Mature skin faces more concerns that go beyond wrinkles and fine lines. Starting from early adulthood, your body slows down the production of collagen by 1% to 1.5% each year. As one of the major components of your skin, collagen affects both its health and appearance. As such, the skin’s aging process is not only an aesthetic concern. Like any body part, your skin can develop issues and challenges over time due to inadequate care and poor lifestyle habits. Here’s what you have to do to get your mature skin in its best condition and avoid issues such as dryness or sensitivities.
What challenges can mature skin experience?
Mature skin is more rough and dry due to transepidermal water loss
Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to rough and dry mature skin. In this process, the water from the dermis or your skin’s middle layer transfers to the epidermis or the outer layer to evaporate. Though this process is normal, mature skin is less capable of controlling the evaporation of water from the skin’s layers. Moreover, the outer layer of aging skin is slower when it comes to recovering from transepidermal water loss. Since mature skin is less capable of retaining water or moisture, it tends to be rough and dry. This will lead to more visible wrinkles and fine lines.
Aging skin becomes more thin and transparent
Once your skin starts to age, your epidermis will also change in thickness. Long-term use of oral medications like blood thinners, corticosteroids, aspirin, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also lead to the thinning of your skin. However, the decrease in your skin’s collagen production is primarily responsible in this case because collagen accounts for about 60% of your dermis’ dry weight.
Once you start to lose more collagen, you will notice your skin becomes visibly thinner. As a result, the veins and capillaries in your hands, limbs, and face also become more visible.
The skin loses its strength and elasticity
Your skin’s middle layer, the dermis, also experiences great changes due to the decrease in its moisture retention and collagen production. This skin layer contains a cellular network of collagen and elastin fibers, which helps your skin become stronger and springier. Changes in the connective tissues of this layer affect the skin’s strength and elasticity. Due to these, some may develop leathery skin, while most people will notice the build-up of wrinkles. Unfortunately, your skin may also become more susceptible to bruises once it starts to lose its strength and elasticity.
Age spots may develop on your skin
Finally, mature skin typically develops age spots in areas that are exposed to the sun, like the face, hands, and limbs. These age spots develop as a reaction to excess sun exposure. Though these spots don’t require medical care, they won’t fade from your skin once they develop.
How can you improve mature skin?
Use a skincare routine suitable for mature skin
Since your skin experiences internal changes as you age, it needs more TLC over time. To target dryness as well as loss of thickness and elasticity, you need to establish a proper anti-aging skincare routine.
Start by using a daily cleanser that gently exfoliates skin to reveal a softer and more even texture. Follow it up with a toner that can help in redefining pores. Then, prevent your skin from becoming dry and rough by applying a hydrating moisturizer for mature skin that contains anti-aging ingredients like retinoids and collagen peptides.
Last but not least, mature skin needs more exfoliation than the one you’ll get from a cleanser if you want to tackle wrinkles. Stick to weekly exfoliation, preferably chemical or enzymatic, as it helps you get rid of dullness and increase your skin thickness and firmness. You should consider a face exfoliator for mature skin containing peeling agents such as glycolic or lactic acids — these are the best to reveal a smoother and brighter complexion. This skincare routine provides your skin with enough moisture and collagen to alleviate the problems of aging skin.
Sunscreen must be applied every day
Sunscreen is mandatory, especially since mature skin is more fragile and sensitive to sun damage. You constantly need to protect it against hyperpigmentation, age spots, and skin cancer, so make sure you’re getting all the sun protection you need by purchasing broad-spectrum sunscreen. This means it can protect against both UVA and UVB damage. You also need to use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 if you’re staying indoors. But if you plan to head out, you’ll need more protection from sunscreens with at least SPF 50. Also, it would be best to use sunscreens without oxybenzone and octinoxate, as both ingredients can negatively impact skin health and are not environmental-friendly.
Improve your diet
Besides applying the right skincare products, your skin needs to get proper nourishment from the food you consume. To illustrate, herbal beauty remedies can supplement your body with antioxidants and nutrients that can slow down the aging process.
For instance, the University Skin Clinic in Mannheim discovered that drinking 20 ml of dandelion juice can enhance the skin’s appearance. Their study revealed that women who drank dandelion juice regularly had better skin elasticity and moisture after just one month.
Other herbal remedies that you can try are lady’s mantle tea and green tea, which contain antioxidants that reduce wrinkles. Start by boiling a tablespoon of the herb’s leaves in 250 ml of water. Allow the tea to steep for ten to fifteen minutes before straining the leaves. Consume this tea regularly so that you can naturally reduce the visible signs of aging.
Adopt a healthy lifestyle
Poor lifestyle habits can negatively affect different aspects of your body, including your skin. For instance, the chemicals in cigarette smoke can speed up the skin’s aging process by damaging collagen and elastin. Similarly, excess alcohol consumption dehydrates the body, which is why it makes the skin thinner and drier. Finally, sleep deprivation does not only lead to the production of dark circles, but it can also cause dark spots and fine lines. Since your skin regenerates while you sleep, you must get at least seven hours of sleep to allow it to heal itself.
The takeaway
Like other parts of your body, your skin also needs extra care and attention as you age. By having a proper skincare routine and healthy lifestyle habits, you can protect against the common challenges of mature skin.
