Skin Aging Causes

There are many skin aging causes. Have you heard the phrase, "Time keeps marching on - and it's marching right across your face?!?" There are many internal and external factors which cause our skin to age. If we understand these causes, we can drastically slow down their aging effect on our skin.

Internal Factors:
As we age, our bodies naturally produce less collagen, which is the substance which makes our skin look younger and more supple. We also lose muscle tone, which makes our skin sag.

Tip #1 - Use skin care products which help our bodies to produce more collagen .

Tip #2 - Exercise regularly to increase muscle tone.

External Factors:
Our lifestyle and the things we expose ourselves to can also have a dramatic effect on how quickly our skin ages. Fortunately, we have control over these factors. Although aging takes years to occur, the damage can seemingly appear overnight. Prevention is much easier than correction; so, it is very important to heed this advice as soon as possible.

Sun Exposure - The amount of time we spend in the sun has a huge effect on how quickly our sin ages. Even spending small amounts of unprotected time in the sun will have an aging effect over time. Did you know that 80% of most people's sun exposure occurs while driving a car?!?

Tip #3 - Wear a sunscreen on your face DAILY . It is also extremely important to sunscreens that protect you from UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are the ones which age the skin. UVB rays are the ones which will burn the skin, and cause cancer.

Smoking - Our skin has a natural cycle of repairing itself. Smoking destroys this cycle, causing premature aging. If you smoke and are concerned about anti aging for skin, one of the best things you can do for yourself and your loved ones is to quit smoking.

Cold Weather and Wind - Exposure to cold weather and wind dries out the skin. Dry skin lacks softness, smoothness and suppleness. It feels tight, fragile and super sensitive. It cracks, flakes or peels. And fine lines and wrinkles appear much more quickly in dry skin.

Tip #4 - Use Moisturizer . In cold weather, skin sags more readily - and a good moisturizer will help to plump the skin temporarily. The best at home solution, however, is to use a product which contains retinol. These products go on at night and help skin renew itself faster and look firmer.
Tip #5 - Protect your skin with outdoor clothing. Cover up your face and hands when venturing outside.

Tip #6 - Replenish nutrients in skin after spending time outdoors.

Alcohol Use - Alcohol dilates the small blood vessels in skin and increases blood flow near the skin's surface. It causes skin to lose it's elasticity and over time can cause the skin to be permanently flushed. If you do drink, keep it to a minimum so that the negative effects will be less.

Stress - Stress and worry cause our faces to make certain expressions - and over time these repeated expressions cause fine lines and wrinkles to appear. Try to vary your facial expressions during the day. And try to keep exaggerated facial expressions to a minimum to keep those deep expression lines from forming.

Lack of Sleep - Not getting enough sleep makes you look and feel tired. One of the first places lack up sleep shows up is on the face, with dark circles, bags under the eyes, and sagging skin. Interestingly enough, sleeping in the same position every night can also cause you to have expression lines.

Tip #7 - Try varying your sleeping position. If you can sleep comfortably on your back, this is the position which will cause the least amount of fine lines and wrinkles on your face.

Now that you know the top skin aging causes, you will be better armed to fight them in the future.