What happens to our skin as we age

With aging, the outer skin layer (epidermis) thins, even though the number of cell layers remains unchanged.

The number of pigment-containing cells (melanocytes) decreases. The remaining melanocytes increase in size. Aging skin looks thinner, paler, and less vibrant.

Changes in the connective tissue reduce the skin’s strength and elasticity. This is known as elastosis. It is more noticeable in sun-exposed areas (solar elastosis). Elastin loses its “snap”, allowing skin to become more lax and loose looking.

Wrinkles form at the dermal layer of the skin due to a degradation of the elastin structure.

Collagen production also reduces making skin less elastic and less firm.

The blood vessels of the dermis become more fragile, causing an impairment on circulation

Sebaceous glands produce less oil as you age. Men experience a minimal decrease, most often after the age of 80. Women gradually produce less oil beginning after menopause. This can make it harder to keep the skin moist, resulting in dryness and itchiness.The average moisture content of the stratum corneum is slightly decreased.Drier skin manifest in fine lines.

The sweat glands produce less sweat. This makes it harder to keep cool.

Growths such as skin tags, warts, brown rough patches (seborrheic keratoses), and other blemishes are more common in older people.

Regenerative properties of the skin diminishes, causing a reduction in the rate of cell turnover. This make the skin to look dull and ashen and also makes healing slower.

Cellular ageing and visible effect on skin

Decrease in amount of sebum and sweat produced

Decerase in elastin and collagen protein fibres

Fragile blood vessel & less circulation

Slow cell turnover

Thinning epidermis

Decrease in number of melanocytes

Drier skin

Loose, sagging skin and wrinkles

Dull complexion and skin tone

Poor wound healing, dull skin, rough skin & uneven pigmentation

Dehydrated skin

Paler looking skin

How can we stay Younger for Longer

Aging gracefully, is a combination of healthy lifestyle choices and good skincare practices. And while both are really important, one has more profound effect on the skin over the other. And that is healthy lifestyle choices.

This is because, using all the amazing skincare products and having a stellar skincare routine, with a terrible lifestyle will most likely negate any benefits you stand to gain.

Healthy skin goes hand in hand with a healthy mind and body .

Lifestyle choices that can help you age gracefully

Getting adequate and quality sleep. For adults,  7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep daily is recommended.

Good and healthy balanced diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, low sugar and alcohol

Excessive consumption of sugar and alcohol can accelerate skin aging

Antioxidant rich foods and whole foods, vitamins and minerals can help reduce inflammation and free radical damage in the body.

Regular exercise helps to improve blood flow and circulation in the body. exercise also reduces stress.

There is growing evidence to show that inflammatory skin conditions can be aggravated by stress

Regular exercise can also help to reduce the appearance of cellulite by making the skin appear smooth and firm.

Adequate sun protection will help prevent skin problems like sun spots,  and reduce the effect of wrinkles and fine lines.

Smoking wrecks havoc on the skin by activating enzymes which break down collagen and elastin fibres, reduce the amount of oxygen flow to the skin and leads to the generation of free radicals

Skincare practices that can prolong youthful skin

Cleansing

Avoid the use of harsh soaps and cleansers as you get older.

Instead, opt for gentle more natural cleansers that will not further dry out your skin.

Look for cleanser with soothing and moisturising ingredients , gentle surfactants and PH balanced.

BSN Deep cleansing face wash is a mild and gentle cleanser formulated with papaya extracts, kaolin clay and tapioca starch to impart mildness while offering an effective cleansing action.

So the skin feels clean without the attendant tightness or dryness.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation should be more regular at least 3 x a week. This is to support the skin to increase cell turnover, and speed up the  skin’s regenerative process, which slows down considerably as we age.

This will help to remove uneven skin tone and brighten the skin’s complexion. A really good exfoliant to Use is the Glow Face Toner  Made with 10% lactic acid ( which will also help increase the skin’s hydration level as well as exfoliate) and other soothing plant extracts such as willow bark and witch hazel plant extract.

This product will even out skin tone and brighten dull complexion when used regularly.

Antioxidant-Rich products

Antioxidants play a huge role in reversing the visible sign s of aging, due to their restorative actions in the skin to repair damage caused by the environment, pollutants and other processes within and outside our skin that cause harm or damage to the skin.

Without Anti-oxidants, once damage is done to the skin, there would be no way to stop or even repair the damage.

Antioxidants are like the natural defence systems of the body, protecting the skin from external aggressors and attacks.

Here at BSN, we have quite a number of potent anti-oxidant -rich products that are easy to incorporate in your skincare routine. These products will definitely make a difference to ensure that your skin holds off the aging process as long as possible.

Masks are an easy way to  obtain the full benefits of active ingredients by applying them directly to the skin in high concentrations for a short period of time. Green tea is a good anti-oxidant with proven  anti-aging record when applied topically in the skin.

 Below are the main ways green tea can improve the skin.

Protects the skin: As an antioxidant that scavenges free radicals caused by environmental stressors like UV radiation and pollution

• • Minimizes signs of aging: it can reduce the signs of sun damage, such as hyperpigmentation, rough texture, and fine lines.

  • Reduces excess sebum: Its ability to reduce sebum coupled with its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties makes the ingredient suitable for patients suffering from acne and those with oily complexions,

• • Soothes the skin:green tea can reduce inflammation in skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis

This is a multi-tasking moisturiser for combatting ageing skin.

Its diverse arsenal of hydrating ceramides and anti-aging ingredients, make it such a formidable product for anyone who would want the best for her skin.It contains CoQ10 and Ceramide complex, along with other skin nourishing ingredients.

CoQ10 is a very potent  anti- oxidant that helps to regenerate and rejuvenate skin cells.

Combination of ceramides and fatty acids help to normalise dry skin and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles caused by dry skin and dehydration.

The antioxidants in resveratrol counteract the unstable free radical molecules and fight against the oxidative stress, thereby preventing the cellular damage to skin.

Studies have shown that resveratrol can prevent photoaging, a type of extrinsic aging that occurs when unprotected skin is repeatedly exposed to the sun and, therefore, UV radiation.

When combined with vitamin E and Ferrulic acid, other potent  antioxidants, resveratrol  has the rejuvenating power to significantly improve fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, firmness, elasticity, radiance, and roughness.

Finally, using all the best skincare products will not make much of a difference without adequate sun protection.

That is why you need a Sunscreen.

This will help prevent an accumulation of sun damage in your younger days, which will come back to affect you when you are older in the form of age spots and mottled pigmentation.

The additional benefits of using a  tinted  sunscreen with iron oxide, is that it gives you extra protection from blue light  emitted from screens as well as from all other sources of visible light.