Losing the elasticity and tightness of your skin is just part of the ageing process. While ageing is inevitable, your skin’s ageing process can be slowed down.
Read on to learn more about your skin, your skin’s elasticity, and what steps you can take to support healthier, more youthful-looking skin.
About Skin Elasticity and Why is it Important?
Think of your skin as a rubber band—skin elasticity is what lets your skin bounce back to its original position when stretched.
Skin elasticity starts in the dermal layer of your skin. Elastin—the fibrous protein found in the dermal layer—is what keeps your skin smooth, firm, and youthful. The dermal layer is then divided into the papillary dermis and the reticular layer. The reticular dermis contains elastin and collagen, which helps maintain elasticity.[1,2]
Lack of skin elasticity can lead to early signs of ageing, such as fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging of the skin.[2]
What Causes Loss of Skin Elasticity?
When your skin loses elasticity, it’s called elastosis. Causes of loss of skin elasticity include[3,24]:
Ageing
Sun exposure
Smoking
Pollution and other environmental factors
Improper diet
Dehydration
Breakdown of collagen
How to Know if You Have Good Skin Elasticity
If you’re not sure if your skin could benefit from a little help to improve its elasticity, you can check with a simple test called the Snap Test. Just follow these steps:
Take your forefinger and thumb and pinch your under-eye skin.
If it snaps back quickly, your skin elasticity is good.
If it takes time to get back to its original state, you have low elasticity.
How to Support Skin Elasticity
If you think your skin elasticity is lacking and could use a little help, no need to fret! There are steps you can take to help improve its elasticity.
Here are 9 ways to support skin elasticity:
1. Protect Your Skin from the Elements
Environmental elements can play a role in your skin losing its elasticity. UV rays break down elastin, leading to early signs of ageing.[4]
While sunscreen can’t turn back time, it can help protect your skin from further damage. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen in order.
2. Drink Plenty of Water
Hydration is vital for our health overall, but it could be additionally beneficial for your skin health, as well. Keeping hydrated from the inside out can help improve the softness and stretch of your skin. It also helps keep your skin looking youthful and plump, while also aiding in detoxification.[5]
While plenty of sources say to drink about 8 glasses of water a day, listen to your body. Drink when you’re thirsty, and stop drinking when you’re no longer thirsty.
3. Proper Skin Care
Speaking of hydration from the inside out—be sure to moisturise your skin. It’s important in terms of preventing too much water loss from the surface of your skin.[6,7] Moisturising can also help with inflammation.[8] There are certain ingredients with hydrating properties you should look for in a quality moisturiser[9]:
Hyaluronic acid
Shea butter
Glycerin
Oils, such as argan, marula, and almond
Avoid drying ingredients, including:
Parabens
Fragrances
Alcohol
Talc
Phthalates
There are also additional skin care products or skin care services you can use to improve your skin. Including exfoliation in your skincare routine helps other products, like your moisturiser, to sink into the skin more effectively.[10,11]
If you choose to incorporate exfoliation, follow these guidelines to prevent skin irritation:
Aim to exfoliate 1 to 2 times a week
Use a physical exfoliant (sugar or salt scrub) or a chemical exfoliant (alpha hydroxy acids)
Go slow and use gentle pressure
Always moisturise afterwards
Another thing you can do to help your skin is a facial massage. This help gets the circulation going in your skin and may help decrease puffiness and irritation.[12,13] Here are a few tips:
Make sure your hands are clean and use your fingertips
Use gentle pressure and circular motions
Focus on the areas around your eyes, cheekbones, and jaw
4. Get Plenty of Beauty Sleep
Sleep is your friend and can improve your overall health. When you’re sleeping, your body is going to work repairing itself, and that includes your epidermis. When you’re getting poor sleep, this can result in skin that ages faster.[14,15,16]
Try to get at least 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep every night.
5. Collagen Supplements
Collagen is a protein that is one of the main building blocks of our body’s connective tissue, including your skin. You can get collagen from traditional bone broth, but it’s not readily available in much else. Therefore, many people choose to go with collagen supplements in order to add more collagen to their regimen and give their body the amino acids it needs.[17]
Try Hey Nutrition’s Collagen Complex delivers potent doses of nutrients to help promote your skin health, and much more. Our formula combines collagen with a super blend of ingredients to support your skin health and aid with skin elasticity, such as:
Hyaluronic Acid: An important molecule for skin hydration
Sea Kelp: Provides the body with a natural source of minerals, including iodine
Biotin: Helps nourish and support skin health
Vitamin C: Helps nourish skin and protect skin cells from oxidative stress
Vitamin E: Contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress, and protects DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage
6. Vitamins for the Skin
Let’s expand a bit more on the vitamins that can benefit your skin health and elasticity. Some of the best vitamins for this include:
Retinol and retinoids (vitamin A): These are important ingredients in anti-ageing products. They help boost collagen elastin levels and help with skin turnover. You can usually find these as topical skincare products, such as creams and serums.[18]
Niacinamide (vitamin B3): Another important ingredient for anti-ageing, niacinamide has antioxidant capabilities and has been shown to help improve fine lines, wrinkles, and skin elasticity.[19]
Vitamin C: This vitamin is high in antioxidants and can boost your skin’s overall health. Typically, vitamin C levels are lower in aged and damaged skin.[20] Vitamin C supplements, like Hey Nutrition’s Vitamin C Complex, can help enhance skin elasticity, reduce fine lines, and so much more.
7. Foods Rich in Anti-inflammatories and Antioxidants
Let’s continue on the antioxidant train. There are a handful of foods that are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Nutrient-rich plant foods can help promote healthy skin cells. So try incorporating foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, spices, herbs, teas, and algae into your diet.[21]
8. Moderate Exercise
Exercise does wonders for your health. One study found that moderate exercise could improve the appearance of your skin and reverse some of the skin cell changes that can lead to loss of elasticity. It can improve the metabolism of your skin cells, boost blood circulation, and helps keep the skin firm.[22]
9. Manage Stress Levels
Stress is inevitable and part of everyday life. Learning how to manage that stress, however, can lead to numerous benefits for your health and your skin’s appearance.
When you’re stressed, the proteins in your skin change. Stress from your lifestyle or habits can further cause the skin to be damaged and show signs of ageing.[23]
Try mindful practices to help reduce and manage your stress, such as yoga, meditation, journaling, exercising, or reading.
Ready to transform your skin health, as well as your overall health? Check out HeyNutrition’s line of premium products by clicking here!
Consult with your physician before beginning any new dietary supplements.
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