As our bodies age, the way it feels and functions begins to change as well, the changes to our skin alone can be drastic enough to distract from all the others! Spots, wrinkles, hair, aches, and pains appear where there were once none. Therefore, the way we take care of ourselves, needs to “age” with us. Below I will highlight the different skincare needs at different stages, from pre-teen to elderly, and how they can be addressed.
Pre-teens & Teenagers
Our teens were a crazy time featuring intense emotions and raging hormones. And it was these hormones that would wreak havoc on our skin. Some of us manage to come nout of this stage unscathed with the occasional blemish or pimple (only to face the joys of adult acne later!) but many of us have a couple of challenges during this stage. Teens and pre-teens commonly face issues such as acne and oily skin.
Oily skin may not always result in breakouts or acne; however, it can still be uncomfortable to deal with throughout the day. This can be treated with medication prescribed by professional health care professionals. But before you go running to the doctor’s office there are various products out there that you can try, that can help regulate your oil production, without stripping your skin of all its oils.
At this point you would have just started building up your skincare knowledge and creating your skin care routine. Experiment with care, taking to account your skin type and sensitivity, and most of all try to reduce on your stress levels as much as possible. This will do a world of good for your skin and overall health.
Young adulthood
As we enter young adulthood our skin becomes more predictable, we know what triggers our breakouts, when they come, our problem areas, what products work with us and ones that we do not. Although we are out of our teens we are not necessarily out of the woods. As mentioned before adult acne can rear its ugly head, along with scars and hyper-pigmentation (possibly from your teens), sun damage, blackheads, clogged pores, and calmer but still active hormones. Consistency is key. If you are anything like me then this is the point in which you would start introducing serums such as hyaluronic acid and chemical exfoliants such as AHAs and BHAs. It is important that our skin routine can effectively keep our skin clean and healthy. Also, you are never too young to start introducing anti ageing techniques, this can be in the form of massages, facials, creams, and serums. Experts say that our skin begins to age in our 20’s and so incorporating anti-ageing products and practices early will lead to better prevention.
Middle age to elderly
At this stage you should treat your skin more delicately. As we age, our skin begins to thin, lose volume, sag, and form wrinkles. This is due to the decrease in collagen. Collagen is the main structural protein, which is found in bones, tendons, muscles and abundantly in the skin. Over time we produce collagen less and less, and exposure to UV rays leads to the breakdown of collagen as well. Your skincare routine at this stage should work to replenish the loss in volume and moisture in your skin. Skin should be cleansed daily; however, it is important that your products are gentle and do not strip away oils from your skin and follow it up with a moisturizing toner.
Exfoliation should be done no more than 3 times a week, to avoid aggravating your skin. Daily facial massages are also very beneficial as it stimulates cell turnover, improves blood flow, boosts collagen production, and reduces fluid buildup.
Collagen and Hyaluronic acid should be incorporated into your routine to increase moisture and replenish volume that may have been lost. This will help in preventing wrinkles and loosening of skin.
All ages
I have two words: Water, SPF. Having adequate amounts of these will do wonders for your skin. Our bodies are made up of 60% water, meaning that hydration is very important. Drinking adequate amounts of water will help the skin become plumper and improve elasticity, as a result skin becomes more radiant and less likely for irritation and blemishes to occur.
We have already discussed the importance of SPF in this article. However, it can not be said enough! Sunscreen has no age limit or requirement; this is something you should be using all throughout your life and more so as you get older.