6 Ways to Prevent Crow’s Feet

One of the first signs of skin aging experienced by many people is the appearance of tiny lines and creases at the corners of the eyelids commonly known as crow’s feet. These lines initially may not be noticeable until the person smiles or moves their face. Although they may be experienced only with movement at first, over time these creases deepen and become a permanent part of the facial architecture. The good news about crow’s feet is they can be prevented to some degree with proper anti-aging skin care habits. Here’s how to prevent crow’s feet from developing or worsening:

Wear sunscreen on a daily basis.

You probably already know what an important role the sun plays in promoting skin aging. This is particularly true for the delicate skin tissue around the eyes. One of the best ways to prevent crow’s feet is to invest in a good sunblock that filters out both UVA and UVB rays. It should have an SPF of at least fifteen to give optimal anti-aging protection. To be effective, it needs to be applied in sufficient amounts and worn consistently when you’re out in the sun.

Get a good pair of sunglasses.

When you spend time in the bright sun without sunglasses, you’ll squint without being aware of it. Repetitive squinting is a major factor in promoting formation of crow’s feet. Repetitive movements due to squinting eventually take their toll on the delicate tissue surrounding the eyes particularly when collagen production starts to dwindle with age. Buy a good pair of sunglasses and wear them every time you go out into bright sunlight. Be sure they have a good UV filter to prevent damage to your retina. Make them a standard part of your anti-aging strategy.

Take breaks from your computer monitor.

People rarely think of their computer monitor as contributing to skin aging and crow’s feet. If you stare at a bright monitor all day, your eyes will eventually fatigue and you’ll start to squint. The result is premature formation of undereye wrinkles and crow’s feet. If you work in front of a computer monitor all day, give your eyes frequent breaks.

Ditch the smokes.

Smoking is a major cause of premature skin aging as well as crow’s feet. The smoke from a burning cigarette creates eye irritation which encourages squinting. Plus, smoking reduces oxygenation of the skin tissue as well as vitamin C levels which can impact collagen synthesis. If you observe a smoker, they almost always have evidence of crow’s feet if they’re over the age of thirty. Kick the habit for your lungs as well as your skin.

Anti-aging eye care products can help.

Keep the area around the eyes moisturized with a product that contains vitamin C or glycolic acid. Vitamin C and glycolic acid are both thought to be anti-aging and appear to play a role in boosting collagen synthesis which helps to ward off crow’s feet. Another product proven to prevent fine lines, wrinkles, and crow’s feet is Retin-A. This anti-aging product is available by prescription from your doctor.

Another option

If you’re still not satisfied with the appearance of crow’s feet, you can have the area injected with Botox. This will immobilize the muscles which prevents squinting and can significant reduce the appearance of crow’s feet. These injections are usually done in a dermatologist’s or plastic surgeon’s office and can give instant improvement in the appearance of crow’s feet.

Don’t let crow’s feet ruin your appearance. Incorporate crow’s feet preventative measures into your anti-aging lifestyle and you’ll be rewarded with younger looking skin.

The Remarkable Anti-Aging Effects of Green Tea

It seems there’s more interest than ever in finding safe, natural ways to slow down the aging process. One inexpensive, natural food that appears to offset some of the effects of aging is green tea. Studies have shown that this remarkable, anti-aging drink may have a variety of benefits to the aging body through the effects of catechins, the active components found naturally in green tea. Here are some of the many anti-aging effects of green tea that are currently being studied:

Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease

In animal studies, the catechins found in green tea have been shown in various studies to protect nerve cells from cell death. Based on these results, it’s thought that the catechins found in green tea may help to reduce the risk of degenerative diseases of the nervous system such as the Alzheimer’s. Green tea catechins have also been shown to improve the behavior of mice afflicted with dementia. The healthy chemicals in green tea may not only help to prevent Alzheimer’s, it may also reduce the risk of another relatively common neurological disease, Parkinson’s disease. Both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease are characterized by the presence of amyloid plaques in the brain and central nervous system. A particular catechin found in green tea known as EGCG has been shown to help prevent the formation of amyloid plaques in mice. Whether this holds true in human and whether green tea catechins can reverse amyloid plaques once they’ve formed is still in question.

Skin aging

The polyphenols found in green tea are strong anti-oxidants which have been shown to counteract free radical formation in the body. Not only do the polyphenols in green tea exert their anti-oxidant properties when taken internally, they can also reduce skin related free radical damage when applied to the skin. Studies have recently confirmed that application of a topical green tea extract protects against skin damage related to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Although topical green tea extract shouldn’t take the place of your regular sunscreen, it may provide an additional level of protection that goes beyond standard, commercial sunscreens on the market. Because of green tea’s potential anti-aging skin effects, more and more cosmetic products are coming on the market that contain green tea extract. You can probably find one of these products at your drugstore or local cosmetic counter.

Chronic disease of aging

Green tea catechins may also protect against many of the common, chronic diseases associated with aging including certain types of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and even osteoporosis. Although results look promising, most of these studies have been observational and there’s no conclusive evidence that green tea can prevent or reverse these diseases. But with preliminary data looking so promising, why not add more green tea to your diet both for the taste and the potential health benefits?

Green tea seems to hold a great deal of promise in the world of anti-aging medicine. It’s a drink you can enjoy without guilt, knowing that you’re looking doing something quite healthy, and possibly protecting your body against the ravages of aging.

5 Important Factors That Cause Premature Skin Aging

Although the skin naturally ages somewhat with the passage of time, much of the skin damage, wrinkling, and sagging experienced with aging is related to lifestyle factors that can be partially prevented by practicing a healthy lifestyle. In the absence of healthy skin care habits, you can’t expect to have the skin of a twenty-five year old when you’re over forty. The good news is some simple lifestyle changes can work wonders in preserving the integrity of your skin as you age. Here are five of the most important factors that cause premature aging of the skin:

Not wearing a sunscreen

It should come as no surprise that many of the signs of skin aging are directly related to exposure to the sun’s rays. The sun not only causes wrinkling and increased skin laxity, it also causes changes in pigment resulting in the appearance of pigmented brown spots. Skin cancer is also a potential side effect of long term sun exposure. The sun’s rays weaken the elastic structure of the skin which results in the increased wrinkling and sagging seen in aging skin. To prevent photoaging, invest in a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 that blocks both UVA and UVB rays and wear it religiously. If you’ll be out in the sun for any extended period of time, add a straw hat and sunglasses.

Smoking

Smoking has a multitude of unhealthy effects on the skin. It decreases oxygenation of the skin and depletes levels of vitamin C, which play an important role in the synthesis of collagen, the basic support structure of your skin. In addition, smokers frequently develop wrinkles around their mouth from “puffing” on their cigarettes. If you observe long term smokers, they almost always appear older than their age.

Sleep Habits

There are two ways sleep habits can play a role in prematurely aging the skin. The first is lack of sleep. Although the role sleep deprivation plays in long term aging of the skin isn’t clear cut, skin certainly takes on a more aged appearance when you’re sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation can also increase levels of a stress hormone known as cortisol which may have an effect on skin health. The second way sleep habits can affect skin aging is through sleep positioning. If you sleep in the same position over many years, wrinkle formation is likely to occur where your face presses into the pillow. These are known as sleep lines. One solution to this problem is to train yourself to sleep on your back at night.

Overindulgence in Alcohol

Alcohol has negative effects on the skin in two ways. One way is that it tends to cause dehydration which alters the critical moisture balance needed for good skin health. Secondly, it causes facial veins to dilate which increases facial redness and increases the risk of broken facial veins. Reducing or eliminating alcohol from your diet can have positive effects on your skin as well as your general health.

Poor dietary choices

The importance of diet in preserving youthful skin is just starting to come to light. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in October of 2007 showed that higher intakes of linoleic acid and vitamin C along with lower intakes of carbohydrates and fats had a positive effect on the rate of skin aging. People who consume a diet high in fruits and vegetables also appear to have a slower rate of skin aging independent of other factors. This may be due to the ability of fruits and vegetables to offset free radical formation which contributes to aging.

Now that you know the five main factors that promote skin aging, is it time to make some changes?