How to Keep your Skin Looking Great

Written by Cheryl Freedman

Everyone wants to have younger looking skin. Unfortunately, even the most effective face creams can't turn back the years, despite 'reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles'. But there are steps we can all take so our skin looks healthy for longer.

Understanding your skin

Before you can look after your skin properly, you need to understand it. Our body's largest organ is made up of three layers.

1. The outer epidermis contains pigment cells, the stratum corneum surface layer made up of flat, dead skin cells, and the basal layer where new cells are generated and travel upwards.
2. The middle dermis layer contains blood vessels, nerves, oil glands, collagen fibres and elastin.
3. The inner subcutaneous layer contains blood vessels, hair follicles and fat cells.

There are a number of things that determine how quickly our skin ages, including genetic factors such as your natural skin type, environmental factors such as exposure to sunlight and external factors such as whether or not you smoke.

In general, pale skins wrinkle faster than darker skins that are protected by increased amounts of pigment and lipids.

Age is another vital factor: your skin is very different at 20 to how it is at 70. Because of this, we've put together an action plan for how to look after your skin decade-by-decade.

Looking after your skin in your 50s and above

Pigment cells (melamolytes), though fewer in number, often clump together to form brown age spots.

Sebum (oil) production shrinks further, the stratum corneum continues to thicken and collagen gets more fibrous.

Decreased oestrogen levels after the menopause mean that skin loses its plumpness and tone, which can leave it dry, itchy and more sensitive to allergens.

Mature skin is not only more fragile, it's physically less sensitive too, and so more vulnerable to bruising and tearing. On top of this, it takes far longer to heal itself.

Blood vessels are easily broken, and warts and other skin growths become more prevalent in your 50s.

Action plan

• Take extra care with your skin at this stage in life.
• Stick to a gentle cleanser/toner to clean your skin, avoiding irritants and astringents such as alcohol.
• Use a good moisturiser with a built-in SPF, and keep out of the sun.
• You may want to try a cream with an 'anti-ageing' formula such as retinol or idebenone – use these products at night because they make skin more sensitive to sunlight.
• Remember: as our skin ages, wrinkles are both natural and normal. A lived-in face has as much character and beauty as a youthful one.

Read more: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk