The 7 ingredients you need to look younger
Scrub up your knowledge of top-gun skin ingredients, what they can do for your skin and the must know truths and myths about defying the ageing process. Anti-aging expert and the founder of Dermal Distinction, Dr Giulia D’Anna shares her tips and tricks on how to look younger for longer.
What are anti-aging ingredients?
Ingredients used for anti-ageing are for both the prevention of future deterioration and the treatment of existing deterioration.
7 ingredients that prevent skin deterioration
1. SPF No matter what you use, if you damage your skin by exposing it to UVA/UVB, you will literally undo everything. UV rays are responsible for around 80% of ageing. Tanned skin is skin that has been exposed to trauma.
2. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a great anti-oxidant and also the backbone of collagen. It helps to reduce damage from the environment, such as pollution and chemicals.
3. Niacinamide (vitamin B3) is also a powerhouse ingredient that you should look for in skincare. Niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that works to help visibly improve the appearance of enlarged pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles, dullness, and a weakened surface.
4. Resveratrol is a natural antioxidant compound found in high amounts amongst the skin of grapes and in red wine. Resveratrol is a particularly potent antioxidant that neutralises free radical damage and allows the collagen to keep on pumping. It was discovered more than 20 years ago.
5. Hyaluronic acid (Sodium Hyaluronate) is a brilliant skin hydrator. When cells are hydrated, they communicate better and function better too. This means healthy cells that function well.
6. Squalene (or squalane) is just a great emollient that keeps the skin glowing and supple.
7. Retinol is a form of vitamin A, that has medical studies proving its effectiveness on skin. It is a very important inclusion as it helps to reduce the dead skin cells, and by doing this improves the skin function and speed of cell renewal. New cells look better and work optimally too.
Top 2 anti-aging treatments
1. Skin needling which causes a great boost in collagen levels with minimal downtime. "At Dermal Distinction, we will infuse growth factors and ingredients designed for deep in the dermal layers that help to support your skin and boost hyaluronic levels," says Dr Giulia D’Anna.
2. Laser toning facial has no down time and is perfect for a lunch time treatment with long term effects. They use two wavelengths of light, to selectively target and heat the skin to activate the collagen cascade.
Anti-aging myths and truths
Sleeping on your side causes wrinkles
TRUE: When you sleep on your side, wrinkles will form on your neck and décolletage due to the weight of our own body causing a crease. This is particularly true for those gifted in the chest department. One breast will pull down more than the other, causing a midline set of creases that get deeper as the years pass by.
Wrinkles form on your face from sleeping
TRUE: It happens on the face too. If you sleep on your right side more than the left, you can get a wrinkle that cannot be solved with Botox, for example, because it is not caused by muscle contraction, but rather by leaning on the same spot, in the same way constantly. If possible, train yourself to rotate sleeping sides so that each side gets its fair share of weight, or sleep face up if possible so that there is no pressure on any particular side.
Botox can fix everything
Myth: The foundation of good skin is good skincare and prevention. Anti-wrinkles treatments are great at treating lines caused by muscle contraction, as it relaxes those muscles. However, studies have shown that without good skincare the skin will continue to look lacklustre.
You should start using Botox/anti-wrinkle injections in your twenties
Myth: Good skincare should be started in the twenties. You should always choose skincare products based on your skin type and skin concerns. A good dermal therapist can help you determine the best products for your skin and your budget.
You only need SPF on sunny days
Myth: Clouds only filter 4% of UVA rays. Yes, you may not burn, but the rays responsible for ageing cut straight through windows and clouds. Since the vast majority of visible aging is caused by UV damage, in order to truly protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays, you need to wear a broad spectrum SPF, every single day.
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