factor should be. If you do not follow these rules, the use of sunscreen lotion will not provide the expected benefits.
Sunscreen cosmetics protect the skin not only from burns, but also from aging. Long-wave radiation (UVA) penetrates the deep layers of the skin and destroys cells. Such rays damage the epidermis even in cloudy weather, so products with SPF are recommended to be used all year round.
Daily use of protective creams will protect against photoaging of the skin - pigmentation, laxity, appearance of wrinkles, dehydration. But you have to choose the means carefully. The best solution would be pharmaceutical cosmetics.
High-quality day creams usually contain sunscreen components. If you must combine moisturizers with Sunskrins, apply a moisturizing cream to your face and neck first, and then a protective one after it has fully absorbed.
UV radiation is not the only factor that causes skin aging. In order to prolong youth, it is also necessary to protect the epidermis from the effects of free radicals - molecules that damage cells and destroy collagen. For this purpose, antioxidants are used to neutralize the effects of "aggressors".
They can be:
- vitamins A, C, P and E;
- Alpha lipoic acid;
- Amino acids;
- Coenzyme Q10;
- isoflavones;
- Tannins;
- Beta glucan.
These ingredients can be included in the cream in different combinations. Antioxidants are a recognized agent that prevents aging, so it is recommended to start using creams containing such ingredients even before the first age-related changes appear.
Doctor's comment:
It is important to know that different antioxidants work only in certain combinations, and their absorption takes place strictly according to the body's needs. Cosmoceutical products are already presented in the right combinations. It is important to determine your skin type and needs, a dermatologist or beautician can help with this.
Special caution
In addition to normal skin care, "special purpose" treatments are also needed. This category includes both anti-aging courses in cosmetology clinics and the use of masks and peelings at home.
Mature skin needs to exfoliate dead cells much more than young skin, as natural regeneration processes slow down with age. Therefore, peelings, which are used only occasionally by young girls, become a necessity for adult women. Gentle peeling should be used 2-3 times a week.
It is important to use products designed for mature skin. They should be gentle without scratching particles or irritating ingredients.
When it comes to skin care, you can't forget to mention masks. They usually contain the same ingredients as creams, but in a higher concentration, so masks are designed for intensive care. They can be used regularly, gradually improving the condition of the skin, or as an express treatment, if you need to put your face in order before an event.
Masks can be produced in the form of a cream, gel, powder for self-dilution and a ready-made piece of fabric that is soaked in medicinal compounds. The last variety is most often used to urgently refresh the skin.
The purpose of masks can also be different. Nourishing, moisturizing, toning, tightening and whitening products are best for mature skin. Choosing a specific mask is best done together with a beautician.
Doctor's comment:
Pay attention to alginate masks, they are sold for home use and are also professional. They have unique properties and are ideal for any skin type. Their medicinal properties are explained by the fact that they are made from brown algae. They have a particularly pronounced lymphatic drainage effect and are a powerful anti-aging prevention.
From theory to practice: choosing cosmetics
A general understanding of the ingredients that are helpful in the recovery process will help you choose your personal care products.
Day cream for prolonging youth
The main tasks of the day cream are to moisturize and protect the skin. Hyaluronic acid and other moisturizing components help achieve the first goal. Also, the day cream should improve the quality of the skin, making it more resistant to the negative effects of free radicals - aggressive molecules that provoke aging. Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E are used for this purpose.
Vitamin C is commonly called the vitamin of youth, and it is not by chance: ascorbic acid stimulates the production of collagen by fibrocytes and destroys melanin, preventing unnecessary pigmentation.
When choosing a cream, preference should be given to the so-called cosmecetics, that is, cosmetics sold in pharmacies. These varieties differ from mass creams with a high content of active substances and. correspondingly higher efficiency. And the best results can be achieved by combining the use of the cream with cosmetic procedures such as mesotherapy and biorevitalization.
Anti-aging night cream
Night is the best time to nourish the skin. Although modern night creams do not always have a heavy, greasy texture, they always contain lipids and fat-soluble substances. These can be fatty acids, shea butter or wheat germ, cholesterol and other ingredients. Also contains moisturizing ingredients.
The task of such products is to restore the skin, as well as stimulate the production of substances necessary for improving its structure - hyaluronic acid, collagen, elastin.
When nourishing the skin, it is important not to overdo it - not to overload it with lipids. Such an effect is possible if you choose the wrong night cream: the skin acquires an oily sheen, pores become clogged, comedones and rashes appear. Such phenomena indicate that the night cream is poorly chosen or used incorrectly.
It is important to remember that thick, greasy products are mainly intended for dehydrated, rough, scaly skin. In other cases, it is better to choose lighter, melting textures. In addition, the cream must correspond to your skin type and age: for anti-aging care, it is better to use cosmetics labeled anti-age.
As for usage, the main mistake here is too much usage. The night cream should be applied in a thin layer on slightly damp skin after applying the toner. After 15 minutes, the excess that has not been absorbed into the epidermis can be wiped off with a napkin.
Do not forget that the products should be applied not only on the face, but also on the neck and décolleté!
Doctor's comment: Modern high-quality creams that can be bought at the pharmacy eliminate the need to use tonic. It is important to choose a night cream and apply it half an hour before going to bed. Gently, avoiding contact with eyes. Light stroking movements.
Serums, peelings and masks: the secret weapon in the fight for youth
When choosing "special purpose" products, you should pay attention to the following parameters:
- Active substances in the composition;
- Their concentration;
- Possible allergens and irritants.
As with choosing creams, it is advisable to give preference to serums and masks with antioxidant, moisturizing and nourishing ingredients. However, the presence of SPF is no longer necessary - a day cream will take care of sun protection.
Antiaging serums can contain retinol, vitamin C, ceramides, peptides, collagen, and acids. Masks often also contain various oils that soften the upper layer of the epidermis. Today's effective peelings rarely do without the addition of acids.
In addition to masks and peelings, it is worth buying anti-aging serums. These are very concentrated products and literally a few drops are enough for a transformation. As a rule, serums are not greasy, they are absorbed immediately and significantly rejuvenate the skin. This is not surprising: after all, they contain a shock dose of vitamins, amino acids, trace elements, peptides and other substances that moisturize, nourish, lighten and tone the skin.
When choosing such products, you should focus not so much on your skin type, but on what problems need to be solved. Is there pigmentation? Serums that even out skin tone will come in handy. Does the face oval "float"? This means that you should choose an option with a lifting effect. Increased epidermal dryness? The problem will be solved faster if you use a serum with hyaluronic acid in addition to the usual cream.
Individual approach
Choosing antiaging cosmetics for yourself is not as easy as it might seem. The ideal option is to entrust this choice to a beautician. An experienced doctor will easily detect "weak spots" that require maximum attention and will help you choose the most suitable means.
It is much more difficult to detect the signs of aging on our own: we get used to our appearance and cannot track the changes in time. The result is the wrong choice of anti-aging products and, accordingly, ineffective prevention and treatment of skin aging. Therefore, it is better to spend an hour consulting with a doctor to immediately choose the right products for your skin.
And, of course, the best addition to daily care at home will be professional cosmetic procedures at the clinic. We will talk about them next time.