Maintaining Youthful Skin: A Comprehensive Guide to Wrinkles and Skin Elasticity for Women

As you age, it’s only natural to walk past a mirror and see more wrinkles and less of that skin elasticity that you used to treasure in your youth. You don’t need to feel bad. You can maintain the healthy glow you had in your youth when you turn 40 and beyond. Today, we’ll help you to understand some of the changes you’re seeing and the natural remedies and routine changes you can make to feel your best at any age.

Why The Skin Changes Over Time

It’s natural to see more wrinkles and somewhat saggy skin as you age, and there’s a scientific reason for why it occurs. When we’re born, our young skin is full of elastin and collagen, which are two proteins that give our skin structure and the ability to stretch. Over time, hormonal changes take effect and your body’s ability to heal itself reduces drastically, and you’ll see a decrease in your skin’s elasticity.

Collagen production starts to decline around age 25 but can be much more noticeable as you hit your 40s and beyond. The first five years of menopause can be really tough too. That’s when your body loses about 30% of its collagen.

You may start to see wrinkles resulting from natural and extrinsic factors, like smoking and staying in the sun for too long without proper skin protection. The natural causes of skin wrinkles are due to many factors. One of them includes the epidermis, which is the outer layer of skin.

Over time, it simply does not produce cells as quickly as it did when you were young. There’s also the fact that, as you go through life making different facial expressions, the muscles repeatedly contract and move the skin, and wrinkles occur.

No, you may not look exactly how you did as a teen. But fear not because there are ways that you can reduce the effects of wrinkles and skin elasticity and keep your skin as it is now.

Revise Your Skincare Routine

To maintain your youthful appearance, you can update your skincare routine. Do so with a few helpful topical medications that you can find at your local store. Alpha hydroxy acids, for example, can exfoliate the skin and help with the production of skin cells. There are also antioxidants, like vitamin C, which neutralize the stress on the skin cells and help them maintain a more natural look.

Another way to enhance your skincare routine in your 40s is to add retinol to the mix. Retinol is an ingredient that’s composed of small molecules that penetrate the skin deeply to improve skin texture and prevent the future appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Apply this at night, as it hydrates your skin and stays for 24 hours.

The other major tip you must follow is to wear sunscreen daily, even when it’s not overly sunny. That’s because, in addition to preventing sunburn, sunscreen has anti-aging effects on the skin. Applying it can slow down the appearance of wrinkles. We mentioned that the sun and the UV rays it produces can harm the skin because it’s essentially a form of radiation. Sunscreen creates a layer on the skin that blocks the rays, making them less of a concern.

You can also try skin therapy techniques, such as red light therapy, which stimulates collagen by emitting low wavelengths to reduce wrinkles. Another option is dermabrasion. That’s a procedure completed by your dermatologist to remove the damaged outer layers of skin to create new and younger skin cells.

Finally, we have laser resurfacing, which is as it sounds. The technician removes the outer layer of damaged skin so new skin cells can develop in their place. Look into these treatments if they appeal to you.

Daily Habits Can Help

The other way to maintain your youthful look and keep wrinkles at bay is to tweak your daily habits to preserve skin elasticity. One issue that you must stop immediately is smoking because cigarettes contain harmful chemicals that accelerate the aging process by reducing collagen production. Smoke also damages the elastin fibers in the skin. It’s bad enough that it reduces the possibility that it can snap back to its original shape.

Then there’s the problem of a lack of proper hydration. When you drink enough water, your body is re-energized and your skin maintains the moisture that keeps it soft and supple.

Your lifestyle can also be an issue, especially if you play contact sports which can lead to sagging skin. You don’t need to quit your passion. In fact, 30+ minutes of exercise per week can be downright life-changing and can reduce the risks of age-related health issues like diabetes and joint pain. Still, you must be careful and pair your exercise routine with the skincare routine tips above.

Embrace Body Change

Finally, you must realize that you can’t completely stop your body from changing, and that’s okay. It’s important to embrace your body’s changes by focusing more on how you feel and less on your appearance. Try to avoid negative thinking and cheer yourself up daily by repeating positive affirmations and enjoying your life the way you are.

Of course, the tips we’ve discussed today can help as well. Don’t be embarrassed by your skin; embrace it, and you’ll be much happier as you take on this life journey.