Skin Care during Middle Age Years

From the time you are in your thirties, your skin starts to show signs of aging, such as fine lines and small wrinkles, dryness, and a slight loss of firmness and elasticity. Some of these changes are beyond your control, but there is a great deal that you can do to minimize the effects of age on your skin.

Two Types Of Aging

• Some skin changes are intrinsic. These signs of aging are natural, and due to biological changes programmed into your cells. The way and rate that each of us ages intrinsically is primarily due to our genes. Although there is little we can do to avoid signs of intrinsic aging, having a good skincare regime and taking precautions throughout your life can help slow down or minimize the effects .

• The other type of aging is extrinsic, or caused by external factors- and you do have control over these. It includes environmental influences, such as sun exposure, the way you care for your skin, and the regular wear and tear your skin undergoes each and every day. Even factors such as your facial expressions, the side on which you sleep, and your overall health can affect how much your skin shows its age.

The Aging Skin

One of the main changes that occur as we get older is that the skin becomes drier. This is because the sebaceous(oil-producing) glands slow down as the production of the female hormone estrogen drops. As a result the skin is less able to retain moisture from the environment and less effective at preventing excessive evaporation of natural moisture from the skin's surface. Dryness can be made worse by exposure to sun, cold, and wind, and living in dry, centrally heated and air-conditioned environments. This effect is less noticeable in people who had oily skin as teenagers and young adults, because their sebaceous glands maintain a greater output. Other people may find that their skin becomes dry on the cheeks and around the mouth, but remains oily in other areas - the condition known as combination skin.

Check The Difference

If you are not convinced of the impact extrinsic factors can have on your skin, look at the skin on your bottom or your inner arm compared with that on the back of the hand or your face. The inner arm and the buttocks are seldom exposed to the sun and are usually smooth and firm, while the other areas are often mottled; the skin is probably thicker and may have lost some elasticity; and it shows fine lines and wrinkles. These noticeable differences are due to the effects of external elements on your skin. However, with good skin care you can minimize their impact.

Skin Care During Middle Age Years

If you have followed the same skincare routine since adolescence, this is a good time to review it.

• Buy a good moisturizer, and use it day and night. Because increased dryness is a problem now, you may need a heavier formulation than you have used in the past.

• Try an eye cream or gel. The skin around the 1 eye is delicate and has few sebaceous glands, so, " it is often the first to show wrinkles .. '

• If your skin is dull and flaking, use an exfoliator, such as an AHA product. This helps to remove the accumulated dead cells from the top layer of the skin, making it smoother and more radiant.

• Protect your skin in the sun. Cut down on sunbathing and always wear high-protection sunscreen when outdoors.

Broken Veins:

What they are?

In your middle years you might notice the appearance of tiny red blood vessels, usually on the cheeks and nose. Often called broken veins, but medically known as telangiectasia, these small capillaries have become permanently dilated, so they are visible through the skin. They can be due to the effects of wind and cold, sun exposure, excessive alcohol consumption, or a skin condition, such as rosacea.

Prevention and cure:

Broken veins can often be treated using laser therapy, electrolysis, or sclerotherapy, in which the tiny vessels are injected with a solution that makes them collapse. The blood is then re­routed elsewhere. Both treatments are effective, but if you have a tendency to develop broken veins, they will recur over time. To reduce the risk, always wear a sunscreen when outdoors and protect the skin from harsh weather with a good moisturizer.