You cannot preserve youth forever, but it is quite possible to postpone the onset of old age for decades. To start anti-aging care, it is not necessary to wait for the first wrinkles to appear; On the contrary, it is better to take preventive measures in advance. Let's consider where to start, what to pay attention to and what results to strive for.
How skin ages
The aging process affects all cells in the body and the skin is no exception. This process is influenced by both internal and external factors. The first group includes genetics, ethnicity, and hormone levels, things that are impossible or very difficult to change. The second is stress, exposure to air and ultraviolet pollution, smoking, nutrition, lack of sleep and movement, and various diseases. These factors can be controlled. It is possible to at least partially neutralize the negative effects by providing quality skin care.
With age, many processes on which the condition of the skin depends slow down; For example, cells do not renew as quickly as in youth. Blood circulation deteriorates and, therefore, cellular nutrition. The hydration level decreases due to lack of hyaluronic acid and less collagen and elastin are produced. The skin becomes thinner, drier and less elastic, and wrinkles appear.
External factors aggravate the situation. Thus, as a result of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the structure of the skin changes, it becomes thinner and less elastic. Smoking slows down the regeneration of the epidermis and impairs blood circulation, leading to impaired cellular nutrition. Air pollution causes the appearance of age spots and wrinkles.
The good news is that a healthy lifestyle prolongs youth. Eating foods rich in antioxidants, restful sleep and moderate physical activity will help maintain your beauty for a long time.
Prevention or treatment?
It is believed that the skin begins to age at the age of 28. In practice, everything is individual: some discover signs of aging earlier, and others later, depending on genetic characteristics, health status, lifestyle and the influence of external factors. In any case, you do not need to postpone taking care of yourself until the moment when the reflection in the mirror stops pleasing you. Prevention is always more effective and affordable than treatment, so care should be taken in advance to prolong youth. The further you go, the stronger the means you will have to use, but to prevent aging it is enough to carefully care for your skin and protect it from negative effects.
When choosing cosmetics, it is necessary to focus not on the brand, but on the recommendations of the cosmetologist given after a personal examination. All people are different, the aging process also occurs differently and to correct it requires an individual approach. The doctor will determine the appropriate means that correspond not to the calendar, but to the biological age.
The main features of anti-aging care.
- Soft effect. It's time to give up harsh exfoliants and harsh products that dry out your skin. Mature skin is sensitive and does not recover well after traumatic procedures. It needs delicate and gentle care;
- Mandatory skin protection. The sun is the skin's number one enemy. It is not for nothing that there is a special term "photoaging" to refer to the changes that occur in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays. With age, the skin finds it increasingly difficult to resist its effects. Creams with SPF will help you with this. It is also necessary to protect the skin from the effects of free radicals;
- Intense hydration. The immediate cause of the deterioration of tone and the appearance of wrinkles is a lack of moisture. Anti-aging care is based on deep hydration;
- Stimulation of collagen production. In adulthood, collagen, responsible for skin elasticity, is synthesized more slowly and destroyed faster than in youth. This means that additional stimulation of the formation of its own protein compounds is necessary, necessary to increase the turgor of the epidermis;
- Not just cream. A thin layer of moisturizer may not be enough. Anti-aging care also involves intensive skin nutrition, the use of scrubs, masks and serums. The need for professional procedures also increases every year;
- Regularity. Young skin will forgive its owner for small sins, such as cosmetics that are not washed off at night or irregular care. Adult women need to take care of their face, neck and décolleté constantly, day after day, year after year. Only in this case can you count on a noticeable effect.
Doctor's comment:There is no need to complicate the skin care process in your thoughts, start small, with proper home care! If you have dermatological diseases, you should consult a dermatologist! Since even high-quality home care will not be able to get you out of the acute process. First, treatment in the context of cosmoceutical care, then everything else.
Is it possible to do without a cosmetologist?
Aesthetic medicine and cosmetology have not yet made the dream of eternal youth come true, but they have made it much closer to its realization. Cosmetology procedures with injections and hardware allow you to rejuvenate from the inside and restore the skin naturally. However, it would be a mistake to think that it is enough to take a course in a cosmetology clinic once a year and the rest of the time neglect face and body care. Professional care must be complemented by constant and daily home care. This approach allows you to achieve optimal results and delay old age for many years.
To preserve youth, cosmetic procedures are highly desirable, and anti-aging home care is absolutely necessary. It is best to combine both.
Anti-aging care at home
And now it's time to analyze in detail what anti-aging skin care should consist of. What stages does it consist of, what tools should be used and how to use them correctly.
It must be emphasized once again that the age at which you should start addressing facial care from the point of view of rejuvenation is determined individually. It is difficult to independently assess the condition of your skin and detect changes in time, so it is better to consult with a cosmetologist to draw up an individual plan to preserve youth.
cleaning
It is necessary to constantly combat age-related changes and it is better to choose even routine personal care products with a rejuvenating effect. To prevent discoloration, it is recommended to use the mildest and most delicate cleaners possible. They should easily remove traces of makeup, sebum and impurities, but not dry out or damage the skin.
When choosing a cleanser, you should focus on the condition of your skin. If after washing there is a feeling of tightness or discomfort, it is necessary to look for another option with a higher content of moisturizing components. The appearance of an oily sheen also, oddly enough, indicates a lack of moisture. If irritation and redness occur, you should pay attention to hypoallergenic products.
Even if your skin is prone to breakouts, you should not choose harsh drying products. It is better to give preference to cosmetics with anti-inflammatory effect.
Morning and evening cleansing are two completely different procedures. In the first case, it is enough to remove the skin secretions and the remains of the night cream. Foam can easily cope with this task, and in some cases it is enough to use only tonic. At night, it is also necessary to remove traces of sunscreen, cosmetics and air pollution. In such a situation, makeup removing lotions, creams and oils will come in handy. Additionally, you should use a pore cleansing mask 1-2 times a week.
You need to clean not only your face, but also your neck and décolleté. These areas are very susceptible to aging and therefore require careful attention.
Turn
Many underestimate this stage of care and are completely in vain. The use of a toner restores the water and acid balance, prepares the face for the application of the cream and protects it from aggressive influences. Additionally, residual contaminants that the cleansing lotion or foam could not handle are removed.
The toner is selected depending on the type of skin and is used after washing (or other cleansing) in the morning and evening. In both cases the same suitable agent can be used.
Hydration
Perhaps the most important thing in anti-aging care is hydration. Mature skin always needs hydration and, consequently, moisturizing products and professional procedures.
The hyaluronic acid molecule has an impressive size and cannot cross the epidermal barrier to reach the deeper layers of the skin, so injections have been and continue to be the most effective way to use it. However, scientists have learned to process the molecule so that it penetrates the dermis better. Thanks to these advances, the effectiveness of modern external products with hyaluronic acid has increased significantly.
Another well-known hydrant is urea. Don't be intimidated by the unappetizing name: the substance effectively saturates the skin with moisture and at the same time stimulates cell renewal. These products are very suitable for dry, dehydrated, rough and rough skin. To maintain hydration levels and improve complexion, creams with a low urea content are sufficient. More concentrated products are used to soften rough calluses on your feet.
Glycerin is another popular ingredient. Due to its hygroscopicity, it attracts and binds water molecules such as hyaluronic acid. In terms of moisturizing properties, trihydric alcohol (glycerin) is inferior to hyaluronic acid, but it has smaller molecules that easily penetrate the skin. This component is included in most inexpensive moisturizers with anti-aging effect. At the same time, concentrated glycerin can have the opposite effect, drawing moisture from the epidermis, which is why most manufacturers combine trihydric alcohol with other skin moisturizers.
Doctor's comment:I would like to emphasize that we choose products with urea in cases of hyperkeratosis, for example, with rough skin, with psoriasis, with ichthyosis. Urea helps exfoliate scales and other components of the products moisturize and nourish.
Nutrition
Unlike other organs, the skin can be nourished not only in the traditional way, through blood, but also by absorbing substances that are applied to its surface. It's not just about moisture, but also all kinds of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and lipids. They replenish nutritional deficiencies of the skin, improve the structure of the epidermis, saturate it with useful ingredients and strengthen the protective lipid layer.
If earlier cosmetic products were safely divided into moisturizing and nourishing, now this line has been blurred: the same cream can saturate the skin with moisture and nutrients. As a rule, modern creams, serums and masks combine both types of effects.
To nourish the skin, first of all, fats and fat-soluble substances are needed. Do not underestimate its importance in preserving youth. With age, the skin needs more and more lipids. Even those girls who in their youth complained of excessive sebum secretion notice that their skin becomes drier as they age. The fatty film on the skin surface becomes thinner and can no longer protect the epidermis from negative environmental influences.
Lipid deficiency leads to:
- Increased sensitivity;
- Slow down the exfoliation of dead cells;
- Reduced humidity levels;
- Premature wilting.
It is believed that the skin absorbs nutrients better at night, so it is recommended to apply nutritious products in the afternoon, at night.
Doctor's comment:Our skin is covered by a hydrolipid mantle, this is a very important structure that guarantees the normal functioning of our skin! If its integrity is violated, the skin becomes brittle, dry, dehydrated, does not resist aggressive environmental factors, and the balance of the skin microflora is disturbed. We become helpless and lose resistance to various skin diseases.
Protection
The skin protects internal organs from negative environmental influences. Come into contact with contaminated air, ultraviolet radiation, aggressive substances, low or high temperatures. This effect does not go unnoticed: the condition of the skin worsens. To avoid premature aging, you must take care of your skin throughout your life.
First of all, it is necessary to protect the skin from exposure to sunlight. And you should do this every time you go out during the day, and not just when you're getting ready to go to the beach. The cream is applied for 20-30 minutes until it comes out in a generous layer, if necessary it needs to be renewed. In addition, it is necessary to select such products according to your phototype: the whiter the skin, the higher the protection factor should be. If you do not follow these rules, using a sunscreen lotion will not give you the expected benefits.
Cosmetics with sun protection protect the skin not only from burns, but also from aging. Long-wave radiation (UVA) penetrates the deep layers of the skin and destroys cells. These rays damage the epidermis even in cloudy weather, so it is recommended to use products with SPF all year round.
Daily use of protective creams will protect against photoaging of the skin: pigmentation, sagging, wrinkles, dehydration. But it is necessary to choose the means carefully. The best option would be pharmaceutical cosmeceuticals.
High-quality day creams usually contain sun protection ingredients. If you have to combine moisturizers with Sanskrins, then first apply a moisturizing cream to the face and neck, and once it is completely absorbed, a protective one.
Ultraviolet radiation is not the only factor that causes skin aging. To prolong youth, it is also necessary to protect the epidermis from the effects of free radicals, molecules that damage cells and destroy collagen. For this, antioxidants are used that neutralize the effects of the "aggressors".
They can be:
- Vitamins A, C, P and E;
- Alpha lipoic acid;
- Amino acids;
- Coenzyme Q10;
- isoflavones;
- tannins;
- Beta glucan.
These components can be contained in the cream in various combinations. Antioxidants are a recognized means of preventing aging, so it is recommended to start using creams containing such ingredients even before the first signs of age-related changes appear.
Doctor's comment:It is important to know that various antioxidants work only in certain combinations and their absorption occurs strictly in accordance with the needs of the body. Cosmoceutical products are already presented in suitable combinations. It is important to determine your skin type and needs, a dermatologist or cosmetologist can help you with this.
Special care
In addition to regular skin care, "special" procedures are also required. This category includes both anti-aging courses in cosmetology clinics and the use of masks and peels at home.
Mature skin needs to exfoliate dead cells much more than young skin, as natural renewal processes slow down with age. Therefore, peelings, which girls use only occasionally in their youth, become a necessity for adult women. Gentle exfoliants should be used 2 or 3 times a week.
It is important to use products designed for mature skin. They should be soft, without scratchy particles or irritating ingredients.
When talking about skin care, it is impossible not to mention masks. They usually contain the same ingredients as creams, but in higher concentrations, so masks are intended for intensive care. They can be used regularly, gradually improving the condition of the skin, or as express care if you need to put your face in order before an event.
Masks can be produced in the form of a cream, gel, self-diluting powder, and a finished piece of fabric soaked in healing compounds. The latter type is most often used to urgently refresh the skin.
The purpose of the masks may also be different. For mature skin, nourishing, moisturizing, toning, tightening and illuminating products are best suited. The choice of a specific mask is best done together with a cosmetologist.
Doctor's comment:Pay attention to alginate masks, they are sold for home use and there are also professional ones. They have unique properties and are ideal for any skin type. Their healing properties are explained by the fact that they are made from brown algae. They have a super pronounced lymphatic drainage effect and are a powerful anti-aging prevention.
From theory to practice: choosing cosmetics
A general understanding of the ingredients that are useful for rejuvenation will help you choose personal care products.
Day cream to prolong youth.
The main functions of a day cream are to hydrate and protect the skin. Hyaluronic acid and other moisturizing components help achieve the first objective. In addition, the day cream should improve the quality of the skin, making it more resistant to the negative effects of free radicals, aggressive molecules that cause aging. For this, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E are used.
Vitamin C is often called the vitamin of youth, and this is no coincidence: ascorbic acid stimulates the production of collagen by fibrocytes and destroys melanin, eliminating unnecessary pigmentation.
When choosing a cream, it is advisable to give preference to the so-called cosmeceuticals, that is, cosmetics sold in pharmacies. These varieties differ from massive creams by their high content of active substances and. consequently, greater efficiency. And the best results can be achieved by combining the use of the cream with cosmetic procedures, for example, mesotherapy and biorevitalization.
Anti-aging night cream
Night is the best time to nourish the skin. Although modern night creams do not necessarily have a thick and oily texture, they always contain lipids and fat-soluble substances. They can be fatty acids, shea butter or wheat germ, cholesterol and other ingredients. It also contains moisturizing components.
The task of these products is to restore the skin, as well as stimulate the production of substances necessary to improve its structure: hyaluronic acid, collagen, elastin.
When nourishing the skin, it is important not to overdo it, not to overload it with lipids. This effect is possible if you choose the wrong night cream: the skin acquires a greasy shine, the pores become clogged, comedones and rashes appear. Such phenomena indicate that the night cream is poorly selected or used incorrectly.
It is important to remember that thick and greasy products are primarily intended for dehydrated, rough and flaking skin. In other cases, it is better to choose lighter and more melting textures. In addition, the cream should be adapted to your skin type and age: for anti-aging care, it is better to use cosmetics labeled as anti-aging.
As for usage, the main mistake here is too much application. The night cream should be applied in a thin layer to slightly damp skin after applying the toner. After 15 minutes, the excess that is not absorbed into the epidermis can be blotted with a napkin.
Don't forget that the products should be applied not only to the face, but also to the neck and décolleté!
Doctor's comment: Modern high-quality creams purchased at the pharmacy eliminate the need to use a toner. It is important to choose your night cream and apply it half an hour before going to sleep. Subtly, avoiding contact with the eyes. Light patting movements.
Serums, peels and masks: the secret weapon in the fight for youth
When choosing "special purpose" products, you should pay attention to the following parameters:
- Active substances in the composition;
- Your concentration;
- Possible allergens and irritants.
As when choosing creams, it is advisable to give preference to serums and masks with antioxidant, moisturizing and nourishing ingredients. But the presence of SPF is no longer necessary: the day cream will take care of the sun protection.
Anti-aging serums may contain retinol, vitamin C, ceramides, peptides, collagen, and acids. Masks also often contain a variety of oils that soften the top layer of the epidermis. Modern and effective peels rarely do without the addition of acids.
In addition to masks and peels, it is advisable to purchase anti-aging serums. These are very concentrated products and literally a couple of drops are enough for the transformation. As a rule, serums are non-greasy, instantly absorbed and significantly rejuvenate the skin. No wonder: after all, they contain shock doses of vitamins, amino acids, microelements, peptides and other substances that moisturize, nourish, brighten and tone the skin.
When choosing such products, you should focus not so much on your skin type, but on the problems that need to be solved. Is there pigmentation? Serums that even out skin tone will come to the rescue. Is the oval of the face "swimming"? This means that you should choose the option with a lifting effect. Greater dryness of the epidermis? The problem will be solved faster if, in addition to the usual cream, you use a serum with hyaluronic acid.
Individual approach
Choosing anti-aging cosmetics on your own is not as easy as it seems. The ideal option is to entrust this choice to a cosmetologist. An experienced doctor will easily identify the "weak points" that need maximum attention and help you choose the right remedies.
It is much more difficult to detect signs of aging on our own: we get used to our own appearance and cannot follow changes over time. The result is incorrect selection of anti-aging products and, consequently, ineffective prevention and treatment of skin aging. That is why it is better to spend an hour consulting with a doctor to immediately select exactly the products that your skin needs.
And, of course, the best addition to routine home care will be professional cosmetic procedures in the clinic. We will tell you about them next time.