The thought of aging can be disheartening, especially when it starts to show on the skin. If you’ve noticed the first signs and wondered how to get rid of wrinkles, fine lines and hyperpigmentation, here’s a good gist of all the different options for you.
Reverse your aging skin can involve anything from simple lifestyle changes to invasive cosmetic and clinical procedures. Your choice may be affected by how much time and money you’re willing to spend and whether you want slow, graceful natural changes or dramatic transformations.
Table of Contents
1. Cosmetic Treatments
If you’re looking for a quick, tangible aging reversal, cosmetic treatments are your best bet. But before you opt for them, remember that they can cost you a bit!
Chemical peels and dermabrasion
These are perhaps the least invasive of the clinical treatments and a good way to get rid of hyperpigmentation such as scars and sunspots, and even a few wrinkles. They involve removing the outermost layer of the skin with a chemical solution or with a mechanical device. This makes the skin smoother and brighter. These procedures stimulate the skin to grow new cells and heal itself.
Light and laser treatments
As the name suggests, these treatments involve using light energy to promote tissue repair and healing. They are non-invasive and work by increasing endorphin production and energy in the skin cells. Laser treatments are effective for getting rid of loose skin, wrinkles and even hyperpigmentation.
Botox and Dermal fillers
These involve injections with botulinum toxin (botox) or certain acids and fats to make the skin tight and firm. They are usually temporary and require repetitive treatments.
Face lifts
These are invasive medical procedures that are permanent but involve surgeries to get rid of sagging skin and wrinkles. They are extremely expensive, making them an option for few.
2. Supplements
Supplements are additional vitamins, minerals and fats you can consume, apart from your regular diet, to cover up for lack of nutrition and rejuvenate the skin cells. Common examples are:
Vitamin C
This is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals that cause skin damage. It also increases collagen production for rebuilding skin cells to repair and heal the skin.
Collagen peptides
Collagen increases blood flow to the skin and enhances skin elasticity to make it plump and youthful
Omega-3
This is an essential fatty acid that regulates the natural oil produced by the skin to improve hydration. Omega-3 also protects the skin from sun damage to prevent photo aging.
3. Follow a skin care routine
For your skin to remain young and healthy, maintain a regular skin care routine consisting of the following steps:
Cleanse
Cleanse your skin at least twice a day to get rid of dust, impurities and excess oil. Use a mild cleanser, preferably with natural ingredients such as honey, milk, lemon, green tea, chamomile and botanical oils.
Tone
Enlarged pores are another sign of skin aging. Toning helps tighten the pores and gives the skin an even texture and flawless appearance. Tone your skin after cleansing it to clean out the pores and calm any irritations and inflammations. Look for ingredients like rose water, apple cider vinegar, aloe vera, witch hazel and essential oils.
Nourish
Always keep your skin hydrated with an effective moisturizer. Dry skin increases wrinkles and fine lines. It also tends to get inflamed which in turn leads to premature aging.
Use an eye cream with retinol A to prevent eye bags, dark circles and puffiness below the eyes. Nourish your skin with hydrating, nutrient-rich oils such as ostrich oil, emu oil and botanical oils like jojoba, sweet almond, coconut, olive, damask rose, rosehip, avocado and grape-seed oil.
Exfoliate
Exfoliation removes dead skin cells to stimulate the skin to repair and regenerate. It clears up the pores, gets rid of dullness and fades scars and spots. Look for natural sponges like konjac sponge or exfoliators with ingredients like oatmeal, apple cider vinegar, yoghurt, salt, sugar and ground coffee.
4. Protect your skin from the sun
Protect your skin from UV damage with an effective sunscreen or sunblock. Go for a physical sunblock with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to reflect UV radiation and naturally lighten the skin over time. Also, wear protective clothing and cover your skin as much as possible from being exposed to the sun.
5.Get rid of habits that induce aging
You may not realize certain habits and lifestyle choices that might be causing your skin to age faster than it should! Getting rid of these destructive habits is a good place to start your anti-aging efforts. Small changes compound and can be beneficial in the long run.
Here are some habits worth changing:
Smoking
Smoking causes premature wrinkles and fine lines. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels to the skin thereby reducing the oxygen and nutrient flow to the cells.
Not getting enough sleep
We take sleep for granted in our youthful years but it is crucial for the skin cells to regenerate and rejuvenate. It’s time to shed the late nights and make sure you get your 8 hours of sleep every day.
Stressing out too much
Stressing increases cortisol levels in the blood which can lead to collagen and elastin (proteins responsible for skin elasticity) breakdown. This means wrinkles and saggy skin. Chronic stress increases chances of inflammation which in turn speeds up the appearance of wrinkles on the skin.
6. Take care of your diet
Your diet can provide you with ample nutrition to keep your skin healthy and younger looking for longer. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables to load up your vitamins and minerals. Nuts, seeds and fish will provide you with healthy fats to keep your skin hydrated. Include probiotics to support the natural healthy bacteria that reside on the skin (the skin’s microbiome).
7. Exercises
Facial and neck exercises like face yoga can help relieve overused and stressed muscles to reduce or slow down wrinkles and saggy skin. They also increase blood circulation to the skin to activate the cells and rejuvenate them. You can practice these simple exercises whenever you take a 5-10 minute break while doing your daily tasks.
8. Home remedies
Home remedies take a little while to show effects but including them in your routine can make sure you look younger and radiant for longer. They use simple kitchen ingredients like lemon, honey, cucumber, papaya, rosewater, orange, aloe gel, yoghurt, etc. and are therefore easy on the pocket. Because they are natural, they are safe and come with minimal or no side effects.
