5 Unexpected Causes of Premature Aging

The Parkins Plastic Surgery team in the Milwaukee area commonly meets with patients who seek out minimally invasive injectable treatments like BOTOX^® to undo common signs of aging such as wrinkles around the corners of the eyes and on the forehead. Aging is inevitable, but the speed at which your skin ages depends on a combination of factors, such as your overall state of health, genetic influences, environmental exposure, and lifestyle habits—such as smoking and diet.

Many people don’t realize that only about 30 percent of how skin ages is based on genetics, so we still have a significant amount of control over the health, appearance, and resiliency of it as the years pass. With that in mind, there’s no reason you have to “look your age.” Even though taking care of your skin is a full-time job, using the right products and giving it the extra attention it needs will pay off in the long term. 

One of the best ways of maintaining youthful skin is by avoiding the everyday culprits that can cause it to age at an abnormally fast rate. While chronological aging and smoking are two of the most obvious causes of accelerated skin aging, there are also some other lesser-known factors that have nothing to do with the year you were born.

Here are five things you may not realize are contributing to signs of aging: 

1. A Bad Diet 

As tempting as highly processed and sugary snacks are, the truth is that they aren’t so great for your skin. Even if you’re using all of the best topical products, your skin also is an organ that gets nutrients from your diet, so eating the wrong foods and not getting the right nutrients can have a negative impact on your appearance. In a process called glycation, sugar in the bloodstream attaches itself to collagen and leads to wrinkle development. You also need to limit your consumption of carbs, as they have a similar effect. It goes without saying that veggies are great for your health in many ways, and they also are rich in antioxidants that strengthen your skin. 

2. Weight Fluctuations

If you tend to do a lot of yo-yo dieting, the constant gain and loss of weight may cause your skin to become stretched out and lose its elasticity. It’s best to maintain a stable weight within a normal range as much as possible and use products containing collagen-boosting ingredients such as retinols to strengthen the skin. 

3. Forgetting Sunscreen 

Don’t assume that you’re only going to need sunscreen when you’re outdoors on a blistering summer day. Even forgetting to wear sunscreen during everyday activities such as taking a walk around your neighbourhood for a few minutes or driving can be bad for your skin. Remember that UV rays can penetrate the windows of your car, so you still need to slather on a layer of high-SPF sunscreen if you’re driving. 

4. Inadequate Beauty Sleep 

Getting an extra hour or two of sleep per night could help your appearance. Not getting enough sleep alters the pH of the skin and interferes with the hydration of cells. 

5. Frequent Plane Travel

If you’re a frequent flyer, chances are good that your skin might have a tough time coping with the routine. This isn’t something most of us think about, but when we’re at high altitudes, the UV rays from the sun are much more intense. Not only is our skin getting burned by ultraviolet radiation that can get through the windows of the plane, but there’s also dealing with the dry air in an airplane that may cause it to become dehydrated. Studies have shown that flight attendants have a higher risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. 

For more advice on addressing signs of aging, contact Parkins Plastic Surgery at (262) 269-1050 or submit an online contact form to request a consultation.