It’s tops on every dermatologist’s list. UV rays (and lack of sunscreen) accelerate skin aging, cause hyperpigmentation and skin laxity.The best fix: apply sunscreen every day, in every season.

2/ Weight:

You’ve probably waited a long time to find out when having a few extra kilos actually works to your advantage. If you’re over 40, a slightly higher Body Mass Index (about 4 points) makes you look up to 3 years younger. If you’re over 55, you’ll look even younger than that! If you’re less than 40, the reverse is true.

3/ Stress:

Financial stress, personal problems, marital difficulties and job-related stress all take a toll. Stress is definitely inter-related to your physiology as well as your mind, and increases the free radicals in your body—which are constant scavengers of anti-oxidants. Stress causes or exacerbates acne, eczema, rosacea, wrinkles and laxity. Take time to manage your stress with yoga, exercise or deep breathing.

4/ Smoking:

Many of the 4,000 toxins contained in cigarette smoke go directly to the bloodstream, and reach the skin. “Smoker’s face” is now actually a term in medical dictionaries, because people who have smoked for 10+ years have added lines and wrinkles (typically perpendicular to the lips), as well as deeper vertical lines on the cheeks. Smoking also affects the tint of the skin and reduces the efficiency of the skin’s ability to regenerate itself. Do you need one more reason to quit smoking?

5/ Medication:

Prescription medications that relax the muscles (such as anti-depressants) may make the skin look older. The author of the Case Western Reserve study theorises that depression may compromise the production of hormones, like human growth hormone, that contribute to healthy, plump skin. With your physician’s guidance, manage your medications.

6/ Poor Quality Skin Care:

A good skin care regimen is crucial to fighting the aging process and keeping the skin in top condition by
defending it from damaging environmental elements. visiblechanges prides itself on producing top quality skin care, free of parabens and chemicals which actually cause more damage to your skin.  This is not to impress you, but to impress upon you the important of good quality skin, and the avoidance of nasty chemicals.

7/ Hormones:

Menopause can wreak havoc on your skin, but hormone replacement therapy can help preserve a more youthful look. According to the Case Western study that was published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, a 70-year old who has had HRT for at least 16 years will look four years younger.