Published: 2019/04/04
Youth, old age and everything in between…
“Youth is wasted on the young”, just another silly old persons saying until that fateful day when I woke up and my dimples had become deep-rooted lines. I hadn’t been out late with friends till 2 am, so why did I have bags under my eyes and why was my skin looking so dull and tired?
I’m sure we all know the answer… I wasn’t 25 anymore! Somehow my skin had aged, and I hadn’t even noticed, until now. What to do? Peels, injections, surgery? I decided that panicking wouldn’t going to help, so the best course of action was to try and understand what was happening and what realistically could be done.
We age from the day we are born, our bodies and of course our skin are constantly changing. Senescence is the scientific term for ageing, it comes from the Latin word “senescere” which means to grow old. The skin is the bodies largest organ and is the only organ exposed to the world, so it makes sense that it would show the ageing process visibly.
We all know about wrinkles and sagging skin, but ageing skin can also be prone to age spots, enlarged pores, dryness and irritation. As we age, our skin becomes thinner, so that explains the spider web of blood vessels that can often be seen. Added to that the collagen and elastin fibres underneath the skin start to degrade, so hence the sagging and loss of firmness and tone. Older skin also becomes less efficient at retaining moisture so it can become dry and ashy.
Prevention is better than cure, another old saying that is so true. Whilst ethnicity and genetics may determine our intrinsic or predetermined ageing, it is our lifestyles that contribute the most to how our skin ages. So here are a few golden rules.
Less sun more sunblock.
Stay out of the sun! Always use sun protection, sun damage can cause uneven pigmentation, age spots and even wrinkles. I have never been a sun lover but I enjoy the outdoors. Exposure to the sun can speed up skin ageing and wrinkles so using a higher sun protection factor to avoid further damage is top of the list. The Solartec Skincare Age Defence for Face is perfect for everyday use, it has SPF 30 protection and actually helps to repair past sun damage.
Ageing? Stop smoking!
Don’t Smoke, if you do stop. It speeds up the ageing process and can cause wrinkles around the mouth and eyes. It dulls your complexion, leaving skin looking course and dehydrated. I am not a smoker, but if I was I would stop! The damaging effects of smoking on the skin are just not worth it. Similarly, I live an active lifestyle that includes socialising, so now that I am aware of the effects of alcohol on my skin I will be reducing any alcohol intake to just the toast and drinking a lot more water.
H20
Less alcohol, more water. Alcohol has a dehydrating effect and dry skin is more prone to wrinkles.
Adapt with the changes.
Change your skincare regimen as you get older to address the visibility of ageing as they appear and to ensure that you are doing the best for your skin no matter your life stage.
As far as a new skincare regimen, that was easily done. I’ve switched to the A-Firm Time Reversal range to help me turn back the hands of time. The range has been formulated with anti-ageing peptides to help increase my cell renewal rate and it treats wrinkles, pigmentation, dehydration and sagging. Truly a miracle range for anyone worried about those fine lines creeping in.
I started with the A-Firm Overnight Skin Renewal Peel every night for 7 days. It is a glycolic peel but it works gently with no stinging or burning and each morning my skin was clearer, smoother and more youthful.
The A-Firm Anti-Ageing Eye Cream is a revelation, firming the sagging skin around my eyes and reducing the look of my crow’s feet. My eyes have a refreshed look and this in itself makes a huge difference to the overall look of my skin.
The real treats are the A-Firm Anti-Ageing Serum and Creams. These hard working treatments feel luxurious but they boost resilience leaving my skin feeling firmer and more refined. The texture is smooth and although not wrinkle free, the lines have diminished.
All this after just 7 days! So, I have made up my mind. Even though I will grow old, I will grow old gracefully and look fabulous while I do it!
