Here are some behaviors that can cause your skin to deteriorate early, such as sleeping less and using less SPF.
Frequent eye rubbing can hasten the development of creases and fine lines around the eyes.
Although epidermis of all ages is lovely, aging can make you look less radiant. By avoiding these practices that can hasten skin aging, you can maintain your visage smooth, vibrant, and plump.
1. Persistently Rubbing Your Eyes Can Cause Dark Circles and Fine Lines
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, under-eye circles are a result of the muscles around the eyes deteriorating as people age naturally. According to Paul Jarrod Frank, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and the author of The Pro-Aging Playbook, massaging the eyes is generally not an issue and won’t have any long-term negative impacts.
But according to Mount Sinai, persistently scratching your eyes can lead to problems by worsening the localized irritation. According to Tanya Nino, MD, a board-certified dermatologist who also serves as the melanoma program head at Providence St. Joseph in Orange County, California, “constantly rubbing your eyes can impact the lines around your eyes. She frequently observes this developing into an issue for eczema patients, who may overly touch their eyes out of itching and irritation. According to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, these creases and bags have a term as well, according to Dr. Nino: Dennie-Morgan lines, which can resemble a black eye in appearance.
Not only that. According to Jeanine B. Downie, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, writer of Beautiful Skin of Color, and head of Image Dermatology in Montclair, New Jersey, pulling, twisting, and rubbing on the sensitive skin around the eyes can result in darkness.
Skin treatments Find out the cause of your eye irritation. The most frequent cause of eye itching (and extensive eye scratching), according to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, is allergens; therefore, to identify and address symptoms, consult an allergist. If eczema is the source of your discomfort, a dermatologist can provide you with information on your therapy choices, Nino recommends.
2. Not Getting Enough Sleep Disrupts Skin Renewal
Sleep is necessary for vitality, focus, and even skin. Jeannette Graf, MD, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, claims that the epidermis enters a renewal stage at night.
Sleep deprivation over time can become visible on your visage. In a research involving 60 women that was published in January 2015 in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, it was discovered that insufficient sleep, which was classified as five hours or less, was associated with more aging signs, worse skin barrier function, and decreased happiness with appearance.
Skin treatments The National Sleep Foundation offers these four recommendations to help you get enough sleep:
- Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day so your body gets on a schedule.
- Make your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet.
- Finish eating two to three hours before bed.
- Limit the amount of caffeine you consume in the afternoon.
3. Sipping Out of a Straw Can Cause Fine Lines
Do you use a straw to consume black drinks, tea, and coffee? While it might help keep your teeth sparkling white, it can also lead to fine creases around the lips, an indication of aging skin.
The muscles around the mouth are worked when you drink through a straw, says Nino: “The more we work those muscles, the more likely we are to get that crease in the skin.” She says it’s the same reason smokers get creases around their mouths. The Mayo Clinic claims that repeated mouth pinching is the cause of those lines.
Skin treatment Though Nino advises against using straws at all costs, she does advise against using them whenever possible.
4. Stress Releases Cortisol, Causing Collagen Breakdown
Stress has an impact on every aspect of our bodies, according to Dr. Frank. Including your epidermis in that.
Chronic worry (or insomnia brought on by stress) causes your body to continuously release stress chemicals, which can hasten the aging process. According to board-certified dermatologist and psychotherapist Amy Wechsler, MD, cortisol, the main stress hormone, breaks down collagen, causing inflammation as well as sagging skin and creases. And because prolonged worry causes more inflammation, studies have found that it can hasten the aging process.
Skin treatments According to Frank, “stress can be decreased primarily through lifestyle adjustments, including good diet, good sleep, and meditation, all of which have a significant impact on the biological and cosmetic aging process. Find out what truly soothes you, then practice it frequently.
5. Relying on Makeup for Sunscreen Leaves Skin Unprotected
SPF is paramount for preventing the epidermis from maturing too quickly. According to a previous research, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes 80% of the obvious face aging symptoms, such as wrinkles and changes in pigmentation.
However, you might not be adequately shielding your skin from UV radiation if you only use makeup with SPF to prevent them. “Most makeup protects against UVB rays but doesn’t block UVA rays, which cause fine lines, brown spots, enlarged pores, and crepey-ness,” says Dee Anna Glaser, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, a professor, and the interim chair of the dermatology department at St. Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri.
Additionally, applying a lot of makeup would be necessary to reap the benefits of sunblock. Makeup will provide additional protection in addition to SPF, but alone it is probably insufficient, according to Frank.
Skin treatment Before applying your cosmetics, use a broad-spectrum SPF sunblock or moisturizer. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, broad-spectrum means the product will shield your skin from UVA radiation, which speed up skin aging, and UVB rays, which can cause burns. People must apply SPF separately from their cosmetics, according to Frank. Typically, an appropriate level of protection is SPF 30.
According to studies, we may neglect some areas when applying sunblock, claims Dr. Glaser. According to a study that was released in April 2019 in PLoS One, 20% of the 84 study participants who used moisturizer with SPF skipped the region around the eyelids, and 14% of those who used sunscreen instead of moisturizer missed the eye area. So you’re more likely to cover those neglected regions if you apply lotion before cosmetics, according to Glaser.
6. Ignoring Your Neck and Hands Can Cause UV Damage
According to Nino, ultraviolet radiation poses the single most curable danger factor for aging. However, even the most vigilant SPF users occasionally forget to protect their hands and neck, which is possibly why these regions are among the first to reveal a person’s age. In fact, earlier studies discovered that women were judged to be older than counterparts with plumper palms if their hands had noticeable veins and wrinkles.
We loose some flexibility as we get older, claims Nino. According to the Cleveland Clinic, this causes the hands to lose bulk and fat, which results in transparent skin that is wrinkled and age-spotted. Your epidermis essentially becomes thinner, which causes your palms to appear less full, claims Nino. “You start to see the vessels a little more clearly, and they look more wrinkled,” the author said of the tendons.
According to Nino, prolonged solar exposure can also cause the neck to age and become stained.
Skin treatment Again, averting the sun’s harmful radiation can be beneficial. If you must go outside, Nino advises seeking cover and donning sun protection gear like a cap with a brim and sunscreen. She continues by mentioning that some of her patients put on UV-protective gloves to safeguard their palms from the sun while traveling.
7. Forgetting Sunglasses Can Damage the Eyes and Surrounding Skin
Sunglasses shield the eyes from UV radiation, which can damage the conjunctiva, cornea, lens, and retina, according to Piedmont Healthcare. (and, as previously noted, UV rays can damage the delicate skin around the eyes, too).
Dr. Downie claims that repeated facial expressions like squinting, smiling, and pouting “etch lines and wrinkles into your face over time,” while Nino says that the more you use your facial musculature to make an emotion, the more creases you’ll notice when your face is at rest.
Skin treatment Put on shades, even in the cold, advises Nino; the more coverage, the better. According to the University of Utah, look for a set that states “100% protection against both UVA and UVB” or “100% protection against UV 400” on the label.
8. Using Drying Soap Can Accentuate Wrinkles
Bars of soap frequently contain harsh chemicals that rob skin of its natural lipids, despite the fact that your elders may swear by the basic cleanser. Although dehydrated skin doesn’t directly cause lines, Glaser claims that it does make them more obvious. Additionally, dry skin is unable to defend itself against irritants and allergies like germs and viruses. According to Nino, this is due to the weaker epidermis layer that results from dehydration.
If your epidermis is particularly delicate, your soap selection is crucial. Yes, the detergent you use will have an impact if you have delicate skin, eczema, or rosacea, according to Nino.
Skin treatment Make use of a restorative cleaner. The terms “gentle” and “moisturizing” should be present on the packaging, advises the American Academy of Dermatology. The Mayo Clinic suggests that you avoid using deodorant detergent or products that may contain chemicals that dry out your skin, like alcohol, fragrance, retinoids, or alpha hydroxy acids. After cleansing your skin, Nino advises using an antioxidant-rich moisturizer, like vitamin C.
