We know that collagen and elastin are the building blocks for firm skin with elasticity. Most women understand this and seek ways to replace, renew and stimulate collagen and elastin through exercise, beauty treatments and eating. But, have you stopped the sugar?
What Does Too Much Sugar Do To Your Skin?
Too much sugar in your body causes ageing of our skin. It's called Glycation. Glycation happens when sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins and creates harmful free radicals called advanced glycation end product i.e. AGEs. They - the AGEs - increase in your body and the more you have the more the damage is done.
Our collagen and elastin is damaged as the AGE's cause the collagen fibres to go stiff. Our skin then starts to dry out and reduces the skin's strength. The collagen in skin is badly affected by a high sugar diet. Sugar causes the skin to lose its structure and we see more lines and wrinkles.
Sadly AGEs can also deactivate the body's antioxidant enzymes. This makes your skin more likely to be damaged from environmental factors like pollution, sunshine and blue light. It's very hard to avoid blue light now we are glued to devices like a laptop, iPad or phone.
The deactivation of the antioxidant enzymes can stimulate oxidative stress on your skin which leads to premature ageing. Happily, fruit, ages and dark chocolate, tea and blueberries are fabulous antioxidants to help protect skin cells.
Signs That Sugar Is Ageing Your Skin
Glycation shows up in the skin around age 35. Once the increase of oxidative stress, hormonal damage and AGE build up your skin starts to showing:
Hard skin
Shiny skin
Deep crossed lines leading from the upper lip and under the eyes and on cheeks and neck
Hyperpigmentation marks
Discolouration
Enlarged pores on the nose and chin
Broken capillaries on cheeks, nose and chin
How To Avoid Sugar That Cause Glycation
Not all sugar is bad for us. For example sugars in fruit should form part of the ninety grams (90) of sugar a day we're advised to have for energy metabolism.
Don't cut all sugar out, just those that are harmful like high GI foods and processed sugars. eg: baked goods, sweets, coca cola, sugar, certain take away and chocolates.
Replace them with treats like berries, tomatoes, avocado, red peppers , nuts and seeds.
If you're really keen you can eat your collagen. The most collagen packed foods are bone broth, egg whites, fresh garlic, leafy greens, tropical fruit, chicken and seafood (and I love that).
We All Need To Sleep Well And More
A really important action to help your skin is to sleep properly.
Sleep helps the skin regenerate at night. Research tells us that too little sleep increases fine lines, bad skin tone and wrinkles and less elasticity in your skin.
Drink More Water & Stay Hydration
Drinking more water based drinks and mostly water itself, keeps the skin hydrated. Hydration of the skin helps to act against the ageing effects of glycation on the skin and also supports our detoxifying of the body.
We're told around 8 glasses of water a day is a must but honestly, as we grow older we need more. Add herbal teas or herbal cold drinks if you're out and about. If you don't enjoy plain water pop lemon or lime juice in or create several bottles of mood water eg: label one Happiness and another Calm and drink every time the label calls.
Top Up Your Diet With Vitamins
Research tells us that the B vitamins help to stop the AGEs forming.Increasing B1 and B6 helps a lot. Vitamin C and E will help with collagen and elastin production too. You don't have to eat them all as some are better as a skin serum like vitamin C.
Skin Care Can Be Helped With Beauty Therapy
Sometimes we need a quick fix and beauty or aesthetic treatments can help rejuvenate your skin while you get on track with your skincare lifestyle. Here's a list of skin issues vs great beauty treatments.
Wrinkles & sagging skin - HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound), Dermal Fillers, Microneedling & Anti Wrinkle Injections
Loss of Collagen - HIFU. It renews collagen in the deepest layer of the skin, the SMAS.
Dry skin; Mesotherapy, microneedling, hydrating facials
Pollution Damage: CliniSoothe+ Skin Purifier
Pigmentation: Microneedling
Rosacea: microneedling
Anti Ageing: Nonsurgical face and neck lift with HIFU
If you'd like to learn more about your skin and how to help it look and feel more firm and elastic with a younger look please contact us or book a free consultation here.
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