You cannot preserve youth forever, but it is quite possible to delay the onset of old age by decades. There is no need to wait for the first wrinkles to start anti-aging care - on the contrary, it is better to take preventive measures in advance. Let's think about where to start, what to focus on and what results to strive for.
How the skin ages
The aging process affects all cells 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 cannot be changed or are very difficult to change. Secondly, stress, air and ultraviolet pollution, smoking, nutrition, sleep and inactivity are various diseases. These factors can be controlled. It is possible to partially neutralize the negative effects by providing quality skin care.
With age, many processes on which the condition of the skin depends slow down, for example, cells are not renewed as quickly as in youth. Blood circulation deteriorates and therefore cellular nutrition. Due to the lack of hyaluronic acid, the level of hydration decreases and less collagen and elastin are produced. The skin becomes thin, dry and less elastic, wrinkles appear.
External factors aggravate the situation. So, 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 disrupts blood circulation, which leads to a breakdown of cell nutrition. 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 maintain your beauty for a long time.
Prevention or treatment?
It is believed that the skin begins to age from the age of 28. In practice, everything is individual: depending on genetic characteristics, state of health, lifestyle and the influence of external factors, some people notice signs of age earlier, and others later. In any case, there is no need to postpone taking care of yourself 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 more advanced you are, the more powerful means you will have to use, but to prevent aging, it is enough to carefully care for your skin and protect it from negative effects.
When choosing cosmetics, it is necessary to pay attention not to the brand, but to the recommendations of a cosmetologist given after a personal examination. All people are different, the aging process also happens differently, and it takes an individual approach to correct it. The doctor will prescribe the appropriate means according to the biological age, not the calendar.
Key features of anti-aging care
- A subtle effect. It's time to give up harsh scrubs and aggressive products that dry out your skin. Mature skin is sensitive and does not recover well after traumatic procedures. It needs gentle, tender care;
- Mandatory protection of the skin. The sun is the number 1 enemy of the skin. It is no coincidence that there is a special term "photo" to express the changes that occur in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays. With age, it becomes increasingly difficult for the skin to resist their effects. Creams with SPF will help him in this work. It is also necessary to protect the skin from the effects of free radicals;
- Strong hydration. The direct reason for the deterioration of the tone and the appearance of wrinkles is the lack of moisture. Anti-aging 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 than in youth and destroyed more quickly. This means that the formation of its own protein compounds, which are necessary to increase the turgor of the epidermis, needs additional stimulation;
- Not just cream. A thin layer of moisturizer may not be enough. Anti-aging care also includes intensive skin nutrition, the use of exfoliants, masks and serums. The need for professional procedures is also increasing every year;
- Regularity. Young skin will forgive its owner for minor sins such as unwashed cosmetics or irregular care. Mature ladies should take care of their face, neck and décolleté day after day, year after year. Only in this case you can count on a noticeable effect.
Doctor's Comment:
No need to overcomplicate your skin care process in your mind, start small with proper home care! If you have dermatological diseases, then you should see a dermatologist! Because even high-quality home care will not be able to get you out of the acute process. First, treatment in the background of cosmoseutic care, then everything else.
Is it possible to do without a beautician?
Although aesthetic medicine and cosmetology have not yet made the dream of eternal youth come true, they have made it possible to come much closer to its realization. Injection and hardware cosmetology procedures allow you to rejuvenate from the inside and restore the skin naturally. However, it would be a mistake to think that it is enough to take a course at a cosmetology clinic once a year, and neglect the care of your face and body the rest of the time. Professional care should be complemented by home care - constant, daily. This approach allows you to achieve optimal results and delay aging for many years.
To preserve youth, cosmetic procedures are highly desirable, and at-home anti-aging care is a must. It is better to combine both.
Anti-aging care at home
Now it's time to take a closer look at what antiaging skin care is all about. What stages it consists of, what tools should be used and how to use them correctly.
It should be emphasized once again that the age at which you should start approaching facial care from the point of view of rejuvenation 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 a cosmetologist to develop an individual plan to preserve youth.
Cleaning
It is necessary to constantly fight against age-related changes, and it is even better to choose daily personal care products that have a rejuvenating effect. It is recommended to use the mildest, most gentle cleansers possible to prevent fading. They should easily remove makeup, sebum and dirt residues, but not dry or damage the skin.
When choosing a cleanser, you should pay attention to the condition of your skin. If you feel tightness or discomfort after washing, you should look for another option with a higher content of moisturizing components. The appearance of an oily sheen also, 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 products. It is better to give preference to cosmetics with anti-inflammatory effect.
Morning and evening cleaning are two completely different procedures. In the first case, it is necessary to remove only the skin secretions and the remains 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, it is necessary to remove the remains of sun cream, cosmetics and atmospheric pollution. In such a situation, lotions, creams and makeup remover oils will be useful. In addition, you should use a pore-cleansing mask 1-2 times a week.
You need to clean not only your face, but also your neck and décolleté. These areas are very sensitive to aging and therefore require careful attention.
Toning
This stage of maintenance is underestimated by many and is completely wasted. Using tonic restores the water and acid balance, prepares the face for cream application and protects against aggressive effects. In addition, residual pollutants that a cleansing lotion or foam cannot cope with are removed.
The tonic is selected according to the type of skin and is used in the morning and evening after washing (or other cleansing). In both cases, the same suitable agent can be used.
Hydration
Perhaps the most important thing in antiaging care is hydration. Mature skin always needs moisture and, accordingly, moisturizing products and professional procedures.
The hyaluronic acid molecule has impressive dimensions and cannot cross the epidermal barrier to penetrate deeper layers of the skin, so injections have been and remain the most effective way of using it. However, scientists have learned to process the molecule to better penetrate the dermis. Thanks to these developments, the effectiveness of modern external products containing hyaluronic acid has increased significantly.
Another popular hydrant is urea. Do not rush with an unappetizing name: the substance effectively saturates the skin with moisture and at the same time stimulates cell renewal. Such products are well suited for dry, dehydrated, rough and rough skin. Creams with a small amount of urea are enough to maintain the moisture level and improve the skin. 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, trihydric 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 by drawing moisture from the epidermis, so most manufacturers combine trihydric alcohol with other skin moisturizers.
Doctor's Comment:
In particular, I would like to note that we choose urea-containing products in case of hyperkeratosis, for example, rough skin, psoriasis, ichthyosis. Urea helps to exfoliate scales and other components of the products moisturize and nourish.
Nutrition
Unlike other organs, the skin can receive nutrients not only in the traditional way - through blood, but also by absorbing substances applied to its surface. It is not only moisture, but also all kinds of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and lipids. They fill the lack of nutrients in the skin, improve the structure of the epidermis, saturate with useful substances and strengthen the protective lipid layer.
If earlier cosmetic products were confidently divided into moisturizing and nourishing, now this line has been erased: the same cream can saturate the skin with moisture and nutrients. As a rule, modern creams, serums and masks combine both types of effects.
Oils and fat-soluble substances are needed first to nourish the skin. Do not underestimate their importance to preserve youth. With age, the skin needs more lipids. Even girls who complained of excessive oil secretion in their youth note that their skin has become drier over the years. The fat layer on the surface of the skin becomes thinner and can no longer protect the epidermis from the negative effects of the environment.
Lipid deficiency causes:
- Increased sensitivity;
- Slow down the erosion of dead cells;
- Reduced moisture level;
- Premature drying.
It is believed that the skin absorbs nutrients best at night, so it is recommended to apply nourishing products in the evening, at night.
Doctor's Comment:
Our skin is covered with a hydro-lipid mantle, which is a very important structure that keeps our skin functioning normally! If its integrity is violated, the skin becomes fragile, dry, dehydrated, does not resist aggressive environmental factors, and the balance of the microflora of the skin is disturbed. We become defenseless and lose our resistance to various skin diseases.
Protection
Skin protects internal organs from negative environmental effects. It comes into contact with polluted air, ultraviolet radiation, aggressive substances, low or high temperature. This effect does not go unnoticed: the condition of the skin worsens. To prevent premature aging, you should take care to protect your skin throughout your life.
First of all, it is necessary to protect the skin from sunlight. You should do this not only when getting ready for the beach, but when you go out during the day. The cream is applied for 20-30 minutes until it comes out in a generous layer, it should be renewed if necessary. In addition, it is necessary to choose such products according to your phototype: the whiter the skin, the higher the protective factor should be. If you do not follow these rules, using sunscreen lotion will not bring the expected benefits.
Sun cream cosmetics protect the skin not only from burns, but also from aging. Long-wave radiation (UVA) penetrates deep into the skin and destroys cells. Such rays damage the epidermis even in cloudy weather, so it is recommended to use products containing SPF throughout the year.
Daily use of protective creams will protect the skin from photoaging - pigmentation, sagging, wrinkles, dehydration. But you need to choose the means carefully. The best choice will be pharmaceutical cosmetics.
High-quality day creams usually contain sunscreen ingredients. If you must combine moisturizers with Sunskrins, apply a moisturizer to the face and neck first, and then a protective cream after complete absorption.
UV rays are not the only factor that causes skin aging. 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 effect of "aggressors".
They can be:
- vitamins A, C, P and E;
- alpha lipoic acid;
- Amino acids;
- Coenzyme Q10;
- isoflavones;
- tannins;
- Beta glucan.
These components can be in the cream in different combinations. Antioxidants are a well-known anti-aging agent, so it is recommended to start using creams with such ingredients before the first signs of age-related changes appear.
Doctor's Comment:
It is important to know that different antioxidants work only in certain combinations, and their absorption occurs strictly according to the needs of the body. Cosmoceutical products are now available in the right combinations. It is important to determine your skin type and needs; a dermatologist or cosmetologist can help you with this.
Special care
In addition to daily skin care, "special purpose" procedures are also required. This category includes both anti-aging courses in cosmetology clinics and the use of masks and peels at home.
Mature skin needs to slough off dead cells more than younger skin, as natural renewal processes slow down with age. Therefore, peelings, which girls use occasionally in their youth, become a necessity for mature women. Gentle exfoliants 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 irritants.
When talking about skin care, it is impossible not to mention masks. They usually contain the same ingredients as creams, but in higher concentrations, so masks are designed for intensive care. They can be used regularly, gradually improving the condition of the skin or as an emergency care if you need to get your face in order before any event.
Masks can be produced in the form of cream, gel, powder for self-dilution, and finished fabric soaked in healing compounds. The last variety is most often used to refresh the skin urgently.
The purpose of masks can also be different. For mature skin, nourishing, moisturizing, toning, thickening and whitening products are most suitable. The choice of a special mask is best done together with a cosmetologist.
Doctor's Comment:
Pay attention to alginate masks, they are sold for home use, there are also professionals. They have unique properties and are ideal for any skin type. Their healing properties are explained by the fact that they are made from brown algae. They have a super clear lymphatic drainage effect and are a powerful anti-aging preventative.
From theory to practice: choosing cosmetics
A general understanding of ingredients that are beneficial in rejuvenation will help you choose personal care products.
Day cream to prolong youth
The main tasks of the day cream are to moisturize and protect the skin. Hyaluronic acid and other moisturizing components help to achieve the first goal. Also, the day cream improves 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.
Vitamin C is generally called the vitamin of youth, and it is not by chance: ascorbic acid stimulates the production of collagen by fibrocytes and destroys melanin, eliminating unnecessary pigmentation.
When choosing a cream, you should give preference to the so-called cosmetics, that is, cosmetics sold in pharmacies. These types differ from mass creams due to the 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, for example, mesotherapy and biorevitalization.
Anti-aging night cream
Night is the best time to nourish the skin. Although modern night creams do not necessarily have a heavy, oily texture, they always contain lipids and fat-soluble ingredients. These can be fatty acids, shea butter or wheat germ, cholesterol and other substances. It also contains moisturizing components.
The task of such products is to stimulate the production of substances necessary to restore the skin and improve its structure - hyaluronic acid, collagen, elastin.
When nourishing the skin, it is important not to overdo it - not to overload it with lipids. This effect is possible if you choose the wrong night cream: the skin acquires an oily sheen, pores become clogged, comedones and rashes appear. Such events indicate that the night cream is poorly selected or used incorrectly.
It should be remembered that thick, oily products are primarily intended for dehydrated, scaly, rough skin. In other cases, it is better to choose lighter, melting fabrics. In addition, the cream should be suitable for your skin type and age: for anti-aging care, it is better to use cosmetics labeled anti-aging.
As for use, the main mistake here is overuse. Night cream should be applied with a thin layer on slightly damp skin after applying tonic. After 15 minutes, you can wipe the excess that is not absorbed into the epidermis with a napkin.
Do not forget that the products should be applied not only to the face, but also to the neck and décolleté!
Doctor's comment: Modern high-quality creams from the pharmacy eliminate the need to use tonic. It is important to choose your night cream and apply it half an hour before going to bed. Avoid contact with delicate eyes. Light fist movements.
Serums, peels and masks: the secret weapon in the fight for youth
When choosing "special purpose" products, you should pay attention to the following parameters:
- Active ingredients in the composition;
- Their concentration;
- Potential allergens and irritants.
As when choosing creams, it is advisable to give preference to serums and masks with antioxidants, moisturizing and nourishing substances. But the presence of SPF is no longer necessary - the day cream will focus on sun protection.
Antiaging serums may contain retinol, vitamin C, ceramides, peptides, collagen, and acids. Masks also often contain various oils that soften the top layer of the epidermis. Modern effective peelings are rarely performed 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 just a few drops are enough to make a difference. As a rule, serums are oil-free, they are absorbed immediately and significantly rejuvenate the skin. No wonder: after all, they contain shocking doses of vitamins, amino acids, trace elements, peptides and other substances that moisturize, nourish, brighten and tone the skin.
When choosing such products, you should pay attention not so much to your skin type, but to what problems need to be solved. Is there pigmentation? Serums that even out skin tone will help. Does the oval of the face "float"? This means that you should choose a variant with a lifting effect. Increased dryness of the epidermis? In addition to the usual cream, if you use a serum with hyaluronic acid, the problem will be solved faster.
Individual approach
Choosing anti-aging cosmetics with your own hands is not as easy as it seems. The ideal option is to entrust this choice to a beautician. An experienced doctor will easily identify the "weak points" that require maximum attention and help you choose the appropriate treatment methods.
It is more difficult to detect the signs of aging ourselves: we get used to our appearance and cannot follow the changes in time. The result is improper selection of antiaging products and, accordingly, ineffective prevention and treatment of skin aging. Therefore, it is better to consult a doctor for an hour to immediately choose the products that your skin needs.
And of course, the best addition to daily home care will be professional cosmetic procedures at the clinic. We will tell you about them next time.