AGEING is inevitable, but the signs of getting older don’t always have to be so obvious.
Fine lines around our eyes, wrinkles on our foreheads, pigmentation and sagging skin can often be accelerated by our lifestyle habits, and often, these are so entrenched in our everyday lives we’re totally unaware of the damage they might be causing.
Could your everyday habits be prematurely ageing your face?[/caption]
Dr Brendan Khong, founder and medical director of Dr BK Aesthetics Clinic in London, tells Sun Health: “Skin ageing is so much more than just genetics.
“Our skin cells are constantly exposed to external stressors like UV rays, pollution, stress and blue light from screens.
“Throw in poor hydration and a lack of sleep and your skin can become damaged, which speeds up ageing.
“But there are other little, less obvious things that we do all the time which can trigger inflammation, dullness, pigmentation changes and even impact how well skin heals itself.”
Are you guilty of these face-ageing sins?
1. HAVING HOT SHOWERS
NOTHING beats a toasty wash after a busy day. But if your water is too hot, you’ll be damaging your skin.
“Hot water can strip the natural oils of the skin, disrupting the skin barrier and causing dehydration,” says Dr Khong.
“Chronic dehydration can lead to fine lines and wrinkles becoming more noticeable.”
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine tested how water temperature affected the skin barrier in 50 healthy people.
Scientists found that hot water caused the most damage as it increased skin water loss and redness, while cold water also weakened the barrier, but less severely.
Dr Khong says: “Hot water can quickly evaporate from the skin, increasing transepidermal water loss (TEWL), causing dehydration, tightness and dullness, which can worsen skin aging.
“Very hot water can also dilate blood vessels, triggering inflammation, aka ‘inflammageing’.
“Chronic inflammation can accelerate the breakdown of two essential proteins in the skin, collagen and elastin, causing sagging and wrinkles.”
If you suffer from a chronic inflammatory skin condition, such as rosacea, melasma, eczema or psoriasis, then hot water might make things even worse.
“I advise patients to not wash their face with hot water in the shower. Instead, they should wash their skin in the sink with tepid water,” he adds.
“I also tell patients to stand in the shower and look highly offended with their chin up so the hot water does not touch the face.”
Remember to turn the heat down in the shower and use lukewarm water.
Moisturise as soon as you get out while the skin is still damp to trap water in and stay hydrated.
Hot showers could be making your look older[/caption]
2. CHEWING GUM
YOU might need to find a new way to freshen your breath as repeatedly chewing gum could be making you look older.
According to Dr Khong, chewing contracts the masseter and orbicularis oris muscles, causing them to enlarge, which can give you a wider lower face.
“This is often perceived as ageing, compared to a more V-shaped, tapered face contour, which is more common in youthful faces,” he adds.
Plus, repetitive contraction of the orbicularis oris (the muscle surrounding your lips) can lead to the development of lines.
“Over time, these can become more permanent,” Dr Khong says.
3. LEAVING YOUR SUNGLASSES AT HOME
NOT just a fashion accessory, sunglasses are one of the most functional anti-ageing tools.
“Squinting in bright light repeatedly etches lines around the eyes,” says Dr Megan Franklin from aesthetics clinic, CULTSKIN.
“They’re what we call dynamic wrinkles.
“Over time, they settle into static lines that are far harder to treat.”
Prevention is more powerful than correction, so choose a pair of sunglasses that offer 100 per cent protection against UVA and UVB rays.
And think big! Make sure they offer enough coverage so you aren’t squinting.
SPF is vital whatever the time of year[/caption]
4. SKIPPING SPF IN WINTER
IT might be October, but don’t pack away your suncreams just yet.
SPF is an essential part of your skincare routine, even in winter.
Not only does it protect against skin cancer, research published in the journal Molecules found that UV may account for up to 80 per cent of visible ageing.
“UVA rays in particular are present 365 days a year, even through glass and clouds,” warns Dr Franklin.
“Skipping SPF is like skipping brushing your teeth; you may not see the damage today, but it compounds every day.”
She recommends applying around two fingers’ worth for your face and neck every morning of the year.
5. GRABBING THE WRONG SNACKS
CAN’T say no to a fizzy drink and a chocolate bar come 3pm? This might not be doing your skin any favours.
“Foods high in sugar can contribute to a process called glycation, which is where excess sugar in the bloodstream binds to proteins like collagen and elastin,” says nutritionist Rob Hobson.
“These proteins help to keep skin firm and elastic, so damaging them can accelerate the appearance of fine lines and sagging.”
While the odd sugary treat here and there won’t cause harm, regular, high intakes can contribute to faster skin ageing over months and even years.
After all, some cans of pop, like Coca Cola, contain up to 40g of sugar!
Sleeping in the wrong position can cause lines to become etched into the skin, eventually becoming permanent
Dr Brendan Khong
Rob adds: “Fizzy drinks are especially problematic because sugar in liquid form is absorbed really rapidly, causing sharp spikes in blood glucose.
“Repeated spikes like this may drive up inflammation and oxidative stress, which are processes known to accelerate collagen breakdown and skin ageing.
“Cutting back on sugary drinks and snacks is just one step you can take.
“Swapping them for water, herbal teas or nutrient-rich snacks like nuts and berries can help to protect your skin.”
You don’t need to go cold turkey, but slowly reducing the amount you eat will make a big difference!
6. SLEEPING IN YOUR MAKE-UP
WHETHER you’ve had a long day at work or a big night out, it can be tempting to skip the make-up removal and go to bed as you are.
But this is your skin’s worst nightmare.
“Leaving make-up on overnight is one of the fastest tracks to premature ageing,” says Dr Franklin.
“Skin ‘recovery time’ at night is when your skin heals and renews.
The foods and drinks causing you to age faster – and the best youthful swaps
CRISPS, cakes, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, ready-meals – it’s not rocket science to know that these foods aren’t exactly healthy.
But what if you were told that they could make you age faster – would you cut back?
Experts say diet can increase your biological age, which refers to how old your body is, based on how fast it’s declining.
It can be older or younger than your chronological age, which is how many years you have lived.
An accelerating biological clock will also make you look older.
“It causes cells to age throughout your body, and this affects the cells of your skin,” says Gemma Clare, functional nutritionist and integrative skin expert.
“While you may not be aware that your heart or lungs are ageing at a faster rate, the signs of accelerated ageing are much more obvious on your skin and body.”
Unhealthy foods are usually either high in fat, sugar and salt, or all of these, and are referred to as ultra-processed foods (UPF).
A recent study by Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, found that for every 10 per cent increase in UPF intake, biological age goes up by 2.4 months.
It’s the equivalent of only 200 extra calories in a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet, which could amount to just a couple of biscuits.
In reality, though, UPFs account for at least half the average person’s daily food intake, research suggests.
If you think your diet could be in a downward spiral, here’s how to rein it in, and which foods could help.
Foods and drinks to avoid
- Sugar (swap fizzy drinks for sparkling water with fresh fruit, cereal for oats with berries, and milk chocolate for dark)
- Seed oils (swap for extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil)
- Salt (swap for spices like paprika or cumin when cooking, crisps for unsalted nuts)
- Charred food (e.g. burnt toast)
- Processed meats (swap salami, hot dogs, pepperoni and deli meats for chicken and beef)
- Alcohol
“Make-up acts like a physical barrier, clogging pores and trapping pollutants that generate oxidative stress.
“Over time, this weakens collagen and leaves skin duller and older before its time.
“I recommend a double cleanse: start with an oil or balm to melt away make-up and SPF, then follow with a gentle water-based cleanser. This ensures skin is clean but never stripped.”
Follow with your other bedtime skincare products.
7. DOOMSCROLLING IN BED
NEXT time you’re lying in bed scrolling through your Instagram feed, spare a thought for your face.
The blue light, also known as high energy visible (HEV), emitted from your phone screen could contribute to skin ageing.
Dr Khong says that blue light can cause oxidative stress, a process where damaging free radicals build up in the body faster than antioxidants can neutralise them, leading to cell damage and ageing.
“Blue light can also cause collagen and elastin breakdown and pigmentation,” he adds.
Although blue light causes less damage than UV light from the sun, we are usually exposed to blue light for longer periods of time.
Plus, your late night scrolling could be causing you to squint and wrecking your sleep, which will only age you further!
Scrolling on your phone in bed could be another ageing accelerator[/caption]
8. SIPPING THROUGH A STRAW
IT might be keeping you hydrated (which is vital for looking young), but sipping through a straw might be secretly ageing you.
“When we drink through a straw, we purse our lips which causes the contraction of the orbicularis oris muscles (the circular ring muscles around the mouth),” Dr Khong says.
“This can create fine lines and creases.
“Repeated contraction of these muscles can cause vertical lines to develop, and are often known as ‘smoker’s lines’ or ‘barcode lines’.”
Instead of a straw bottle – like a Chilly’s or Stanley Cup – look for ones with a wide mouth opening to stop your lips pursing.
9. SLEEPING ON YOUR SIDE
A GOOD night’s sleep is one of the best things you can do for looking young.
But you can give yourself an even bigger youth boost by simply changing how you sleep.
“Sleeping on your side or stomach can cause sleep lines, which can become more permanent with repeated actions,” says Dr Khong.
“When your face is pressed against a pillow, the skin will fold and compress, which can cause vertical or diagonal wrinkles on the cheeks, around the mouth and chest.
“With time, the amount of collagen and elastin decline, and these lines become etched into the skin, eventually becoming permanent.”
The gold standard of anti-ageing sleep positions is lying on your back.
“This will avoid compression, tugging or pressing of the facial skin,” adds Dr Khong.
If side sleeping is the only way you’ll get a decent night’s rest, invest in a memory foam or anti-wrinkle pillow, which will help to reduce pressure on the face.
“I also enjoy using silk or a very high thread count Egyptian cotton pillowcase to reduce pulling or gripping on the skin,” Dr Khong says.
