Although skin can be beautiful at any age, it is susceptible to aging. These habits can lead to premature skin aging.
Constantly Rubbing Your Eyes Could Cause Dark Circles or Fine Lines
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, under-eye bags can signify natural aging. They occur when the muscles around the eyes become weaker. Rubbishing the eyes won’t cause permanent side effects and is a common problem for most people, according to Paul Jarrod Frank, a New York City-based dermatologist and author of Pro-Aging Playbook.
Mount Sinai says that constant eye rubbing can cause inflammation and increase the risk of infection. “Continually rubbing your eyes can cause lines around your eyes,” states Tanya Nino. She is a board-certified dermatologist and the Melanoma program Director at Providence St. Joseph in Orange County. Patients with eczema may rub their eyes excessively to relieve itching and irritation. According to Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, these lines can almost look like a black eye. Dr. Nino believes there is a name for them.
This is one of many problems. “Pulling, tugging, and rubbing on the sensitive skin around the eyes could cause darkness,” states Jeanine Downie, MD. She is a board-certified dermatologist and coauthor of Beautiful Color. She is also the director of Image Dermatology in Montclair, New Jersey.
Find out why your eyes are rubbing. The Ohio State University Wexner Health Center in Columbus states that allergy is the leading cause of excessive eye rubbing (and eye itching). So, visit an allergist for diagnosis and treatment. Nino suggests that you consult a dermatologist if it’s eczema causing the discomfort.
Insufficient Sleep Causes Disruptions in Skin Renewal
A good night’s sleep is vital for energy, concentration, and skin health. “Night is when skin enters a state of renewal,” says Jeannette, MD, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City.
Your face can be affected by a lack of sleep over time. In a study published in January 2015 in Clinical Dermatology, 60 women discovered that poor sleep (defined to be less than five hours) is linked with increased signs of age, lower skin barrier function, and lower satisfaction with their appearance.
Skin solutions Get enough sleep with these tips from the National Sleep Foundation
- Your body will get on a routine if you go to bed and wake up simultaneously each day.
- Your bedroom should be dark, quiet, and calm.
- Before bed, finish your meal at least two hours earlier.
- Limit how much caffeine your afternoon consumes.
Fine Lines Can Be Caused by Sipping from a Straw
Are you able to drink coffee, dark sodas, and tea through a straw? Although it may prevent staining of your pearly whites from being stained, it can also cause fine lines around the mouth, which is a sign that your skin is getting older.
Nino points out the fact that drinking from a straw activates the muscles around your lips. These lines can be traced back to repetitive lip pursing, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Skin solution While you don’t have to avoid straws, Nino suggests you should.
Stress Causes Collagen Loss
Dr. Frank states that stress affects every part of the body. This includes your skin.
Your body can continuously produce stress hormones if you are constantly worried or losing sleep. This can lead to premature aging. Cortisol is the main stress hormone and can cause wrinkles, sagging skin, and inflammation. Amy Wechsler, MD, is a New York City-based psychiatrist and board-certified dermatologist. research shows that chronic stress can accelerate the aging process due to increased inflammation.
Skin solutions Frank states that lifestyle changes such as good nutrition, exercise, and meditation can reduce stress.
Find what helps you relax the most and practice it often.
Skin Left Unprotected by Makeup for Sunscreen
SPF protects the skin against premature aging. A past study showed that UV light exposure is responsible for 80 percent of visible signs of facial aging, including wrinkles and pigmentation changes.
You may not adequately protect your skin if you rely on makeup containing SPF. “Most makeup protects UVB rays but does not block UVA radiations. This can cause fine lines, brown spots, and crepey-ness, brown spots, and enlarged pores,” states Dee Anna Glaser MD, a dermatologist and professor at St. Louis University School of Medicine.
To get sunscreen benefits, you would need to use a lot of cosmetics. Frank states that makeup will provide additional protection, but more is required.
Use broad-spectrum sunscreen before applying your makeup. Broad-spectrum refers to the product’s ability to protect your skin from UVA rays that can lead to skin aging and UVB radiations which can cause sunburns, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Frank states that SPF should be applied separately from makeup. “SPF 30 is the most acceptable protection level.”
Dr. Glaser claims that sunscreen can be applied to areas that are not visible. In PLoS 1, a study published in April 2019 found that 20% of participants missed the eye area when applying moisturizer with SPF. And only 14 percent of those who used moisturizer over sunscreen also missed it. Glaser states that if you apply a moisturizer with SPF and then makeup, it’s more likely that you will cover the areas you missed.
UV Damage Can Be Caused by Neglecting Your Neck and Hands
Nino states that ultraviolet light is the most significant risk factor for premature aging. Even the most meticulous SPF users must remember to protect their necks and hands. This could be why they are often the first places that reveal your age. Previous research showed that women with visible veins and wrinkles on their hands were more likely to be considered older than those with plumper hands.
Nino states that as we age, our skin loses some elasticity. Moreover, the hands lose volume and fat, which is how you end up with translucent skin with wrinkles and age spots, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Nino states that skin becomes thinner. Your hands look less complete. “You can see the tendons more and the vessels more clearly, which makes them look more wrinkled.”
Nino said that the neck could turn discolored and more aged due to long-term sun exposure.
Skin solution Again, it is possible to avoid harmful UV rays. Nino states that if you do venture outside, the best thing to do is seek shade and to wear a hat with a brim, sunscreen, and sun protection clothing. To protect their hands from the sun, Nino recommends that her patients use gloves with UV protection.
