AGEING

Understanding your skin

Ageing

Wrinkles and lines, altered pigmentation and loss of skin tone are all changes we associate with skin ageing. Skin ageing begins at around 30 years of age, after which we typically lose around 2% of our collagen each year.

As part of the natural ageing process, the body's wear-and-repair cycle begins to slow. The skin becomes less efficient at dealing with environmental changes such as exposure to harmful UV rays. Collagen and elastin, which help keep the skin looking plump and youthful, begin to break down, leaving it looser and more prone to lines and wrinkles. Cell turnover also slows: the production of new skin cells decreases and dead cells are not shed as quickly.

How quickly your skin ages depends on factors including lifestyle, stress and environment, with UV exposure and smoking being two of the leading causes of accelerated skin ageing.

What you can do

• Moisturise and wear broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sun protection of at least SPF 30 every day, regardless of the weather.
• Use gentle exfoliation to encourage cell turnover.
• Drink plenty of water and eat a healthy, balanced diet.
• Include serums in your skincare routine. They contain concentrated active ingredients and are designed to work deeper within the skin.

Key ingredients to look for

• Vitamin C: a powerful antioxidant when used in a stable form.
• Vitamin A: retinol and retinoids help regulate cell turnover, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and improve skin texture and tone.
• Peptides: amino acids that send signals to skin cells to carry out tasks such as building collagen.

What we can do

• CACI non-surgical facial toning
• Microneedling
• Laser skin rejuvenation
• Radio frequency skin tightening
• Mesotherapy
• Dermalux LED light therapy
• HIFU
• Hydrolift

Recommended homecare may include Dermalogica Age Smart, Phyto Nature and BioLumin-C ranges, together with the Slow Ageing Essentials range.