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By Richard M. Foxx, M.D.
While aging cannot be avoided, there are some things you can do to minimize the effects of sun and environmental damage. The goal, of course, is not to prevent aging, but to achieve healthy aging.
1. USE SUN PROTECTION. Ninety percent of the damage we do to our skin is the result of exposure to the sun. And even though 90 percent of the damage is done before age 20, it's not too late. Use a sunblock with an SPF of at least 30 that protects against UVA and UVB and reapply it at least once daily. It you're counting on your makeup or your moisturizer to protect you, your faith is seriously misplaced.
Remember that "SPF" only applies to UVB rays. You need a specific UVA blocker to block the aging rays. We recommend Anthelios because it contains both Parsol and Mexoryl, superior UVA blockers.
2. AVOID SMOKE. Smoking increases facial aging and changes skin texture by acting as a severe oxidative stress. It's even a good idea to avoid environments where smoke is in the air.
3. DRINK WATER. Water is necessary to remove the body's waste products. A good goal is 32 ounces daily. I recommend you start the day with one liter bottle of water on your desk and empty it before the day is over.
4. FOLLOW PROPER NUTRITION. My recommendation is to consume at least five to seven varied servings of fruits and vegetable daily and avoid saturated fats and preserved foods as much as possible. Avoid margarine and use olive oil or butter instead. Limit your intake of saturated fats and red meat.
5. UTILIZE SUPPLEMENTS. Since 90 percent of the food we eat is preserved, vitamins are more important now than they ever were. Antioxidants such as selenium, coenzyme Q-10, and lipoic acid are critical to cell health as well. And don't forget omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids definitely help your skin by minimizing inflammation and maintaining the integrity of cellular membranes. A bonus is the protection they afford against Alzheimer's and sudden cardiac death.
6. MONITOR YOUR WEIGHT. Try to maintain your weight so that your body mass index is between 24 and 27. Frequent weight loss and weight gain acts as a stress and effects the elasticity of the skin.
7. EXERCISE. Almost nothing boosts your mood and improves your overall sense of well-being as much as a program of regular exercise. Yes, I include yoga in that recommendation.
8. GET ADEQUATE SLEEP. Shoot for seven to eight hours of sleep daily. Try to sleep on your back to minimize facial wrinkles.
9. MANAGE STRESS. For most of us, stress is instantly reflected in facial expressions and appearance. We can't avoid stress, but we can manage it by the meditative and breathing techniques that have been around for thousands of years. Try 'em.
10. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ADVANCES IN COSMETIC MEDICINE. BOTOX™, dermal fillers such as Restylane and RADIESSE, retinoic acid, topical anti-oxidants such as PREVAGE, laser light therapy, and TITAN skin tightening all help to minimize the changes brought about by the passage of time. By utilizing some or all of these modalities the speed at which skin changes occur will be slowed. Also slowed will be the degree to which these skin changes become irreversible.
Use skin care products that contain useful levels of effective ingredients. Those cosmeceutical products are usually only obtained in a medical office. They typically cost no more, and often much less, than their less-effective department store counterparts.
11. CONSIDER HORMONES. Levels of testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone fall between one and two percent annually after age 35. And hormone levels have been shown to have a direct effect on the quality and appearance of the skin for men and women. Methods of supplementation that utilize bio-identical hormones applied transdermally are, for the most part, safe and will dramatically enhance the appearance of the skin. Remember, however, that it's important to document the existing levels of hormones by reliable blood tests before taking any supplements.
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