If your New Year's resolutions include knocking a few years off your appearance, then read on to find 10 ways to reduce wrinkles and look younger by 2011 - naturally!
By Colette Bouchez
Whether you've just turned 40 and are seeing the first signs of aging, or you're 55 with skin that isn't exactly keeping your birthday a secret, seeking ways to reduce wrinkles is probably on your agenda for 2010.
At the same time, experts say, many of us are losing the wrinkle battle, watching helplessly as the glow of youth goes on the dimmer switch.
"Many women as well as men believe that aging skin is inevitable, but with the information and technologies we have today, you really can look as young as you feel," says Robin Ashinoff, MD, a dermatologist at the Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.
To help put you on the right path, Dr. Ashinoff and several other experts offer these 10 tips on what really works to reduce wrinkles!
How to Reduce Wrinkles: What You Can Do
1. Limit Sun Exposure To 20 Minutes Daily: Studies on identical twins have shown that sun can be your skins' number one enemy, particularly when it comes to wrinkles. Dozens more studies have backed up the idea that spending more than 20 minutes a day in direct sunlight works to gobble up skin's collagen supply - which in turn causes the underlying structure to fall. And that means wrinkles occur on the surface of the skin. What's more the effect is cumulative. So if you stop sun bathing beginning in 2010, and you follow some of the other restorative tips found here, by 2011 you'll definitely look younger!
2. Wear sunscreen. If you must go out in the sun, the American Academy of Dermatology says, wear sunscreen! It will protect you from skin cancer, and help prevent wrinkles at the same time.
3. Don’t smoke. If you can't quit smoking for your health - maybe a quick glance in the mirror will provide some motivation! Truth is, everyday more studies confirm that cigarette smoke ages skin . It does by releasing an enzyme that breaks down collagen and elastin, important components of the skin. Sibling studies done at the Twin Research Unit at St. Thomas Hospital in London found the brother or sister who smoked tended to have skin that was more wrinkled and up to 40% thinner than the non-smoker.
4. Reduce Stress. While frowning can give you wrinkles, the effects of stress go deeper than that! Yale dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, MD, says that when you are stressed you produces excess cortisol, a hormone that breaks down skin cells. Relax more and get adequate sleep and Perricone says, and you'll produce more HGH (human growth hormone), which helps skin remain thick, more "elastic," and less likely to wrinkle.
5. Sleep on your back. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) cautions that sleeping in certain positions night after night leads to "sleep lines -- wrinkles that become etched into the surface of the skin and don't disappear once you're up. Sleeping on your side increases wrinkles on cheeks and chin, while sleeping face-down gives you a furrowed brow. To reduce wrinkle formation, the AAD says, sleep on your back.
6. Get reading glasses! If you've been putting off getting those readers, this is the year to do it! Not only will you save your eyes, the AAD says any repetitive facial movement -- like squinting to read your Ipod Touch or your new Netbook screen - will overwork facial muscles, forming a groove beneath the skin's surface. This groove eventually becomes the basis for those crows feet that seem to pop up during your 40's. Also important: Wear sunglasses. It will protect skin around the eyes from sun damage -- and further keep you from squinting.
7. Eat more fish -- particularly salmon. Not only is salmon (along with other cold-water fish) a great source of protein -- one of the building blocks of great skin -- it's also an awesome source of an essential fatty acid known as omega-3. Perricone tells WebMD that essential fatty acids help nourish skin and keep it plump and youthful, helping to reduce wrinkles.
8. Eat more soy! So far, most of the proof has come from animal studies, but research does show certain properties of soy may help protect or heal some of the sun's photoaging damage. In one recent human study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, researchers reported that a soy-based supplement (other ingredients included fish protein and extracts from white tea, grapeseed, and tomato, as well as several vitamins) improved skin's structure and firmness after just six months of use.
9. Trade coffee for cocoa. In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2006, researchers found cocoa containing high levels of two dietary flavanols (epicatchin and catechin) protected skin from sun damage, improved circulation to skin cells, affected hydration, and made the skin look and feel smoother.
10. Eat more fruits and vegetables. The key, says Kraus, are their antioxidant compounds. These compounds fight damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules that can damage cells), which in turn helps skin look younger and more radiant, and protects against some effects of photoaging.
For ten more natural tips for reducing wrinkles visit YourMenopause.com. For round-the-clock health and beauty news for women over 40 visit RedDressDiary.com - anytime!
Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this RedDressDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. All formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license, and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
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I agree with all of your tips except one: "Eat more soy."
ReplyDeleteResearch has found that soy is actually very bad for women (or men) for that matter, as it mimics estrogen in the system and can cause many problems. You can research this more at Mercola.com
Robin's point is an important consideration - there is evidence to show that in excess soy may be harmful to some women, particularly those at risk for breast cancer. If you have concerns about your health risks, talk to your doctor before taking any soy supplements. Soy based foods hold fewer risks - but again, moderation is key. And do visit Dr. Mercola's site for more info on this and other natural health topics. He does a great job in pulling it all together and making it easier to understand - Colette Bouchez
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