Hi there!
You might have noticed that your skin is becoming dry as you age. If you’ve always had naturally dry skin, it’s worsening; if your skin was oil/combination, it’s becoming more dry.
We’re going to talk about why this is happening and how we can remedy it
Our skin becomes dry as we age because we start losing the natural moisturising factors (NMF). The most popular NMF is hyaluronic acid. We also have ceramides and Omega 3 & 6 in our skin that help to keep the moisture levels high.
Ceramides and Omega 3 fatty acids form part of the skin’s protective barrier. The barrier forms part of our immune system as it prevents harmful parasites from entering our bodies and it also prevents trans epidermal water loss, it prevents water from evaporating from our bodies.
Ceramides & Omega 3 fatty acids deplete with age as our skin stops making them. We have to use products containing them to replenish them.
We find Omega 3 & 6 in foods such as nuts and fatty fish but we can also supplement them. Not only do they help with our skin but they help with brain function too.
We also lose collagen as we start to get older. We lose 1% collagen every year from the age of 30 and the effects of this can’t be seen until we start approaching 40.
Collagen forms the foundation of our skin and its depletion results in hyaluronic acid being depleted too. Low levels of hyaluronic acid result in dehydration lines forming which end up becoming fine lines and wrinkles.
Eating foods high in collagen or taking collagen supplements will increase collagen levels in the skin, increasing the hydration of the skin. Using skincare products with peptides can help stimulate collagen production in the skin
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