Complaining about your skin’s texture, lines, and wrinkles? Who isn’t? Here’s what’s to blame for the signs of aging, as well as some of the latest skincare trends and non-surgical ways to maintain and recover our youthful appearance.
As Prime Women, we’re all in this together. As we’ve gained wisdom and experiences, with every smile, grin, day in the sun, and bite of sugar, we’ve been losing that wonderfully unappreciated component of youthful skin: collagen.
According to WebMD, a quick primer on collagen reveals that to understand aging, we need to better understand our skin. Often called the body’s scaffolding, collagen is a protein that binds tissues.
“It’s the glue that holds the body together,” says New York dermatologist Whitney Bowe, author of The Beauty of Dirty Skin: The Surprising Science of Looking and Feeling Radiant from the Inside Out, in WebMd’s article.
She adds that collagen makes up about 75% of the dry weight of your skin, providing volume that keeps skin looking plump and maintains bones and joints. “As we get older, we break it down faster than we can replace it.”
So, what’s a girl to do if she wants to stay as minimally invasive as possible? First of all, you need to remember that beauty begins within.
You are what you eat. And drink.
According to Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, M.S., N.D, author and anti-aging expert to the stars, number 1 on the list should be bone broth. She says this ancient remedy is uber-trendy for a reason: it works. You can find more about her bone broth diet, as well as interviews on THE DOCTORS and Dr. Oz by visiting her website.
For whole foods recommendations, states Ashley Barrient, RD, a bariatric dietitian at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Prevention Magazine, we need to follow a well-balanced diet rich in lean protein, heart-healthy fat, fruits, and vegetables that will have all of the key collagen-synthesizing nutrients you need, including antioxidants to protect it from breaking down due to environmental damage.
Top 7 collagen-boosting foods and why:
- Red bell pepper – super high in vitamin C
- Tomatoes – high in antioxidants
- Salmon-high omega-3 fatty acids
- Sweet potato – high in vitamin A
- Lean Turkey – major amino acids
- Eggs – high in choline, a B vitamin, which converts to amino acids
- Sunflower seeds – high in vitamin E, an antioxidant
‘The buzz’ – Supplements
Supplements are another of the recent skincare trends. Walk down any health food or beauty store aisle, and you’ll see supplements boasting healthier bones, hair, skin, and nails. Here are a few of our favorites that you should check out: Wild Fuel Liquid Collagen; Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Powder; and Dr. Emil Multi Collagen Plus Pills.
Always check with your practitioner to be sure what’s right for you.
Apply Daily
“There are a few essential skincare products every woman in her prime should incorporate into her regimen to protect, correct, and prevent damage: vitamin C Serum, SPF 30 each morning, and a retinol at night,” says Michelle Palcic, Licensed Clinical Aesthetician and Certified Cosmetic Injector and Laser Practitioner of Bates Wellness and Aesthetics Center, Plano, Texas. Her favorites include SkinMedica Vitamin C+E Complex, SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic, and Elta MD facial sunscreen, SPF 46. She always recommends seeing a licensed skincare specialist for your personalized care regimen.
One of the latest skincare trends to boost collagen is Microneedling. This procedure involves poking tiny holes in your skin with a device that looks like a lint roller covered in tiny needles. “This fad actually works,” says Tina Alster, a clinical professor of dermatology at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington. She says this procedure has come to rival the use of lasers in dermatology offices.
Go deeper with The Big 3
There are a number of procedures that you can get that are non-invasive and in-office if at-home remedies aren’t giving you the results that you want to see. The top 3 collagen boosting procedures are:
Ultherapy – the only FDA–cleared noninvasive procedure that uses ultrasound technology to lift and tighten the neck, chin, and brow and improve wrinkles. It’s basically a nonsurgical alternative to a facelift. While you won’t experience the same level of results, it’s something to consider if you aren’t ready to go under the knife.
Thermage – A treatment for aging skin, Thermage® uses focused radio-frequency energy to strengthen collagen in your skin for a smooth, sleek look.
SkinTyte – Advanced infrared light technology and patient-tailored filters are used to deeply heat and stimulate dermal collagen. SkinTyte can predictably, effectively, and comfortably treat any area of the body where improvement is desired, giving patients a firmer, more youthful appearance.
Advises to Michelle Palcic, Bates Wellness, and Aesthetics, “With any of these procedures, it will take about 90 days to start to see results. And, it’s important to remember that you will not get “facelift” results with a non-surgical procedure…See a licensed skincare specialist for a personalized assessment and to see if one of these procedures is right for you.”
Isn’t it good to know that some skincare trends actually work?
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