3 Top Tips for Looking After Your Skin as You Age

How your skin ages will largely depend on a number of different things, such as your diet, lifestyle and personal habits. For example, smoking can produce free radicals in the body, which is the process where once-healthy oxygen molecules are now unstable and overactive. Free radicals can damage cells and lead to things such as premature wrinkles and ageing. 

As we grow older, skin changes are natural and you may notice that your skin is a little rougher than it once was, it is more fragile and takes longer to heal and that it becomes slack due to the loss of elastin in the skin. 

It is no secret that as we age, our skin is perhaps one of the most visible signs of ageing, yet so many of us try to cover up or reverse the process which has already happened. Looking after your skin is a lifetime commitment and understanding its needs as we age means we can better look after it. With that in mind, here are 3 top tips for looking after your skin as you age. 

Suncare

One of the best ways you can avoid premature ageing of your skin is by using proper sun protection throughout your life and avoiding too much sun exposure. Really, we should be applying suncream every day, but particularly so on sunnier days and when we go on holiday. 

Not only does applying suncream and taking care in the sun prevent from premature skin ageing, but it also decreases your risk of developing melanoma and other skin cancers. Nothing can completely reverse skin damage, but it is never too late to begin protecting your skin from sun exposure and get into the habit of applying suncream. 

During the Menopause

Menopause can amplify the signs of ageing for many women. This is largely down to a change in estrogen levels, which then results in drier skin, and loss of collagen can lead to skin looking saggier around the eyes and jawline. Should you notice these symptoms, then you need to improve your moisturising routine and apply moisturiser or lotion at least once a day and look into using topical treatments, such as vitamin c serum or retinoids. These will help to soften and smooth rough, dry skin. 

Look at Your Nutrition

Nutrition plays a huge role in our overall health and wellbeing, as an unhealthy diet can cause damage to your metabolism, cause weight gain and impact organs such as your liver and heart. However, your diet also has an impact on your skin and, as scientists carry out more and more studies, it is becoming increasingly clear that what we eat has a significant impact on the signs of ageing on our skin. 

Fatty fish, such as salmon and herring, are excellent foods to eat for healthy skin because they contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary to keep skin moisturised and in good condition. If you struggle to eat enough fatty fish, then you can take high strength or EPA fish oil instead. Other foods which are good for skin health include avocados, because of their high vitamin E and C content, walnuts for essential fats and zinc and sweet potato for a natural source of beta-carotene.