To know how to delay the loss of firmness, it is essential to be clear about which part of the skin is responsible for the turgor and how it works.
What is the dermis?
The dermis is the part of the skin responsible for maintaining tone. It is composed of a support substance rich in water and active cells, the fibroblasts , which manufacture a large number of collagen and elastin fibers that intertwine with each other, giving rise to a very dense mesh, responsible for the elasticity and resistance of the skin. skin.
The fibroblast production system works wonderfully in childhood and youth, but begins to fail after 40 years of age. They are less active, the fibers to which they give rise are of poorer quality and, furthermore, they do not intersect in an orderly manner, but rather clump together, first giving rise to wrinkles and then to loss of skin tone. To further aggravate the situation, over the years, the dermis has more difficulty retaining water. As a consequence, there is a loss of firmness in the facial oval .
Factors that accelerate the loss of cell renewal
This natural process appears clearly from the age of 50 , when cell renewal processes weaken. In addition, it is usually accelerated by factors such as:
- Excessive exposure to the sun and UVA rays, which dehydrates and contributes to the disorganization of collagen and elastin fibers.
- The proliferation of free radicals , pieces of very active molecules that, to stabilize themselves, combine with different structures, including collagen fibers.
- Drastic, unbalanced, low-calorie, low-protein diets, often accompanied by diuretics, are one of the worst enemies of the skin, because they subject it to deficiencies that affect its structures.
Tips to maintain a radiant complexion
Once the mechanism of loss of skin tone is understood in its different facets, we are going to see what aspects we can influence with our nutritional and cosmetic habits to delay the dreaded flaccidity .
Internal and cosmetic hydration
- Drinking around 1.5 liters of water a day , as well as juices, infusions and broths, will provide the body and the dermis with the necessary water to maintain the hydration of its structure.
- Apply a moisturizing cream morning and night ; simple at age 20 and, as age increases, it should be richer in fat and active ingredients.
- Moisturizing creams applied rigorously will help prevent the epidermis from becoming dehydrated while they can restore or reinforce the presence of moisturizing substances, such as lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, urea or algae concentrates, which retain water in the skin . skin.
- Some creams claim to contain collagen or elastin in order to restore skin tone. This is a somewhat utopian argument because these two fibers are very large molecules that are not absorbed by the epidermis, although they do have a certain action of retaining water.
- For more mature skin, regenerating and anti-aging creams sometimes include anti-free radical substances such as vitamins C and E.
Healthy and varied diet
- It will allow us to ensure the contribution of vitamins C and E naturally . Citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries, tomatoes… will provide vitamin C, and virgin olive oil or dried fruit, vitamin E. In addition to its interest as an antioxidant , vitamin C is essential for the biosynthesis of collagen, which means that it is doubly interesting for the health of our skin.
- The diet also has to be the main source of collagen and for this it must include proteins of animal origin .
It is not advised to systematically skip the “second courses” and follow strict vegetarian diets. - Recently , food supplements have appeared that provide hydrolyzed collagen that, taken daily, favors the regeneration of collagen in our body and therefore improves joints, bone density and the condition of the skin.
- Keep the sun at bay with products with a minimum sun protection factor of 50, which should be applied generously and before leaving the house. We must pay attention to the addiction to UVA sessions since they are the most penetrating solar radiation.
face gymnastics
We all have very internalized the benefits of body exercise but not so much those of the facial. To combat flaccidity, it will be very convenient to stop at self- massage when applying cosmetics and do some gymnastic exercises with the muscles of the face to maintain the smoothness of the dermis.
What you should know:
- Flaccidity is a natural process that clearly appears after the age of 50, when cell renewal processes weaken.
- Excessive exposure to the sun and UVA rays or drastic, unbalanced and low-calorie diets accelerate the skin’s sagging process.
- Tips: drinking around 1.5 liters of water a day and applying a moisturizing emulsion or incorporating some type of facial gymnastics will help combat flaccidity.
