Put Your Best Face Forward

You’re probably like the majority of people who have enjoyed healthy skin for most of their lives but you’ve now reached an age when you are beginning to notice signs of ageing when you look in the mirror.  You’re active, enjoy good general health, and are physically fit…but somehow your eyes look tired, your cheeks sag slightly, and fine lines and creases are forming around your mouth.  Your skin doesn’t have the smooth surface and healthy glow it used to have not so long ago. 

You know you’d like to do something to improve your skin so that it will reflect the way you feel inside, but it’s difficult to know where to begin.  

What are your options?

Maybe an improved diet…a better skin hygiene program…some over-the-counter cosmetics…or a visit to a clinic or spa.

Or, perhaps what is really needed is a visit to a dermatologist…or a personal consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon to get a professional assessment. 

There have never before been more options for you to choose from. 

Luckily, due to the increased demand for better skin care in our youth-oriented, health conscience society, you have many resources to call upon in your search for ways to improve your skin.   

A glance at any cosmetic counter will show you what tremendous advances have been made in recent years in over-the-counter skin care.  Health and fashion magazines are overflowing with ads for spas and health farms.  Everything from temporary coverups or quick fixes to permanent surgical treatments is available for every skin problem and for every budget.   

The Internet brings straight to your desk or laptop a description of every conceivable product and process for improving your skin.  On line is also the place to find out more about your skin and how it functions. (check an Article on this site, Amazing Skin - Our Body’s Largest Organ)

A Good Look in the Mirror

Probably your first step should be a serious self appraisal of your skin.  Identify what specific areas you are most concerned about. 

• Has there been a general dulling of the tone and texture of your facial skin? 
• Do your eyelids look heavier? 
• Are there more discolorations, spots, and bumpy areas on your face, neck and chest skin? 
• Do you have squint lines between your eyebrows or at the outer edges of your eyes?  Are you worried about the deepening creases on either side of your smile? 
• Has your chin line softened and become puffy around the jowls? 

Don’t bother to ask your spouse or friends for an opinion.  It’s not fair to put them on the spot…and you’ll rarely get the brutal truth anyway.  This is the time to face yourself squarely in the mirror and give your skin a close and thorough examination.  Hint:  a small magnifying mirror is handy to have at this stage, too.

Read the article on this site, Three Kinds of Skin Ageing, for more symptoms of premature skin ageing and possible causes. 

A Peek in the Bathroom Cabinet
 
Next, it would be a good idea to make a quick review of the skin care products you are currently using.  Often we fall prey to zealous advertisers and well-meaning family or friends who have recommended products which may not be appropriate for our particular skin type. 

Or maybe you’re still using products you’ve been used to for years and haven’t taken into account that your skin has changed and now has different needs.  Even if you’ve never been prone to allergies or allergic reactions to soaps, cleansers or shampoos in the past, take into consideration that some people as they mature or grow older develop sensitivities to various ingredients used in skin care products.  You may need to change your brand or switch to a hypoallergenic formulation. 

Are you using old or outdated makeup products which may be clogging pores and exposing your skin to inflammation-causing bacteria?  If you’ve been noticing a rash or dryness in the areas where you usually apply perfume or aftershave, now is the time to discontinue use of such products until you have reevaluated your skin care regime.

A Quick Review of Your Diet 

All of us pretty much know by now which foods are good for us and which are not.  If you are concerned right now with achieving a healthy glowing skin you are probably also trying to eat healthy foods and probably have more than an above average awareness of the importance of diet on healthy skin. 

If you observe in your self assessment of your skin symptoms of premature ageing you may not be getting enough antioxidants in your present diet.  In addition to seeking help to repair damage to your skin’s surface you must also improve what goes on underneath the surface by improving your diet. 

A Lifestyle Checkup

If the skin ageing symptoms you are observing have developed in spite of general good health and an active life style, then the cause is more than likely to be either environmental or your body’s natural genetic tendency, or both combined. 

The harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays are the primary cause of premature skin ageing and skin damage.  UV rays reaching the vital dermis layer of your skin aggravates any other symptoms already caused by poor diet, lack of exercise, genetics, or just plain neglect.

A Health Review 

If you have health considerations such as allergies, a chronic condition, or have had a serious illness, your skin will reflect the stress your body has suffered.  Just as your health improves after an illness so too can premature skin ageing symptoms be reversed or improved with proper treatment and care.  The skin is an amazing organ and one of its most remarkable features is its ability to regenerate itself.

Making a visit to your family doctor or having an annual checkup might be an excellent move before stepping out on a campaign to improve the condition of your skin.  It will help eliminate any obvious causes of poor skin condition due to a health problem.  

Ready to Find Out What’s Available

Once you have determined what’s going on with your own skin, and have given yourself some reminders of the various factors that must be combined in order to get the best results from any skin treatment or cosmetic procedure, you will be much better prepared to evaluate the many possibilities available.