Ageing is natural. But you don’t need to look older than you. Everyday activities and bad habits can really take their toll on your body and make you look older. Premature ageing is real. We all want to look as young as we can for as long as we can. If you are wondering what makes you look older and how you can maintain a youthful appearance, here are 10 unhealthy habits to avoid.
Does Drinking Alcohol Make You Look Older?
When it comes to ageing gracefully, you begin to evaluate your lifestyle and habits. So, does drinking alcohol make you look older? The short answer is yes. While an occasional alcoholic beverage won’t have too big an effect on your looks, drinking too much alcohol can cause redness, wrinkles, and a dry complexion.
First, alcohol deprives you of vital nutrients your skin needs to thrive. So, overdoing the drinks can make you look older than you are. Because drinking alcohol dehydrates you, it can leave you with a dull look and bags under your eyes from poor quality sleep. To help battle the effects of drinking alcohol, drink plenty of water when you drink alcohol to stay hydrated. Stick to the guideline units of alcohol and have consecutive non-drinking days.
10 Unhealthy Habits Making You Look Older Than You Are
Although you can’t change your genetics, you can take control of other factors that lead to premature ageing. Stay looking younger for longer and limit unhealthy habits that speed up the ageing process.
1. Drinking Too Much Alcohol
Alcohol has several effects on the body, most of which are not pleasant. Alcohol dehydrates and inflames the skin. This leads to swelling, flushing, and broken capillaries that make you look older.
2. Not Drinking Enough Water
Water keeps you hydrated. When you don’t drink enough of it, it can end up showing on your skin. Skin dryness, crow’s feet, dark circles, and fine lines will make you look older than you are.
3. Smoking
Smoking, like drinking, ends up adding years to your actual age. Tobacco smoke contains toxins that can constrict blood vessels. These toxins also decrease oxygen and nutrient circulation. The result is skin that looks older than it actually is.
4. Skipping Sunscreen
Another unhealthy habit to avoid is skipping sunscreen. Too much sun exposure causes premature ageing. Getting too much sun leads to sunburn and dry skin – which can result in older-looking skin. Over time, exposure to UV light can damage the skin causing irreversible changes. In some cases, it might even lead to skin cancer.
When exposed to the sun, the skin develops fine lines and wrinkles. This is due to collagen changes deep in the skin layers. Wearing sunscreen of at least 30 SPF will keep your skin looking fresh and youthful.
5. Too Much Sugar
Collagen and elastin are compounds responsible for tight, plump, and youthful skin. The greatest underminer of this support system is sugar (glucose and fructose). High glucose and fructose levels link with amino acids in collagen and elastin. This results in damage that ends up hindering the natural repair process of the body.
6. Not Getting Enough Sleep
When you are sleeping, your body goes into a state of self-renewal and repair. Not getting enough sleep affects your skin, ability to concentrate and leaves you more susceptible to illness.
7. Too Much Stress
Stress affects so many body processes, including ageing. If you’re chronically stressed, it can age you on a cellular level and shorten your telomeres. These are structures inside the cells that contain genetic information, and as the telomeres shorten, the cells age and die. This translates to ageing skin. It’s the same thing that leads to heart disease and even cancer.
8. Poor Posture
How you stand and sit has an impact on your appearance. Good posture can make you look younger, taller, and thinner. Assuming a poor posture all your life can impact your overall quality of life. Start correcting your posture as soon as possible. You could also stretch or do yoga to improve your posture.
9. Tanning
Tanning makes you look good, but it does more damage to your skin. Whether you are tanning under the sun or in a tanning bed, it can damage the skin and make you look older over time.
10. Not Exercising
Regular exercise doesn’t just improve cardiovascular health; it can also improve circulation, which can leave your skin looking youthful. Exercise also improves muscle tone, which prevents skin sagging as you get older.
How to Get Rid of Wrinkles: 4 Top Anti Ageing Treatments
While you can take every step to prevent premature ageing, it is something that happens to everyone. If you’re bothered by wrinkles or looking to deal with those pesky lines and creases, here are 4 anti-ageing treatments we offer at the Harley Clinic.
LED Light Therapy
LED light therapy can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The non-invasive treatment has no downtime, and each session takes up to 30 minutes. The Dermalux Flex LED phototherapy treatment can improve the appearance of ageing, as well as eczema, redness, and acne.
Botulinum Toxin
Anti-wrinkle injections can help smooth out wrinkles and improve the appearance of fine lines. It works by temporarily paralysing muscle activity and is a good option for creating a more youthful appearance.
Chemical Peels
If you have much deeper wrinkles or damaged skin, then a chemical peel could be an option. When skin is damaged from the sun, scars or areas of the skin appear more blotchy; then a deep peel could benefit you. People with moderate wrinkling and sagging can notice significant improvements with a chemical peel.
Facelift and Neck lift
A facelift and neck lift is the most effective way to tighten the skin around the face and neck. But the procedure won’t get rid of wrinkles, especially around the forehead, mouth or under the eyes. A facelift targets the sagging associated with ageing skin rather than wrinkles, sun damage, and creases.
Sometimes, everyday activities can end up doing more harm than good. These activities translate to older-looking skin. Making a few lifestyle changes and avoiding unhealthy habits can prevent the damage and support a graceful ageing process.
If you’re bothered by wrinkles and the appearance of ageing, contact the team at the Harley Clinic to talk about your options. Book a consultation today and discuss your concerns. We can create a bespoke treatment plan to suit your needs.
