Maintain Healthy, Youthful Skin For Life

By Lana May, LME, CMT, NCTNB

Esprit Vital, LLC

. http://www.espritvital.com/

More Beauty Skin Care & Gorgeous Smiles Articles

Maintain Healthy, Youthful Skin For Life

Our skin, especially our face, is one of the first places to show the signs of aging. Nothing can completely stop the aging process, but there are facial treatments, skin products and precautions you can take to maintain a healthy, youthful complexion while minimizing the effects of aging throughout your life.

There are a variety of professional facial treatments, such as microdermabrasion, chemical peels, LED light therapy, IPL, and laser skin resurfacing, that can improve the health and appearance of the skin and reduce the signs of aging. Resurfacing or exfoliating facial treatments are paramount to rejuvenating aged, sun damaged or lackluster skin.

The basal layer of the epidermis is responsible for generating new epidermal cells approximately every 28 to 35 days. But the skin's cellular renewal process slows down as we get older. Resurfacing skin treatments, such as microdermabrasion or chemical peels, effectively slough off the top layer of the epidermis to expose newer, healthier skin. These treatments smooth out the texture of the skin, brighten the complexion while stimulating and accelerating the skin's overall cellular renewal process.

Two of the top causes of premature aging skin is excessive sun exposure and smoking. Eliminate these two culprits and you have won half the battle against premature aging. It is essential to protect your skin from excessive UV damage by wearing sun protection factor (SPF), every single day.

Excessive exposure to UVA and UVB rays causes hyperpigmentation and breakdowns the collagen and elastin fibers of the skin which leads to wrinkles and loss of elasticity. Don't be fooled if you don't see any skin damage today after laying out in the sun or going to a tanning bed. The adverse effects of too much sun or UV exposure take years to manifest.

Once the skin has been sunburned, the damage remains. Wearing SPF 30 or higher everyday can significantly protect your skin and maintain a healthy, youthful complexion for years to come.

Most importantly, living a healthy lifestyle can keep you looking younger than your years. Resist the urge to smoke because the nicotine in cigarettes causes narrowing of the blood vessels and this restricts the blood and oxygen flow to your skin. Over time, the effects of smoking damages the collagen and elastin in your skin which leads to sagging and premature wrinkles.

Commit to a lifestyle of health and wellness by exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet with lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Minimize your consumption of refined sugar, processed foods and alcohol; drink plenty of water, and most importantly get plenty of sleep.