Wrinkles and Liver spots are signs of aging, mature skin
Introduction
The nat
ural aging process produces visible effects on our skin.
Increased dryness
, wrinkles, liver spots and other growths begin to appear,
and cuts and bruises heal more slowly. These are some of the
signs that indicate chronological aging is taking place.
Most of these changes are a natural progression of aging,
however, some changes in the skin such as growths may need to be
more closely investigated to rule out pathological changes such
as skin cancer. Nevertheless, most changes in the skin are
natural and do not pose any health risks.
Wrinkles
Gravity is the skin's worst enemy. Weakening of collagen and
elastin fibres causes reduced firmness of the skin, gravity
pulls at the skin and causes it to sag, this in combination with
a reduction in the fatty padding of the skin inevitably causes
wrinkling of the skin tissue.
Can Wrinkles Be Avoided?
Environmental factors such as over exposure to the sun, smog,
cigarette smoke can all have an adverse effect on your skin. In
addition, you may also have inherited weaknesses from your
parents that can cause pre
mature aging of the skin.
Despite these challenges, there are simple steps you can take
to prevent wrinkles and remember - the earlier you start, the
better!
* Wear Sunscreen,
* Always wear a hat with a wide brim when going outside -
remember, just because there's clouds does not mean there's no
UV,
* Don't sunbathe, and
* Where possible, stay out of the sun between 10am to 3pm.
As we progress through our 30's,
40's, 50's and beyond, our skin requires an appropriate skin
care regime to maintain, as well as repair, the skin. The older
you are when you start to protect and care for your skin, the
less effective it will be, however, it is never too late to
start.
Treatments for Aging Skin
There are a multitude of drugs, chemicals and procedures on the
market these days, promising you that you can have the face of a
baby in your 90's. We all know where to put that... However,
there are many natural and totally safe methods of treating
aging skin and preventing premature signs of aging - and I'm not
just referring to your facial skin, although this is the most
visible and therefore the most important to many people.
Using a natural
skin care regime should apply to your entire body and not
just to your face. Regularly use a clay mask to nourish your
skin and remove impurities, cleanse your skin, tone it and last
but not least moisturise, moisturise, moisturise.
Do not use commercially available soaps unless absolutely
necessary - these soaps remove the protective acid mantle of
your skin and dry it out. Instead, use an exfoliant followed by a cleanser
to clean your skin and leave it smooth, invigorated and with
it's protective acid mantel in tact.
Follow this by using a toner. Toners
close open pores to prevent loss of moisture, resulting in
firmer skin. The last step is to use a moisturiser. Moisturise
rs help to hydrate your skin, prevent loss of moisture and
provide nourishment and nutrients for your skin to use in
fulfilling its many functions.
'Liver spots' or 'age spots'
Agi
ng skin often develops unsightly blemishes, commonly called
liver spots, which can appear on the face, neck and on the back
of the hands. They are caused by the sun and accumulation of
lipofuscin (pigments and/or wastes) that is derived from free
radical damage of skin cells.
Liver spots, also known as lentigines or lentigos, are sharply
defined, rounded, brown or black, flat patches of skin. The
epidermis (top surface layer) is expanding with more pigment,
developing what looks like a large freckle. They may appear as a
single spot or in clusters.
Remember that your skin is an eliminatory organ and therefore
it eliminates toxins from your body - one reason for liver spots
is that the eliminatory organs (Kidneys, Liver and Bowels) are
not working as well as they should and therefore the skin 'takes
up the slack'.
Removal of these impurities can be achieved using the above
described skin care regime. In addition, when showering, use a
Lufa or other type of skin brush on your body's skin. This will
not only remove dead skin cells, but promote blood circulation
to the skin which in turn provides the skin with nutrients
carried in the blood.
Green Tea is a fantastic anti-oxidant and should be consumed
regularly. Leafy green vegetables, fish such as salmon and tuna,
nuts and fruits contain essential fatty acids, vitamins,
minerals and anti-oxidants to nourish your organs and help them
perform their vital functions adequately.
It is vitally important that you not only have a good skin care
regime, but you should also have a good health regime, which
includes a good diet, 8 -10 glasses of water per day and a
regular exercise programme. This is very important and cannot be
underestimated in its positive results on keeping you looking
and feeling younger for longer.