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Ageing Skin? Here's 5 things that will help!
Ageing skin is inevitable, but there’s plenty we can do to slow down the ageing process, and even more that we can do to stop premature ageing skin in its tracks! In this blog, we will look at 5 ways that you can improve ageing skin, TODAY! No joke, you can start immediately. Let’s get started…
1. Protect your skin from UV rays
UV rays have a lot to answer for, when it comes to ageing skin. Did you know that around 80% of premature ageing is caused by UVA rays? These are the rays we’re exposed to 365 days a year, come rain or shine!
So, you can pretty much stop premature ageing in its tracks, by wearing sunscreen EVERY DAY. Make sure it’s one for the face, minimum SPF 30 (ideally 50), 4/5 start rating, and covers both UVA and UVB rays.
I always say that your sunscreen is your best anti ageing product, and I’m not joking. You can use all the fancy serums and creams in the world, but if you’re not using sunscreen daily, you’re pretty much wasting your money (in my opinion).
And make sure your sunscreen is separate from your moisturiser and makeup. Sunscreen in these products is heavily diluted, and will not be giving you sufficient UVA & UVA protection. My favourite natural sunscreens are Alumier Clear Shield or Sheer Hydration Tinted, or La Roche Posay – if you’re looking for a high-street brand.
2. Get your beauty sleep
In at number 2, is sleep! The reason this is so important is because your skin goes into repair mode at night.
Whilst you’re sleeping, your body is rebalancing hormones, flushing out toxins and fluids, stimulating healthy collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, repairing UV damage – and generally doing all it can to restore balance in your body.
If you’re not sleeping, then you’re not giving your body a chance to produce fresh, healthy skin. This can leave us with tired, dull skin, puffiness, dark circles and dehydrated skin. It’s called ‘beauty sleep’ for a reason.
And, if you struggle to sleep, I hear you. I was an insomniac for years, in the height of my corporate career – and boy was skin ageing at the top of my ‘worry’ list! I found that using Renpho Eye Mask Massager really helps, my HigherDose GO Infrared and PEMF mat have really helped me.
I have also found that taking a collagen supplement at night helps too. I personally take either Reverse Life Marine Collagen, or Rejuvenated Collagen Shots, along with Rejuvenated H30 Night Repair. I also HIGHLY recommend a silk pillowcase too. You can get them on Amazon for a reasonable price, just make sure they are 100% mulberry silk. Your hair and skin will love it!
3. Fight ageing skin with vitamin C!
Vitamin C is a super-hero in the fight against ageing skin! It’s a powerful antioxidant that protects your skin from damage caused by free radicals, which contribute to signs of aging. Vitamin C is also essential for collagen production, which helps maintain youthful, plump skin.
The beauty of vitamin C, is it works from the inside out and outside in, and you can absorb it in different ways. Serums, supplements, and day-to-day nutrition will be a powerful combination!
You can start boosting your vitamin C intake today, with foods like oranges, strawberries, kiwi, peppers and squashes, such as pumpkin and butternut squash.
You can also take vitamin C as a supplement, and I highly recommend Advanced Nutrition Programme SkinVit C, which contains high levels of easily absorbed vitamin C, together with zinc – which is essential for repair and healing.
If you really want to win the fight with ageing skin, consider a vitamin C serum, such as AlumierMD Ever Active C&E Peptide, it’s unique vitamin C-rich formula has been clinically proven to reduce lines and wrinkles, boosts collagen production, and promotes an even skin tone. You can learn more via the button below!
4. Exercise to boost circulation
Did you know you can combat ageing skin with exercise? Even better, exercising outside!
Exercising boosts your circulation, which helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to your skin cells. If you’ve ever had that post-workout glow (or, you go lobster red – like me!), then this is why. That post-workout glow is real!
Exercise is also great for stress relief, and as you’ve probably heard me say before, stress is one of the worst things for your skin. When your stress hormone cortisol spikes, your skin suffers – which can lead to premature ageing very quickly!
And if you can take your exercise outside, that’s even better. You’ll have the added benefit of a boost of vitamin D, which plays an important role in skin health.
If you’d like to learn more about how to look after your skin from the inside out and outside in, you can download my Ultimate Skin Guide via the button below.
5. Reduce your stress levels
Next to UV exposure, stress is the next big contributor to ageing skin, particularly premature ageing skin. I touched on it above, but when your body is in a state of stress, your cortisol and adrenaline levels are raised. Your body thinks you are under threat, and it is primed to get you to safety. Like….run from the lion!
When you’re in this elevated stress state, you do not need lovely glossy hair, radiant skin, or good digestion – so typically, these are the areas that suffer! Not to mention the knock-on effect on sleep.
Don’t get me wrong, not all stress is bad – we need some stress in our lives, or we’d never get anything done! I’m talking about elevated stress, where you’re constantly at a 5/10 or higher on your stress levels.
Don’t stress about being stressed either – that won’t help the fight against ageing skin. Start with breathing exercises for a couple of minutes at a time, rather than heading straight for an hour of meditation. Baby steps for the win. You can read more HERE, on how to manage your skin during stressful times.
Ageing skin, how to look after it long term
- Balancing your hormones, in whichever way is right for you, WILL help improve your skin. As we approach perimenopause, we can really notice ageing skin changes creeping in. This is down to a change in hormones oestrogen and progesterone. Balancing your hormones, in whichever way feels right for you, will help to reduce premature ageing. You can read more on Menopause Skin Changes in my blog HERE.
- Look after your skin from the inside out, by eating a well-balanced diet that is rich in food that can nourish your skin. ‘Eat the rainbow’ and eat as many different coloured fruit and vegetables as possible, and include oily fish, and/or nuts and seeds in your diet, to boost your natural fat levels. You’ll find more nutrition advice in my Ultimate Skin Guide. Cut down on sugar, as this contributes to lines & wrinkles, it causes a hardening of the collagen fibers, which causes something called ‘glycation’. If you have crisscross lines & wrinkles, then this is likely to be the cause of them.
- Take steps to reduce your stress levels, as high levels of cortisol, our natural stress hormone, wreaks havoc with our skin, and aside from UV exposure, is THE most common cause of premature ageing skin.
- Aim for 7-9 hours sleep a night. If you’re not getting sufficient sleep, your skin doesn’t have the chance to repair, regenerate or remove toxins and fluids, and you’ll see signs of premature ageing progressing rapidly, and you may be left with tired, dull, and puffy skin.
- Invest in a targeted and high-grade skincare range, with powerful anti-ageing ingredients, such as retinol, vitamin C, AHA’s, BHA’s, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and of course, sunscreen! The active ingredients help to speed up cell turnover and boost collagen levels. Targeted serums can also address sun damage, pigmentation, and rosacea/acne. All fantastic in the fight against ageing skin!
- Consider both at-home and clinical treatments, to help with ageing skin and to prevent premature ageing: We can’t stop the natural ageing process, but we can definitely slow it down! By combining at-home devices such as the Foreo Bear or NuFace microcurrent devices (to work the muscles), with clinical treatments, you’ll be amazed at how much of a difference you can make to your ageing skin.
Treating ageing skin with advanced treatments
As our skin ages, our natural collagen and elastin levels drop dramatically. Having treatments that naturally boost our skin’s ability to produce these important proteins, will give you plumper, firmer, and more lifted skin. I like to think that these treatments trick our skin into acting like it’s in our 20’s again! (when our collagen and elastin levels are much higher).
There are two treatments that are ‘superheroes’ when it comes to ageing skin. And that’s radiofrequency micro-needling and HIFU. These two treatments are amazing on their own, but combined the results can be incredible. These treatments boost collagen & elastin in your skin and have a tightening and lifting effect. The benefits are multiple and include reduced lines & wrinkles, improved skin tone and texture, and tightening & lifting. They are super popular treatments for the face and neck but are also amazing for tummies and arms too.
When combined with lifestyle factors, nutrition, and AlumierMD skincare, you can really amplify your results. And the best thing is, that you still see improvement long after you’ve left me. The results continue to improve for 3-6 months after treatment.
My top 5 tips for skin ageing
As you can see, there are plenty of things you can do for ageing skin, for minimal cost – and just a few lifestyle and diet tweaks. As a nutritional therapist, I always work with you on the inside out and outside in, because that’s where you’re going to see the best results – and you’ll feel amazing too. So, let’s recap on my 5 golden tips:
- Wear sunscreen every single day, come rain or shine.
- Get your beauty sleep in, so your skin can repair and regenerate.
- Eat foods that are rich in vitamin C, which is essential to healthy collagen production.
- Exercise to boost circulation, and ideally outside (with sunscreen on, of course!) to boost those vitamin D levels.
- Reduce your stress, where you can. Too much cortisol in your system will play havoc with your skin.
And of course, if you’d like to find out more about treatments and skincare, to really get to grips with ageing skin, I’d love to hear from you.
I always work with my clients to find some quick and easy changes that they can make, that make a huge difference to their skin. It’s never just about skincare or treatments. The best results come when we work together, from the outside in and inside out.
I'd love to help you
If you’ve been struggling with ageing skin concerns, and would like to learn how to improve your skin, AND achieve long term results, then please get in touch.
I hope that you’ve enjoyed my blog and found some helpful tips, that you can start today. I’d love to welcome you to my aesthetics clinic is based in Alton, Hampshire. I am right on the Hampshire / Surrey border, and just 15 minutes from both Basingstoke and Farnham.
If you would like to book a no obligation Skin Consultation You can book your appointment via the button below. If there are no slots available, then please add yourself to the waiting list, or use the contact form, and we will be in touch when an appointment becomes available.
I offer online services for skin care prescription and advice, so if you’d like some help, but you’re not local to me – that’s absolutely fine, I can still help you.
I look forward to hearing from you. Best, Nikki
