Keep a check on those stress levels because stress itself affects our appearance and if it is affecting your sleeping patterns too it is even more important that the problem is addressed as quickly as possible. Regular restful sleep is vital for keeping your body healthy and for keeping that youthful appearance too, during sleep extra growth hormones are released that renew and repair the tissues and cells that make up and hold together the skin's structure. Even after just one night's poor sleeping you might well see the beginning of those dark circles or puffy eyes, it's no wonder it's often known as "beauty sleep".

Essential Fatty Acids. (EFA’s).

Omegas 3, 6 & 9 are the three important groups of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s). They are important because if eaten regularly together with fruit and fresh green vegetables, they can benefit both our health and our skin.

These EFA's should form a greater part of our diet than they do but today we eat less and less of them and thereby dismissing the help they offer towards fighting off the premature aging of our skin.

However, having said that it is important to get the right balance of these fats, too much of one without the other is not good for us. A healthy balance is suggested as four to five parts of omega 3 and one of omega 6. Too much of the omega6 group of fats alone can lead to health problems and many of us today are guilty of using oils in salads, spreads containing oils and oils for cooking.

Mediterranean style diets are healthier than ours as they have a more appropriate balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. People there eat high amounts of whole grains and nuts, fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oils and garlic but little red meat that can sometimes be high in omega 6 fats.

Getting the right balance is no only beneficial to our overall health but it will also do a great job in moisturizing our skin too. Dry skin will start to improve and in turn lines and wrinkles will begin to diminish.

Towel -dry after a hot bath and check how dry your skin is. If it is very dry it may be that the level of intake of Essential Fatty Acids needs to be increased.

Omega 3.

These are a very important group of fats, as they will help increase the body’s metabolic rate and that in turn burns off fat. They have anti- inflammatory properties and inflammation can play a big part in skin aging.

Foods in this group are oily fish, salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna and sardines. Some spreads and yogurts too can contain fats in the omega 3 group and so it is always worthwhile checking labels.

Omega 6.

This group of fats can be found in avocados, nuts and seeds. Also in margarines and sunflower oils, although good for us, consumption of too much of these fats without being balanced against an intake of foods in the omega 3 groups of foods can be unhealthy.

Omega 9

These fats are found in good quality virgin oil, much better for salad dressings if used sparingly.

It is important also to know that there are other fats in foods today that you should try hard to avoid if you want to maintain good health and better looking skin. Foods containing high levels of fat and sugars should form a very small part of your diet, less than 10%. For good health and for good skin too limit your intake of fatty sugary foods particularly those full of saturated fats and trans-fatty acid (trans fats).

Saturated fats and trans-fatty acids are destructive. They are known to raise blood cholesterol levels and this in turn can lead to heart problems, they also are known to break up skin cell structure causing a reduction in moisture and the skin’s ability to maintain its firmness and flexibility.

Beef and other animal fats, Sausages, Bacon, cheeseburgers, butter, margarine, doughnuts, ice creams, fries, biscuits, milk and cream along with other fast foods and puddings are or contain either saturated fats or trans-fatty acids. The trans-fats are used in food manufacturing to improve texture and increase the shelf life of foods such as, some cakes and biscuits, fast foods & ready-made meals.

There are ways that you can help yourself to reduce your consumption of “bad fats” particularly so as you will then protect your cholesterol levels and in turn help towards a healthy heart.

Always check labels to find the low fat foods.

Try a different way of cooking, perhaps grill instead of frying.

Use lower fat salad dressings.

Remove some fat from meats and the skin from poultry.

Once you learn the benefits of a healthy diet and you get used to eating this way you will soon see how better your skin looks, your body becomes trimmer, your moods change and you will have that overall feeling of health and vitality.

You may want to eat this way on a permanent basis and it is a good base on which to build for more youthful healthier looking skin.

Intrinsic Ageing… As Time Goes By.

As we age of course our skin is ageing too, unfortunately our face reflects the ageing process quicker than any other part of the body.

Just how quickly natural ageing shows in our face can be to do with genetics but can also be to do with how lucky you are.

As a general guideline though try to remember how your parents looked, how quickly or otherwise they showed the first signs of natural ageing.

As a child we had little concern as to how we looked, our skin was plump smooth and blemish -free, it was well hydrated and as healthy as it would ever be.

Then came our teen years and those dreadful hormonal changes. The over production of what is called sebum, the skin’s natural oily substance produced as lubrication, and the consequential clogging of pores causing blackheads and acne. Despite the pimples, at this stage skin is soft and supple, the sebum, the lubricator, is working to ensure that there is little or no dehydration. Skin cells are all still in good order, collagen and elastin are giving bounce and firmness to our skin.

In our twenties we may still have suffered with spots and pimples but our skin was still in good order. Plump new skin cells working their way to the surface of the skin making us look radiant and fresh faced.

Now, at this stage, in our twenties, it was the best time of all to begin a skin care regime that would have seen benefits for years to come!

If you are at this age now or you have children who are, ensure that there is no excessive sunbathing, start a habit of wearing sunscreen every day, stick to a healthy diet, stop smoking, limit the intake of alcohol and drink plenty of water. All this will help skin stay looking good for longer.

The thirties is when the collagen and elastin starts to take longer to send plump new skin cells to the surface, sebum production slows and dehydration starts with the formation of fine lines. Facial expressions over the past years show in lines on the forehead and around the eyes.

Exfoliation becomes necessary to remove dead cells on the surface that are awaiting replacement as does the continued use of a good moisturiser.

Once you get to forty, skin cell renewal and sebum production has really slowed and natural ageing has started to become visible.

Lines and wrinkles are becoming more pronounced and skin is starting to become thinner. You may well see the first signs of age spots and blood vessels under the eyes leak a little causing dark circles as the leaked blood can be seen through the skin.

At this stage it is most important to remember what we have said already regarding those free radicals doing harm to your skin.

Take action to ensure that they do not make the actual ageing process far worse that it would normally be.

Most important of all keep out of the sun and improve your diet. Natural vitamin intake is very, very helpful, as nutrients will provide stimulation to the skin cells now finding it hard to keep our skin in the best of order.

Fifties and beyond, sagging now adds to the problem of lines and wrinkles, you may see under eye bags and dark circles under the eyes become more prominent as the skin becomes even thinner.

All is not lost because if you stick with a good diet, you ensure that you do not self harm and you moisturise from inside and out your skin will maintain its good looks despite the passing years.

Safe in the Sun?

In the fight against ageing skin, protection from the sun can be your first defence.

Wrinkled, rough and blotchy skin with a thickened leathery appearance can be attributed to sun damage or Photo ageing. It is not exposure but misuse of the sun that can cause extrinsically aged skin. Skin that ages not as a result of the passing of time but because of external causes, very often self-inflicted.

Despite this, once the sunny days are here people flock to the beach, subject their bare skin to the heat of the sun in an attempt to get that golden glow that was once thought to be the envy of all.

However, staying indoors out of the sun forever is not the answer as some sunlight is essential for good health assisting with the production of vitamin D and it is said to be psychologically good too in that it improves the feel good factor.

What is important here is getting a sensible balance. If you want to turn walnut brown, then reach for the fake tan. All you really need is a light golden glow. You will still look and feel wonderful and you won’t need to worry about the effects it might have had on your skin.

There is no safe way for you to get yourself a suntan.

The ultraviolet light reaching the earth from the sun comes in three varieties.

UVC is potentially the most damaging form of light but this is mostly absorbed in the atmosphere. With all the talk of the “thinning of the ozone layer”, who knows if we are still being protected as well as we used to be.

UVB is the most dangerous as it is responsible for burning, sunburn. It is most dangerous at mid-day when the sun is highest. At around 2.30 to 3 p.m the sun is starting to go down and becomes less dangerous. We should emulate those who live in warmer climes who avoid strong sunshine in the middle of the day.

UVA is a deep penetrating light and is linked with the extrinsic ageing of the skin. It is responsible for the breakdown of collagen and elastin the skin’s main support structure. This form of light is constant throughout the day and because of this it is advisable to wear a good sun block everyday applying it about a quarter of an hour before going out. UVA rays can cause damage even on a cloudy day!

Sun Exposure.

Most of us like a healthy looking tan and yes we need sunshine for the vitamins it provides but too much exposure is dangerous!

We are all aware of the skin cancers over exposure can cause but perhaps not everyone realises that it is a fact that the sun can be the most destructive element to our skin. It is said that over 90% of the skin’s visible signs of ageing can be caused by being in the sun too long and letting it burn your skin, what we call getting a “sun tan”.

Too much sunshine exposure causes the formation of those free radicals, molecules within the cell structure, causing disruption and damage.

Premature ageing of the skin as a result of over exposure can take years before becoming noticeable. Yes, sun related skin damage can take up to 10 years before becoming visible!

Sun safety needs careful consideration and extra care is needed with children. Children need to be made aware of the safety measures at an early age.

Remember use a good sunscreen and apply it at least 15 minutes before you go out into the sun. Reapply liberally and often even though the product may be marked as waterproof.

Cover up if you intend to spend long periods out in the sun, wear a hat of some sort to protect your head.

The safest tan is a Fake Tan but often they do not include sunscreen so if you are out in the sun and you’ve got on your favourite tan out of the bottle you still need to remember to wear a sunscreen.

But if you must lie in the sun on holiday:

1. Don’t sunbathe between 12noon and 3pm.
2. Apply sunscreen liberally before you go to the pool or beach.
3. Reapply sunscreen frequently.
4. Use after-sun lotions to prevent skin drying out.

Back To Articles Page