The factors that play a role in your skin, whatever your skin colour !
Pollution :
The skin is affected by many air pollutants, including those linked to exhaust fumes such as nitrogen dioxide or suspended particles, to the detriment of human health: patients most exposed to common air pollutants are also those with the highest rates of chronic skin inflammation and the most age spots.
The sun :
-UV rays: The sun emits electromagnetic rays consisting mainly of UVA and UVB but also infrared (IR).
UVA rays are fast-acting and quickly tan the skin, and are thought to be responsible for skin ageing, skin allergies and the development of melanoma (the most serious form of skin cancer).
-UVBs take longer to act and the tan will appear later, they act by modifying DNA (risk of cancer) and moreover, can more slowly, after a few hours, cause erythema or sunburn (for type I skin after a few minutes, for type IV after a few hours but also influenced by the UV index).
UVB rays can cause skin cancer (sometimes melanoma) and are therefore potentially dangerous.
-Infrared: this type of ray causes a sensation of warmth. Infrared reaches the hypodermis and can reduce the production of collagen (an element that gives structure to the skin), thereby promoting skin ageing.
Stress :
The first thing to do to improve skin problems is to manage stress better. Sleep is one of the beauty secrets that models use to keep their skin looking beautiful. You need to get enough sleep, around 7 hours a night.
Tobacco and alcohol :
Folds around the mouth, a few wrinkles around the eyes – sometimes a simple look is enough to distinguish a long-time smoker. Today, the link between smoking and premature ageing of the skin is no longer in doubt. Like a diuretic, alcohol promotes dehydration of the body, particularly the skin. If we encourage people to drink plenty of water after overindulgence, it’s mainly to eliminate the toxins in alcohol and allow the body to rehydrate. Without it, the skin dries out, becomes dull and wrinkles and fine lines become more pronounced.
Oily food :
For beautiful skin, you also need a balanced diet, with plenty of antioxidant-rich foods (berries, cabbage, cherries, a variety of colourful seasonal fruit and vegetables). A healthy diet will also make the body more resistant to stress.
Ageing :
Over the course of a lifetime, the physical properties of the skin’s layers and its appearance change. The epidermis becomes thinner and more fragile. As collagen and elastin gradually disappear, the dermis becomes looser, parchment-like and wrinkled, forming the first wrinkles that appear around the age of 30.
Take care of yourself and your skin!
See you soon!
Hélène