It would be a herculean task to analyze every single factor or agent that can cause damage to our skins. The air is mostly populated, so is the water, and almost everything we touch or ingest. That notwithstanding, we play a huge role in how badly or quickly we allow these agents to take a negative toll on our bodies. Besides, it is our duty to preserve ourselves as best we can.
The process of aging cannot be stopped, but it can, however, be slowed down and mitigated with safer practices, better eating habits, and an overall healthy lifestyle.
Here are 3 factors that could be aging your skin faster than normal.
Sunlight
Vitamin D from sun rays is very important for a life of longevity and healthful happiness. However, an over exposure, or continuous exposure to sunlight can make the skin super-sensitive to the sun and can cause much more harm than good. One also risks having fine lines and wrinkles, sagging from deteriorated elastin, dark spots, and even skin cancer.
Dehydration
Dehydration affects the skin barrier, which is our number one defense against environmental particulate and toxic material. When the skin is plump and hydrated, a protective barrier is far less permeable, keeping our skin more clear, resilient, and a defender against pollution and irritants. When one is severely dehydrated, the skin is cracked, open, and porous, which can result in irritation, rashes, breakouts, congestion, and infection.
Lack of proper hydration can cause quite a number of health issues, but the skin is the most visible victim.The skin starts to appear dull, uneven, patchy, and flaky, and fine lines will become more prominent, long before they naturally would if you hydrated properly.
Sugary food
Foods high in sugar, actually accelerates the development of fine lines and wrinkles and makes us more prone to inflammation and infection. It does this by creating a reaction called advanced glycation end products, aka AGEs, which are “non-enzymatic modifications of proteins or lipids after exposure to sugars.” In other words, processed sugars cause our skin to be more prone to oxidative stress.
This is the idea that these reactions can cause irreversible dehydration to our DNA by instigating a loss of protein function, which will manifest in reduced elasticity of tissues like our skin, blood vessels, and tendons.