Skin ageing is influenced by a person’s genetics, hormones and metabolism as well as their sun exposure, nutrition, stress levels and whether they smoke and exercise.
A good anti-ageing regime is a holistic one, combining skin-ageing prevention with various therapeutic methods.
My top anti-ageing tips include:-
1) Avoid sun, smoking and stress.
2) Have a daily skincare routine with sunscreens in the morning and a cream containing retinol (one of the animal forms of vitamin A) in the evening.
3) Include antioxidants in your diet, such as vitamin C, B3, E, polyphenols (found largely in fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, nuts, legumes and cereals) and flavonoids (found in virtually all fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices). The powerful antioxidant Resveratrol has anti-ageing benefits too and can be found in foods such as blueberries, grapes, peanuts and jackfruit.
The future of anti-ageing
In the future we will develop technologies to deliver skin nourishment, such as antioxidants, directly into the cells of our skin and our whole body.
We will also be influenced by epigenetics – the science of how environmental factors such as stress levels at work, exposure to toxins and what we eat might be subtly altering our genes – and hence the way we look.
Dermal fillers and wrinkle-relaxing injections
For now though, dermal injections of hyaluronic acid can be effective in promoting skin rejuvenation by increasing both hydration and plumping the skin.
Wrinkle-relaxing injections on a regular basis can slow down the visible ageing process by helping in the management of certain facial lines and wrinkles.
It’s important to remember though, that in clinical practice, “to look better” doesn’t mean “to look younger”.
That is why it’s essential to understand patients’ wishes and have a realistic therapeutic goal.
Martin is a dermatologist and a consultant in the Department of Dermatology at the State Hospital Wiener Neustadt near Vienna. He also has a medical practice.
