It is crazy to start imagining how to deal with anti-aging in your 20s. Your skin begins aging when you turn 25. When you reach your mid-20s, your body stops producing as much collagen as it used to, and as a result, your skin starts to lose its elasticity. Unfortunately, you cannot fight time, so the only thing you can do is delay the aging process. Your skin will inevitably age. However, you can optimize its health using products that boost your skin. This will make it more plump and youthful. Prevention is always better than cure.
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What causes aging?
Your skin will age naturally, but sun damage is the leading cause of premature aging. About 80 to 90% of facial aging is attributed to sun damage alone. This can be prevented with the right skincare, so it’s like a nature vs. nurture situation.
You also contribute to the health of your skin through the way you live and the environment in which you live.
Signs of aging skin
There are a few signals that your skin will give you once it starts to age, which is easy to identify. If you experience any of these, it may be time to pay extra attention to how you treat your skin.
- Fine lines and wrinkles. For most people, this is the first and most obvious sign.
- Age spots
- Blotchy skin
- Enlarged pores
- Dry skin
- Dull skin
- Rougher than usual skin texture
- Itchy skin
- Fragile skin
- Skin that is easily bruised
- Loose skin
What happens when your skin starts to age?
As you age, your skin begins to undergo a few changes. Every action in your skin that causes aging can be countered with a product or procedure. But remember that a lot of aging is irreversible; however, there are ways in which you can manage anti-aging in your 20s or prevent it from happening.
Skin cell turnover slows down.
When your skin cell turnover rate decreases, your skin will look tired and dull. You will develop more fine lines and wrinkles, and your skin’s wound-healing abilities will decline. When you were young, your skin was brighter, but as you age, this brightness diminishes.
Skin elasticity reduces
This action causes your skin to look saggy and loose, and fine lines and wrinkles appear more apparent. You may also start developing jowls, which are sagging beneath your chin or jawline, though this happens much later in life. The top layer of your skin, known as the epidermis, thins, making your skin more transparent. Your skin will also become much more fragile with the loss of elasticity.
Loss of collagen
The most apparent sign of loss of collagen is fine lines and wrinkles. The protein collagen is an essential constituent of our skin, hair, bones, muscles, etc. This is what keeps your skin looking youthful, firm, and plump and keeps it from sagging. Your body will slowly lose collagen, especially when you turn 30, making it dry, lose elasticity, and thinner.
Reduced skin barrier function
The skin barrier is the foundation on which healthy skin is built. It comprises the outermost layer of the epidermis and protects your skin from environmental stressors. A compromised skin barrier can lead to many skin conditions, such as acne, eczema, excessively dry skin, and hyperpigmentation. As you age, your skin barrier begins to lose its function and becomes dry, its cell turnover rate reduces, and it loses its elasticity.
Blood flow to your skin reduces
Blood flow in your body provides nutrients for your skin. Unfortunately, it decreases in your body as you age, directly affecting your skin. A decrease in blood flow can lead to inflammation in the skin and an increased risk of breakouts and eczema. Your skin receives less oxygen and nutrients, resulting in a dull appearance.
Loss of fat and bone on your face
Subcutaneous fat, the fat beneath your skin, gives your skin its full look. You get your facial volume and plumpness from subcutaneous fat beneath your skin. With age, part of this fat usually disappears, and a thinner and more bony face results from fat loss. Additionally, your skin can become looser and sag, making wrinkles and fine lines more noticeable.
Skin produces less melanin.
Melanin is a pigment in the skin that protects it from the sun’s UV rays. As you start aging, your skin produces less melanin, and as a result, it cannot protect itself naturally from the sun. This can prematurely age your skin and increase your chances of getting some types of skin cancer.
Tissue starts thinning under your expression lines.
When you make certain facial movements, lines can develop where your skin folds. Genetics and facial structure are two factors that can influence this from happening. However, as you age, these lines can become more apparent because of the loss of fat in your face and the thinning of the skin. These lines look a lot like fine lines and wrinkles.
How to manage aging in your 20s through prevention
1. Use retinoids
Retinoids are a form of vitamin A that has been proven to treat aging. Research has been done on them for many years, so you can almost guarantee they will improve your skin. Retinoids penetrate deep into your pores and increase the rate at which your skin cells turn over. As a result, their ability to reduce signs of aging boosts your skin’s elasticity, making you look younger.
The downside to retinoids is that they come with harsh side effects and take a while to work. But with the right amount of patience, your skin can improve immensely in about 2 months after using them. They come in different strengths and formulations, and there is a retinoid for every skin type.
2. Exfoliate
Exfoliating is when you remove dead skin cells from the surface of your skin by using a chemical product or physically removing them. Physical exfoliation causes micro-tears on your skin and is not recommended. These micro-tears are a breeding ground for infections and hyperpigmentation. Because of this, they are not helpful if you’re trying to tackle how to manage anti-aging in your 20s.
On the other hand, chemical exfoliators are an excellent option if you’re treating aging. Alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, and polyhydroxy acids are effective in gently exfoliating the skin. They penetrate deep into your pores and remove dead skin cells. As a result, new and healthy skin cells emerge on the surface, giving your skin a brighter and firmer appearance.
3. Barrier-repairing moisturizers for anti-aging in your 20s
Ceramides, peptides, and niacinamide are all effective ingredients for protecting and repairing your skin barrier. Your skin has ceramides, and peptides are naturally in it, and adding them topically further boosts your skin’s barrier function. Niacinamide, on the other hand, can repair and rebuild your skin barrier. Looking for a moisturizer with all these ingredients can help slow down aging in your skin.
4. Hydrate your skin
Hydration is one of the side effects of aging, and using products with hydrating properties can prevent it. Humectants are ingredients to look out for, and hyaluronic acid is one of the most popular and effective humectants. Another viable alternative is glycerine, which is cheap and easily accessible and can help with anti-aging in your 20s. Humectants can attract water from the environment into the top layer of the skin. Over time, they will make your skin more visibly plump and healthy.
5. Micro-needling
Micro-needling is a non-invasive anti-aging procedure that uses needles to make micro punctures into your skin. These micro-injuries force your skin to produce more collagen. It can become thicker and more elastic, which counters the loss of elasticity that comes with aging. Acne scars, hyperpigmentation, stretch marks, age spots and wrinkles, and fine lines can all be treated with micro-needling.
6. Laser resurfacing
With laser resurfacing, different types of skin irregularities can be treated. The laser removes the skin’s top layer through heat, stimulating the growth of new collagen. Over time your skin becomes more firm and smooth.
7. Botox and fillers
These injectable treatments are injected into your skin as an anti-aging treatment. Botox I used to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by paralyzing the muscles underneath them. Fillers are used to fill in wrinkles. These two treatments last for quite some time. Botox can last anywhere from 4 to 6 months, and fillers last up to 12 months. They can only be administered by doctors who are certified to do them.
8. Sunscreen
Sunscreen is a leading cause of early skin aging. So using sunscreen daily definitely has anti-aging in your 20s benefits. You will protect your skin from aging and potential cancers that come with excessive sun exposure. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen that is no less than SPF 30.
Other things you can do for anti-aging in your 20s
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid smoking
- Do not drink too much alcohol
- Eat a healthy balanced diet
- Avoid being in direct sunlight for prolonged periods, and wear protective clothing
- Surgery would be the last resort in treating severe aging. However, they can only be administered by a plastic surgeon or anyone within the related field.
And finally
There is only so much that you can do to stop nature from taking its course. But by practicing anti-aging in your 20s, there are ways in which you can make your skin look as best as it can be. After all, most premature aging is caused by the sun, so you can simply solve the problem by using sunscreen regularly and reapplying it when necessary. With the right care and patience, you can live happily ever after with healthy aged skin.
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