What is healthy skin and how can you maintain a healthy skin at any age?

In the age of social media and the Internet, we oftentimes are under the impression that healthy skin must be perfect skin, which is quite the opposite of the truth.

Keeping the outermost layer of your skin healthy is crucial to maintaining the overall health of your skin. Healthy skin has a lot to do with your barrier function. Your skin provides a barrier to protect the body from bacteria and other possible environmental hazards that can harm your health. It also plays many roles in protecting you. Your skin controls nerve endings that will alert you when an object is too hot or cold or sharp, while sweat glands and tiny blood vessels in your skin help to handle your body's temperature.

The hardest part about all of this is that it can be very easy to weaken your barrier if you're not careful. Skin's barrier can be weakened due to UV exposure, over-cleansing or exfoliating your skin, or not using proper skin care products for your skin type. All those things can compromise the functioning of your skin's barrier.

How can you tell if your skin barrier is damaged?

DRYNESS/DULLNESS  

The moisture in your skin will escape and evaporate. It can also leave signs of rough texture, tightness, flakiness, or redness. Cracks in the skin allow irritants and allergens to sneak through which can cause an inflammatory reaction.

SENSITIVITY

Sensitivity and imbalance of lipids which are oils in the skin's barrier will cause dysfunction and may cause sensitivity by stinging or burning. An example of this is if you've been using a product for a while with no issues, no sensitivity, but all of a sudden it stings and burns.

BREAKOUTS

Bacteria may penetrate the skin making it more likely for blemishes and flare-ups of acne to happen.

While these can be a sign of other things, your skin needs a bit of healing if one or more of these are happening. If this is the case, you will want to drench your skin in hydration and just go back to the basics by gently cleansing, hydrating, and protecting your skin. Definitely no friction, no exfoliation, no active ingredients, just basics. Essentially, a normal functioning barrier is what determines the health of your skin.

Now let's talk about how to keep your skin healthy at any age. The aging process is inevitable. Our bodies change as we age, and aging is not a bad thing, it's a sign that you're alive, which is a privilege. But there are some preventative measures you can add to your lifestyle and to your skincare routine to boost your skin’s health throughout your life.

SKINCARE IN YOUR 20s

Wrinkles might be the furthest thing from your mind in your 20s, but your skin is changing even if it's not noticeable yet. Collagen production decreases by 1% each year beginning in your 20s, which contributes to fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging later on.

Do you want to know how you can slow down this process? You can avoid speeding up collagen loss by using SPF on a daily basis! Protecting your skin against the sun is your number one defense against extrinsic aging.

Another thing I see happening with my clients who are in their 20s is battling acne. Acne is something thought of as a teenage problem, but it can continue into the 20s and beyond. A 2017 study of women ages 22 to 24 suggested that stress increases the severity of acne. Acne is very complex, and I am planning on covering all things acne in a future article, so stay tuned for that.

Next is sleep, inadequate sleep will deprive your body of its regenerative cycle, so beauty sleep IS a thing.

SKIN CARE IN YOUR 30s

Fine lines are often an early sign of sun damage. A 2013 study of nearly 300 women aged 30 to 78 suggested that UV exposure seems to be responsible for 80% of noticeable symptoms of aging in the skin on the face. Overexposure to the sun during your teens and 20s can contribute to the formation of wrinkles and dark spots, and increase the likelihood of developing skin cancer later on.

What else happens in your 30s? You may notice a loss of volume around the cheeks and eye area because of collagen loss. This is the time to ramp up your skincare routine. An ingredient to incorporate in your daily skincare routine that's very beneficial in your 30s if you haven't already started in your 20s is Vitamin C. A 2017 study suggested topical use of vitamin C has anti-aging benefits including the ability to increase collagen synthesis. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that fights the free radical damage we're exposed to on a daily basis. Vitamin C also helps with evening your skin tone if you're concerned with slight discoloration and blotchiness.

Once again maintaining a good sleep routine or starting one if you haven't done so in your 20s also is important to help your skin repair itself in your 30s.  As we sleep, the whole body, our skin included, regenerates, recycles, and repairs itself.

SKIN CARE IN YOUR 40s

I see most often my clients are concerned with loss of elasticity and wrinkles as they hit their 40s. It's important to note there's a science behind these concerns.

The skin's supportive tissue has three building blocks; collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. Our body naturally produces these ingredients, however, less of them over time, which can lead to dry, saggy skin. Women typically show their age on the face, neck, and the back of their hands, that's why you want to include those areas in your skincare routine.

Also, sun damage could begin to show in the 40s If it didn't happen in your 30s. Hyperpigmentation can become more prominent during this decade, largely due to accumulated sun damage over time. Let's talk a little bit about cell turnover, this process slows down as we age, and regular exfoliation will help you maintain a healthy complexion. As you get older, your metabolism slows down and your body retains less water. You want to make sure to stay hydrated and minimize your alcohol and caffeine intake as they dehydrate your body including your skin.

SKIN CARE IN YOUR 50s

Your skin concerns are likely to shift as you enter your 50s. There's a decrease in the amount of hyaluronic acid as we age which can lead to loss of moisture and dry skin.

What is hyaluronic acid? Hyaluronic acid is a binding agent, it's able to hold 1000 times its weight in water. The key to using hyaluronic acid is to seal it in. I believe the best form of it is in a form of a serum because what happens is hyaluronic acid will attract moisture into your skin from the environment, but if you leave it alone on the skin, it will draw the moisture out of your skin leaving it feeling drier. This defeats the purpose so always seal in your hyaluronic acid with a moisturizer. A 2020 study suggested participants with dry atopic eczema-prone skin saw significant improvement in skin hydration and dryness for 24 hours after a single application of hyaluronic acid! That's pretty powerful.

Hormones and menopause may also play a role in the appearance of the skin. Fluctuations in hormone levels can cause facial fat to redistribute, potentially hollowing the skin and causing it to appear thinner and more aged. Side note, hormonal changes can make you break out too. I hear it all the time from my clients. They'll say “I'm in my 50s and I'm still breaking out. Is it ever going to stop?” And my answer is, “You know what? No, it doesn't stop.” Acne is very complex. You'll learn more about it in future articles. Being a woman and all the hormones we have to deal with, we more than likely have to deal with breakouts at some point in our lives. Sorry to break it to you.

SKIN CARE IN YOUR 60S AND BEYOND

Guess what? Sun protection is where it’s at! Using SPF daily is still going to be a powerful tool in your toolbox. The results of cumulative sun exposure may start to show in the form of dark spots if it hasn't already. While these brown spots reflect prior sun damage that's been done. It is just as important to continue to wear sun protection to prevent the spots from becoming darker.

Also, retinal is a key ingredient when it comes to anti-aging and age management. An older 2005 study suggested retinol and vitamin C could boost elasticity in postmenopausal women. That's exciting! It's important to take note of more than just your facial skin. Especially as women, it becomes especially important to also pay attention to your hands, neck, and chest, as those areas will continue to show signs of aging as they lose volume, and the skin appears thinner and more creepy.

When it comes down to it, embrace the skin you're in. It's also important to remember that aging is inevitable and it's okay to accept and embrace the changes we experience and remember that it's a privilege to live longer and get older.