Everyone wants to stay looking younger for longer, yet it’s easy to ignore the initial signs of ageing. When we first start noticing fine lines in our youth, it can feel like little cause for concern – so it may be years before a partner makes a thoughtless comment, or you catch sight of yourself under florescent lighting, and realise that you really should start taking care of your skin. Unfortunately, by that point, neglect has already started to make its mark – so what can you do to recapture your youthful appearance?
There’s a simple three-step mantra which might just save your skin at this point: Prevent, Maintain, Reverse.
Similar yet separate, these different areas of skincare can help you address all of your ageing woes – from loss of volume to fine lines and wrinkles. Whether you’ve a specific concern in mind, or you simply want to hang on to what you’ve got, there are lots of different ways of ensuring you stay happy with your appearance as you age.
Prevention is Better than Cure
No doubt, you’ve heard the phrase before – and while it’s certainly true when it comes to ageing, it’s also true that not all ageing is preventable. Everyone will end up with lines on their faces eventually, but lifestyle choices can exacerbate the ageing process – not to mention, accelerate it.
Eating badly, consuming alcohol and smoking cigarettes all leach nutrients from your skin, not to mention deprive it of the vital oxygen and water it needs in order to heal and renew itself. Cutting out these harmful habits will help to promote fresh, healthy skin.
Other than lifestyle choices, sun damage is the biggest cause of preventable ageing – you might prefer your skin with a sun-kissed glow, but the sun’s UV rays permeate your skin and damage its elastin fibres and collagen. These substances are both essential for keeping your skin plump and taut – so ensure you always wear a high, broad spectrum SPF when you’re out and about, and avoid getting sunburnt at any cost.
Maintaining What You’ve Got
Taking a pro-active approach to maintaining our skin can work wonders – and while anti-ageing is often perceived as being synonymous with wrinkle-avoidance and treatments, it’s actually a little more multi-faceted. Collagen is vital for maintain the skin’s structure and as we age, its production reduces, which can result in drooping skin, deeper wrinkles and facial troughs.
It’s widely known that Botox can work wonders for wrinkles and creases; relaxing muscles to restrict the facial mobility which can help to create and exacerbate lines. But what can we do to boost collagen production, so that our skin stays full and firm? Make sure you get your five a day (or more!) every day, and drink plenty of water to aid hydration.
Vitamin C and amino acids are necessary prerequisites for collagen production, so aim to eat plenty of leafy greens such as kale, spinach and collard greens, alongside a rainbow of fruit and vegetables. And don’t neglect your omega-3s – nuts, fatty fish and certain seeds will help to keep your skin and body primed.
Reverse the Effects of Time
So far, we’ve discussed what you can do to minimise your exposure to key factors in preventable ageing – but skin ageing is, unfortunately, inevitable. Wrinkles, lines and loss of firmness and elasticity are all part and parcel of growing older, and your genetics are beyond your control.
But that doesn’t mean you need to resign yourself to the effects of ageing. At Revere Clinics, we offer a number of treatments which can help to turn back the clock on your skin.
Dermal fillers, for example, can restore structure and natural volume to your face, smoothing the appearance of lines by lifting and plumping your skin. Hyaluronic acid is the skin’s intrinsic, natural moisturiser; our Juvederm fillers use a synthetic form of the substance, which we expertly apply to areas including laughter lines, nasolabial folds, the forehead, chin and cheeks. Our fillers can be used to augment almost any area of the face you choose, with often instantaneous results.
Juvederm is safely broken down by the body over time, so the procedure isn’t permanent and will require “topping up” – but, at around a year, the results are long-lasting. When skilfully applied by experienced, highly-qualified practitioners like our expert doctors at Revere, dermal fillers are an excellent way to restore youthful volume to your face – and here at Revere we can also reverse the work of poorly performed fillers, too.
Whether your skincare routine is preventative or reparative, it’s never too soon to start seeking the youthful, glowing skin you deserve. Look after yourself to make sure you stay vibrant and vital well into your later years – and when your genes begin to out, there are plenty of ways to give your skin a boost along the way.