in Silvia Turin
The aging of the skin that causes wrinkles mainly caused by the sun’s rays to which we are exposed without filters. Rather than running for cover afterwards with anti-wrinkles, it is advisable to protect yourself (especially in summer) and thus avoid even more serious problems
In search of the elixir of youth, an anti-aging product within everyone’s reach is often overlooked: sunscreen, the anti-wrinkle cream that we all really need.
In fact, exposure to the sun is the most important factor in skin aging: ultraviolet radiation is capable of causing acute and chronic damage to the skin. Skin thickening causes an increase in expression lines, localized or widespread hyperpigmentation (spots) up to skin alterations that induce the formation of tumors (from basal cell carcinoma to squamous cell carcinoma up to melanoma).
Ultraviolet rays are divided into UVC, UVB and UVA. UVCs do not reach the earth’s surface, UVBs are more energetic than UVAs and therefore more capable of causing mutations in the DNA in skin cells than the latter (UVBs are also responsible for sunburn). While UVB rays are filtered by the ozonosphere, UVA rays are held much less by this barrier and reach deeper into the skin (up to the so-called dermis) and also filter through the window. They are therefore responsible for damaging the collagen and elastic fibers of the skin. This is why they are mainly responsible for skin aging. Furthermore, UVA, although less energetic than UVB, is now considered implicated in the genesis of some skin tumours, including melanoma.
It is therefore important to protect yourself from the sun (even when it is cloudy) with sunscreens with a protective factor of 50 or 300. Furthermore, preventing and/or reducing wrinkles can help to rejuvenate the rest of the body at least a little. In fact, the link between wrinkles and health is quite close: according to a recent research, the elderly with a more youthful appearance for their age also have a lower risk of having problems such as cataracts, osteoporosis, hearing loss or chronic bronchopneumopathies, and also boast better cognitive functioning. Furthermore, some time ago, a survey of over 70s indicated that fewer wrinkles are associated with lower mortality in the 12 years to come.
Factors other than exposure to the sun also play a role against skin aging.
First of all it is important to take care of the hydration of the skin with specific products, but also of the body with the right amount of water: when you are severely dehydrated the skin appears dull and not very elastic.
Every aspect concerning health also depends on food: let’s increase the introduction of good fats (contained in fish, nuts and olive oil), green vegetables and red and orange foods with antioxidant and photoimmunoprotective properties. Avoid the consumption of alcohol: in fact, this widens the blood vessels and causes the breaking of capillaries and an increase in wrinkles.
Lack of sleep, cigarette smoke and stress can also favor an increase in free radicals, which determines the degradation of the intercellular substance and the reduction of collagen production by the dermis cells, which is mainly responsible for skin tone.
August 9, 2023 (change August 9, 2023 | 12:00)
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