Sun, smoking, stress – we all know to avoid them in the quest to prevent aging, but what about the small things we do on a daily basis? For instance, did you know that yawning causes fine lines and wrinkles to appear more rapidly? Many other seemingly harmless habits can also cause the skin to age prematurely. Have I got your interest piqued? Read on to find out what you need to stop or start doing to look more youthful!
START: Wearing sunscreen every day- even in the winter
Did you know that the sun is the primary cause of skin aging? You may probably think that because you spend majority of time indoors or you are in a car, you are safe from sunrays. But UVA rays, which cause skin aging, can penetrate through glass, which means you are exposed even when you are indoors. Hence, to prevent visible skin aging, research states, sunscreen is so far the best anti-aging product in the world.
STOP: Yawning so much by getting an adequate amount of sleep
Most of us don’t get enough sleep, which is bad for a variety of reasons. Did you know that yawning is actually one of them? When you yawn, it causes an acceleration of wrinkles, by losing the elasticity of your tissues. The loss of elasticity in the skin is like a rubber band that’s been stretched repeatedly — at some point, it doesn’t snap back anymore. Before staying up past your bedtime to watch just one more episode of your Korean serials, consider the side effects.
START: Wearing Eye Contacts and Glasses
You may probably squint rather than wearing eye- glasses when you have vision problems. This weakens the elastic fibres around the eyes with every scrunch. Preventing the loss of elasticity is essential for slowing down the visible skin aging around the eyes. Get prescription glasses ifneeded, to stay squint-free. Of course, be sure to always wear sunglasses when you’re outdoors.
STOP: Second-hand smoking hazards
While most people know that smoking can be detrimental to the body, you may or may not notice that second-hand smoke is dangerous as well. The components in second-hand smoke are more concentrated, since there is no filter at the end of the cigarette. Second-hand smoke affects the skin greatly because collagen-destroying enzymes ramp up when exposed to tobacco smoke, causing increased wrinkling and visible aging.
START: Avoiding straws
When using a straw, you have to purse your lips, causing unnecessary lines and wrinkles around the mouth. Instead, drink your beverage from a glass.
STOP: Washing Your Face Too Much
Of course, it’s important to keep your skin clean, but don’t overdo it. Wash no more than twice daily, and keep in mind that not all cleansers are created equal. Alkaline bar soaps strip your skin of its natural oils and can cause irritation; a non-soap cleanser is a much gentler option.
START: Cleansing your skin in the morning.
It’s important to wash your skin in the morning because while you sleep at night, skin is in repair mode and secretes toxins and sebum (oil), which can prevent your daytime products from working effectively. Simply put, washing your face in the morning is a key step in ensuring healthy, calm and youthful-looking skin.
Try to incorporate these practices when possible. While we can’t stop time, following these tips will certainly help slow down the signs of aging. Bottom line: it’s much easier and less expensive to prevent wrinkles than to erase them. Trust me on this one!
