Everything you need to know about skin damage!

by Gaggu Dhaliwal

As the number of candles on your birthday cakes increase, so do the signs of aging. Your skin generally endures a lot. Every day, natural (intrinsic) and environmental (extrinsic) triggers change its structure from inside and out. Over time these factors lead to the accumulation of molecular damage in the skin, ultimately resulting in premature signs of aging like hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles.

Let’s take a closer look at how each of these triggers affects your skin – and what you can do about them.

Intrinsic triggers - the intrinsic aging process is largely hereditary and guided by our genes. Basically, it is the way we humans naturally age over time and we have very little say in this process. So, the best way to address it is through preventive skin care.

Intrinsic aging generally includes:

  • The slowing of cell turnover and cell renewal, leading to dull skin
  • Uneven melanin production, leading to hyperpigmentation
  • Decreased sebaceous activity, leading to fine lines and wrinkles

Retinol is the most effective for the cell turnover and cell renewal.

Extrinsic triggers:

On to better news, these are things you can control! It just takes a little work; reducing your exposure to extrinsic triggers is all about making healthy lifestyle decisions.

Some extrinsic triggers include:

  • Lifestyle habits like smoking, drinking and an unhealthy diet
  • UV-induced sun damage from not wearing sunscreen. It is estimated that 90% of skin aging is due to the effects of the sun. Sun can damage skin in different ways, and the results range from loss of firmness, fine lines, sun spots and dry skin.
  • Exposure to pollution like ozone, smog, smoke and exhaust

Together these triggers can cause uneven pigmentation, wrinkles, loss of elasticity and other signs of aging.

Here’s how you can prevent this:

  • Make healthy choices like eating a balanced diet, limiting alcohol, and not smoking.
  • Wear sunscreen – always (even when it’s not sunny!). Make sure your sunscreen is broad-spectrum to protect from UVA and UVB rays.
  • A through cleanse of your face at night will lift traces of pollution from your skin. Minimize exposure to pollution during the day by applying an antioxidant rich serum or Vitamin C which neutralizes damaging molecules, helping the skin defend itself against stressors and repair existing damage. For an ultra-potent boost, try a serum like new BioLumin-C Serum!

Do not forget to make an appointment at Glenhaven Skincare for an expert opinion! 

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