The 4 S's in Skin Care - Stress, Smoking, Sun, and Sugar
Skincare is all emcompassing. Not only are we dealing with genetics, but we are dealing with internal factors as well as the environment that we live in. There are so many do's and don't's and it seems like every expert has their opinion. Am I right ladies?
Well, I'd love to break down what I call the 4 S's in skin care - Stress, Smoking, Sun and Sugar. Small gains over a long period of time can help slow down the aging process for everyone. Where can you improve?
Stress
There... I said the one that we've all been thinking about. Everyone has stress. Whether home or work, finances or sleep (which could easily be yet another S) ... we've got something to worry about. Stress will not only cause those baggy, puffy eyes to make an appearance, but it will aggravate any skin condition that you currently have. For example, if you suffer with breakouts, you make be getting more pimples more frequently. Wrinkles can be more pronounced, seeing that you may furrow your brow more often. Definitely not where you want to hear the word more.
Here's another fun one for you. When I speak in public, there's a rash that starts on one side of my neck and slowly "grows" all the way across to the other side. What's it from? STRESS!
Learning healthy ways to deal with stress is important! Exercise, meditation, breathing, lots of water and even sleeping can help your body deal with all that cortisol. But if it's still not helping, don't let stress linger in your life. Seek out a professional to help give you the proper tools or a doctor that can give you further recommendations.
Smoking
This could be #1 on any list that you seek out. We all know that smoking causes cancer, but do we know that it causes premature aging? No one wants to age faster.
Here's the skinny on this S. Smoking weakens blood vessels and decreases your circulation, so there's a lack of oxygen for the healthy cells. Smoking also creates free radicals. As my teacher in school explained free radicals... "A free radical is like a hussie in a bar. She doesn't have a man, so she steals yours. And then you don't have a partner... which creates a cascading effect that just won't stop." (School was years ago, but trust me. I'll never forget about free radicals and the HUSSIE stealing my man! Haha)=
What do brown fruit and a rusted car have in common? They are exposed to free radicals which can cause oxidative damage. And that's what happens to our skin when we smoke.
Seek out professional help to quit if you need. And don't start smoking because you're stressed! (See what I did there?)
Sun
Ladies, let's talk a moment to talk about summer and how great it is to be outside in our beautiful weather. Okay, let's move on to talk about sun exposure. Sun damage occurs over time and is one of the things that we can improve!
Did you know that genetics makes up only 10% of our aging? The large majority goes to the winner... Sun! (80-85%!!!) There are 3 types of UV rays... UVA, UVB, and UVC. A stands for aging, B stands for burning. C rays don't make it through our atmosphere. The A rays are long and penetrate deeper into the skin, causing damage in the collagen (plumpness) and elastin fibers (skin's elasticity and "snap back"). B rays are shorter and considered to cause most of the cancers. They shorten the cell's lifespan, cause free radicals (see the HUSSIE listed above), and work hard to break down tissue.
So while we do need sunlight and the vitamin D, we also need to be careful and cautious about our sun exposure. Using an SPF product that feels good and is easy to apply is great! Wearing your foundations with SPF is not enough. Reapplication is important.
As a side note, SPF that is 15 covers 93% of rays, 30 covers 97%, and 50 SPF covers 98%. I wouldn't pay the extra big bucks to get more SPF to cover an extra 1/2 %.
Sugar
I saved my hard one for last. When you eat a diet high in sugar, your blood sugar can rise. When you blood sugar raises and remains raised, glycation happens. Glycation is when sugar attaches to the collagen in the skin and makes it hard and stiff. And even sagging skin! That's what happens when you eat sugar! There is also connections between the sugar we eat with the stress hormone, cortisol and inflammation. Neither are great for the skin OR your body!
What can you do? Figure out a way to limit those artificial sugars while still enjoying life. You'll not only sleep better, but your skin will thank you in 20 years!
Have you learned anything? Which is your nemesis? What changes can you make to help slow the aging process? I can't wait to partner with you to help you make a necessary change, hook you up with an awesome sun care product, and get rid of those hussies at the bar.
Don't forget to Breathe. Let Go. Relax.
Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician