Anti-Aging SKINny Basics…Healthy Skin 101

  • By J.Maxine MacGwyre, LMA, Nutrition Specialist
  • •
  • 16 May, 2019
  • •
First the bad news…as we age, our skin ages right along with us, gradually losing moisture, elasticity, fat and mass. But wait there’s more…it becomes thinner, more fragile, less resistant to disease, slower to heal, more prone to bruising and less able to regulate body temperature. The ability of cells to renew themselves declines, the underlying fat disappears, the number and efficiency of the pigment-producing melanocytes diminish, the sweat glands slow down and the elastic fibers that sustain skin tone become less and less resilient. (Take a deep breath) Very fair skin shows its age more and earlier than dark skin which is protected by more pigment. Also a factor in aging more gracefully or not, are genetics, if your parents had youthful skin yours is also likely to develop fewer wrinkles. For women, the female hormones that help to maintain the subcutaneous fat, connective tissue (namely collagen) and moisture decrease with age, which is why women notice many changes in the first few years after menopause. Conversely, men typically have oilier and thicker skin that is slower to show its age. Okay, so here is the good news! While aging and normal changes are inevitable, you can hold them off much longer by treating your skin right.

So don’t hit the panic button and keep on reading! Here’s the Top 10 List:

1.  The single most important thing you can do for your skin is stay out of the sun especially in the middle of the day and keep your skin covered by clothing as well as using a UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum Physical Block (Zinc Oxide based) Sunscreen with an SPF 30. SkinRevision offers multiple options depending on type of application and activity. Click here for more details about SPF.

2.  To boost the efficacy of sun protection for your face it is important to apply a layer of a Vitamin C serum which is naturally loaded with anti-oxidants and free radical scavengers to help stabilize the skin. I recommend Lira Clinical Hydra C Serum which includes additional hydration in the form of Hyaluronic Acid, as well as Grape Plant Stem Cells to protect against UV damage and works to repair existing damage.

3. Don’t smoke. Smoking constricts the blood vessels that nourish the skin and breaks down collagen, the infrastructure of our skin, causing wrinkles and skin laxity. Additionally, smoking destroys Vitamin C in the body which is a key nutrient required by the body to stimulate collagen production.

4.  Get regular vigorous exercise to increase the blood supply of the skin. Blood flow brings nutrition to the skin and carries toxins away.

5.  Drink plenty of water (half your body weight in ounces is a good goal) and minimize dehydrators like alcohol, caffeine (limit coffee to a cup a day), scented skin care products, dry air and saunas.

6.  Get on a solid home care program which incorporates active and corrective anti-aging ingredients such as lactic acid, retinol, Vitamin C, peptides and plant stem cells in professional level concentrations. Over the Counter and Multi-Level Marketing products, per FDA guidelines are not allowed the same percent of game changing technology for consumer protection as they are purchased without professional guidance. Based on a complimentary Skin Analysis, Maxine can make the appropriate recommendations for your specific needs. Click here for more on OTC vs Professional products.

7.  Incorporate professional treatments to fight the good anti-aging fight. Professional treatments in conjunction with compliance with a personalized home care regimen can make all the difference in the world. Some treatments are effective for exfoliation and others to maximize collagen production as well as helping to lighten unwanted hyperpigmentation. Maxine can help you establish a program that is appropriate for your skin concerns and budget. Click here for more on professional treatments. Consider incorporating Cosmetic Injectables. PRP, Volumizers and Freezers can all help to provide a more youthful look, without going under the knife. 

8.  Don’t be obsessively clean. Wash face with a resting cleanser in the morning and active cleanser at night. When showering, use warm never hot water as the latter is very drying to your skin. Take short showers and use a coconut oil based body soap or consider a  scrub.

9.  Add topical moisture and oil using moisturizer everyday especially right after bathing, applying it to damp skin improves absorption; this applies to men as well as women. Men often suffer from dry flaky skin and eczema as they get older… moisturizing is not a guy thing but quality body products are not highly fragranced as fragrances are known to be problematic especially for those with sensitive skin.

10. Healthy skin comes from within. Eating a wide variety of organic fruits & veggies, grass fed/grass finished meats, hormone/antibiotic free/organic chicken, wild caught swimmy fish, and gluten alternative whole grains. While I am not an advocate of supplements a couple of them do make sense, such as a Green supplement and Omegas.