Lifestyle and the Aging Face
It’s long been known that lifestyle habits and the environment play a role on how our faces age. The latest study involving the evaluation of twins with the same genetic make up lets us know conclusively that aging does not rely upon genetic make up alone. Study results featured in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery demonstrate four factors that contribute to aging skin, including: weight loss, weight gain, divorce, and anti-depressants. The study involved 186 pairs of twins that had images taken of their faces and completed a comprehensive questionnaire. Then, the twins’ photos were studied and data from the questionnaire was analyzed. The results were interesting, as follows:
- Divorced twins appeared two years older than their siblings who were married, single or widowed.
- Overweight twins less than forty years of age appeared older than their sibling that was not overweight.
- Overweight twins that were more than forty years old appeared younger than their average weight sibling.
- Twins using anti-depressants appeared significantly older than their sibling who did not take anti-depressants.
It is true that lifestyle habits, stress and the environment can ultimately result in the appearance of dull, dry, wrinkled skin. The sun and the cold may damage our skin. Pollutants in the air may be damaging as well. The good news is that there are lifestyle changes that can be made to slow down the biological clock, including:
Injectibles: Injectibles such as Botox can prevent wrinkles just as much as treat wrinkles on the forehead, between the brow and around the eyes.
Medical Grade Skincare: Medical grade skincare can accelerate the exfoliation process to remove debris and rejuvenate the skin.
Moisturizers: Moisturizers help protect the skin from pollutants in the air and harsh weather conditions. Eye moisturizers are particularly important because the skin surrounding the eyes does not have oil glands.
Sunscreen: Sunscreen SPF15 or higher can help protect the skin from sun damage.
Exercise: Cardiovascular exercise helps the body to process oxygen more quickly and efficiently. In doing so, helps to fuel the skin with positive energy.
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