REPOST: Unhealthy lifestyles 'age a woman's skin by 10 years'

An international study says that having an unhealthy lifestyle can age a woman's skin by more than 10 years.  Read this article from The Telegraph for details:

 

The true damage caused by sun beds, smoking and a lack of fruit and moisturisation in accelerating the ageing process emerged following research by a team of top skincare experts.

The study, which involved 585 women in the UK, China and Spain, showed the factors influencing their skin were the same even taking into account the backgrounds and skin type of the women involved.

It also emerged 'lifestyle choices' often account for as much as 33 per cent of how old a woman looks.

Dr Andrew Mayes, a scientist for Simple skincare which pioneered the research, said: "We already knew genetics accounted for about 50 per cent of how old people look, but we didn't know how much would be accounted for by their lifestyles.

 

Image Source: Telegraph.co.uk

"Even we were surprised by just how much it was; both in terms of the number of years and the percentage."

The study which was carried out over the last eight years involved women aged 45 to 75 in the UK, 30 to 70 in Spain and 25 to 70 in China.

Study sites with controlled laboratory conditions were established in Bedford in the UK, Madrid in Spain and Shanghai in China.

Those who took part were asked a string of questions about their lifestyles including whether or not they like to sun tan and if they were smokers or non-smokers.

Other questions included how often they moisturise, whether they eat fruit and veg, whether they brush their teeth, and have all their own teeth.

The research team also took digital images of the women which were then assessed for how old they looked to identify their perceived age and whether they looked younger or older than their actual age.

The research team, led by Dr Mayes, then compared the perceived ages of those with good versus bad lifestyles.

They concluded the difference was 10.4 years.

Dr Mayes added: "The number of years difference was most staggering – we had just seen some data out of a group of plastic surgeons in the US and Canada suggesting that a face and neck lift (together with eyelid and forehead modifications) could take an average of about 8.5 years off your facial age.

"Then we got our data through demonstrating a saving of over 10 years. It's fair to say at first we couldn't quite believe it.

"But the evidence was there in front of us – women with a healthy lifestyle looked much younger than those with an unhealthy lifestyle.

"Simply put; good skin health is about more than fancy creams and lotions – it's about how we live our lives and how we treat our bodies and the steps we need to take do not need to be extreme.

"They can be small and steady and the effects will be seen over time without the need for plastic surgery."

In direct response, Dr Mayes has helped create Simple Sense, a skincare tool which takes lifestyle as well as skincare products into consideration to provide personalised tips to help women so they don't feel the need to turn to plastic surgery.

A spokeswoman for Simple skincare said: "We've taken this valuable insight and combined it with over 50 years experience caring for sensitive skin to develop this unique online tool called Simple Sense."

The team behind Lift and Glow Pro emphasizes that living a healthy lifestyle contributes to a youthful and healthy glow.  Access this Facebook page for more materials about skin care.

 

REPOST: What causes dark under-eye circles?

Get rid of under-eye circles by trying these strategies from CNN.  Read on: 

    

(Real Simple) -- If your dark under-eye circles aren't quite as adorable as a panda's, you don't have to grin and bear it. Try these (en)lightening strategies to minimize them. 

Your plan of attack depends on the color of your circles. Look straight into a mirror in natural light, then lower your chin slightly to expose the shadows under your eyes. This way, you'll see clearly whether your circles are more blue or more brown. 

Blue circles 
The cause: Blue circles result from oxygenated blood pooled beneath the under-eye skin. Skin here is very thin and almost transparent, so blood shows through. This is more noticeable in the morning: When we've been horizontal for a while, fluids accumulate and the veins expand to hold more blood.

Blue circles may get worse with age. "As we get older, we lose subcutaneous fat, which can mask blueness below the surface of the skin," says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Medical Center, in New York City.

OTC treatments: There are a few options that work in different ways, though their effects last only a day at most. Topical creams with stimulating ingredients, like caffeine, can constrict blood vessels and temporarily boost circulation; potent hydrators, such as hyaluronic acid, plump the area, pushing the skin up and away from the pooled blood.

Retinoic acid creams thicken the outer layer of the skin to conceal shadows. Another quick fix: products with stainless-steel rollerball-tip applicators. "The cool metal causes vessels to constrict," says New York City dermatologist Eric Schweiger.

Professional treatments: A few other treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use on the rest of the face can effectively treat under-eye circles. One noninvasive solution is a cream with a prescription-strength retinoid.

Blue circles can also be significantly diminished by a treatment called Thermage, which involves a high-tech handheld radio-frequency device. It is nonsurgical, requires no downtime, and is thought to increase the production of collagen, which builds up and tightens the skin.

One session costs about $1,000, and the results last three to five years. Zeichner treats dark circles by injecting a hyaluronic acid filler, such as Juvéderm or Restylane, to plump the skin and hide blueness; the injections can last a year or longer and cost $700 to $900 a pop.

Brown circles 
The cause: Brown circles result from hyperpigmentation, triggered by chronic eye-rubbing, sun exposure, or genetics. They are most prevalent among Asian and African American skin tones.

Real Simple: How to apply makeup well

OTC treatments: Your best bet is daily use of a cream or serum spiked with a skin brightener, like soy or citrus, which can lighten circles over a period of four to six weeks. Avoid hydroquinone, a go-to lightener for sun spots and scars, as most dermatologists agree that it's too heavy-duty for the eye area.

Professional treatments: As with blue circles, there are treatments dermatologists use elsewhere on the face that can also lessen the look of brown circles. They respond well to low-concentration TCA (trichloroacetic acid) peels, which exfoliate.

Plan on spending about $100 a treatment, and you may need several over a couple of months. For enhanced results, there are lasers, like the Q-switched or Fraxel, which destroy pigment cells and even out skin tone with a beam of light energy. Most circles lighten after two or three $500 sessions.

Preventive measures 
Reason No. 734 to wear sunscreen: It will keep circles from returning after treatment and can also stop them from developing in the first place. Sun protection prevents skin from both thinning prematurely (exposing blueness) and tanning (getting browner). 

Lift and Glow Pro is a fast-acting skin rejuvenation serum that can help retain people’s suppressed radiance. Visit this Facebook page for details.