The top 10 causes of skin aging

Everyone wants to maintain a fresh and beautiful appearance for as long as possible. Certain habits and behaviors in our daily lives sometimes cause our skin to age faster than it should. Skin aging consists of internal and external factors that affect the skin. We’ve listed the top 10 causes for you that affect the appearance of, among others wrinkles, thinning of the skin, pigmentation spots and red blood vessels!

1. UV radiation

The biggest factor for skin aging is UV radiation, including the best known; sunlight! But not only sunlight directly affects your skin. In fact, UV radiation is divided into three groups; UV-A , UV-B and UV-C. UV radiation, visible light and infrared radiation are present in different amounts, have different energy values and penetrate to different skin levels. And thus affect skin aging because it causes damage to cells.

2. Air pollution

Our skin comes into contact with polluted air a lot, think of exhaust fumes or pollutants that linger low in the atmosphere. Studies show that certain substances can easily penetrate the skin and cause the appearance of age spots and wrinkles.

3. Smoking

Smokers’ skin is characterized by prominent facial wrinkles, especially around the mouth, on the upper lip and around the eyes. Smoking alters skin tone and appearance. Cigarette smoke actually impairs the growth of fibroblasts responsible for collagen production. Moreover, it causes reduced antioxidant defense activity, accelerating the skin aging process.

4. Nutrition

Dietary factors and supplements can affect aging skin. A diet rich in antioxidants can slow the aging process. A high vitamin C intake is associated with fewer wrinkles.

5. Stress

There is clinical evidence that stress affects skin integrity, but not that it aggravates skin aging. However, stress is known to affect increased levels of inflammation that can affect the skin. Stress is also known to cause a decrease in the superficial skin barrier, making your skin less resilient to outside influences.

6. Sleep deprivation

Sleep deprivation affects the appearance of the face. We recognize the impact of sleep deprivation by more signs of aging and reduced barrier function. This additionally causes moisture to evaporate from the skin faster.

7. Temperature of the skin

Normal skin temperature is about 33 degrees Celsius. Heat is an environmental factor that can contribute to skin aging. Heat is generated as a result of infrared radiation and leads to an increase in skin temperature. Under the influence of direct infrared radiation, skin temperature can rise to more than 40 degrees Celsius, due to the conversion of infrared and heat. An acute heat shock in the skin stimulates the formation of new blood vessels, the emergence of inflammatory cells and causes oxidative DNA damage. This can be referred to as thermal skin aging.

8. Degradation of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.

After about age 25, the amount of collagen decreases and the first fine lines and wrinkles may appear. Under the influence of enzymes, collagen and elastin are broken down. If there is no longer a good balance between the production and breakdown of collagen, the skin ages and shows signs of sagging. In addition, the skin becomes thinner. Hyaluronic acid is the body’s own substance, and as we age, hyaluronic acid is broken down by a variety of factors. Hyaluronic acid creates volume in the skin and stimulates collagen production. The previously mentioned causes also affect this.

9. Menopause

After menopause, collagen levels decrease by 2% per postmenopausal year. Collagen levels in the skin are related to estrogen levels. In the first five years after menopause, collagen decreases by as much as 30%. This means that after menopause the skin slackens and becomes drier very quickly, as there is then an estrogen deficiency.

10. Decrease in bone structure

As we age, bone structure decreases. As a result, the tissue has less grip and there is also a reduction in deep and subcutaneous fat. Gravity also comes into play, causing the skin to sag more and “droop.

How can you ensure that the skin aging process is inhibited?

• Using the right skincare products that improve skin condition, stimulate collagen and protect the skin;
• Using an antioxidant can reduce skin aging caused by UV radiation and air pollution;
• The Confidence Booster GLOW treatments, through superficial- to medium-deep peelings, microneedling (RF) and/or laser- en IPL treatments . These treatment techniques can be very well combined to achieve an optimal effect faster;
• Skin therapy treatments support the desired effect of injectable treatments. To achieve the best results, we recommend both skin therapy treatments, injectable treatments and the use of appropriate skincare, according to our unique concept the Confidence Booster;
• Get educated by our knowledgeable and skilled practitioners!

Are you curious what our skin therapists or cosmetic doctors can do for you? Then schedule a no-obligation consultation in with one of our specialists at our clinic in Rotterdam or Nijmegen and they will create a suitable customized plan for you!