Modern Women Experience Skin Ageing Faster ?

A recent global study conducted on ageing skin proves that women today are ageing faster than the past generations. Indian dermatologist Dr. Nina Madnani, renowned Consultant in Dermatology and Aesthetic Medicine talks about it here keeping the Indian women skin in picture.

Women today experience skin ageing faster than women in past generations!

Modern women today face a myriad of increasing stresses that not only have an impact on their health and overall well-being, but can take its toll on skin. From physical stress arising from less sleep, an increasing amount of sugar in our diets and rising pollution levels; to emotional and mental stress faced in everyday life; these stresses shift the optimal balance that enables us to look and feel our best.

Rising emotional stress

With the rise of globalization, increasing urbanization and economic pressures, comes an upsurge in stress levels. A recent study conducted by Olay reveals, Emotional stress from work, finance or relationships, have recently been found to have significant physiological effects on skin. The increasing amount of stress faced is so prevalent that an emerging specialty known as psychodermatology, which focuses on the psychological components of what causes skin to look poorly has arisen.

It was found that psychological stress can go as far as to weaken one’s skin barrier function allowing more irritants, allergens and infectious agents to penetrate the skin and cause problems, as well as shortens the molecular countdown mechanism in our cells and may explain how stress causes us to age more quickly.

According to Dr. Nina Madnani P&G Dermatologist says, “A modern day life with its multitude of stresses has a significant role to play in the rapid ageing of the skin. There is a presence of Properdin or factor P which is stress induced and often occurs during anxiety or a stressful situation. Properdin is known to play a role in tissue inflammation which can be caused due to rising levels of stress. Not many people are aware but your stress levels have a direct impact on your skin.

Early signs of aging such as dark circles, dull, blotchy skin with freckles or lentigenes, are evident as early as the late teens and early twenties. Hence skin care as a preventive measure should start in the 20s with products which contain Vit C, anti-inflammatory agents like niacinamide, sunscreens. Products such as Olay total effects include Vitaniacin which is a key ingredient that fights the changing skin needs. Products containing retinol, CoQ10, Alfa-hydroxy acids, etc can be added, followed by peptides, and introduction of procedures. It’s no use waking up in your 40 s and expecting products to work miracles after all the damage is done. Olay Total Effects simple to follow regimen is a one stop solution for women who are constantly on the go without being able to give any time to their skin.”

Changing lifestyles and increased physical stress

On top of mental and emotional stress, the impact of physical stress in the form of UV exposure, cigarette smoke, pollution and poor dietary choices have all long been proven to have a direct biological impact on our skin. And changing lifestyle trends are contributing to an increase in physical stress in modern society.

1. Less sleep

Firstly, the lack of sufficient sleep as a result of an ‘always-on’ culture can affect one’s appearance. A poll conducted in the US found that 95% of respondents use some type of electronics at least a few nights a week in the hour before bed. This ‘always-on’ culture that comes with the proliferation of digital screens in our daily lives has a tangible effect on our bodies: The light exposure has the effect of suppressing melatonin, the hormone which helps promote sleep.

This can result in people getting less sleep than they need. A study in the US found that sleep duration in adults adolescents had decreased by 1-2 hours per night. But how does this affect our appearance and skin? It’s intuitive that sleep deprivation affects our appearance. Studies have shown that sleep-deprived people are in fact perceived as less healthy and less attractive. Further research has revealed sleep deprivation can weaken the skin barrier and slow its ability to renew itself.

Dr. Nina Madnani adds perspective on the research, “Modern lifestyles have deprived women of sleep. The sleep patterns have been altered, further leading to hormonal imbalance. Your skin needs certain amount of sleep because sleep acts as a recovery phase from all the stress during the day. The “pores” on the skin are actually the openings of pilo-sebaceous follicles which self-cleanse. In order to de-stress the skin, there are specialized creams which work at different levels, and need to be in contact with the skin for several hours without being affected with sweating etc. hence at night when the application is done on a cleansed face, the cream serves to be more effective.”

2. More sugar

“A healthy intake of food definitely shows its effects on the skin, but today healthy food has been taken over by food with high glycemic index, genetic modification, and fraught with chemicals. Excessive intake of sugar gives a rise to the insulin in the body which is a direct cause for inflation on the skin,” says Dr. Madnani

Against this backdrop of increasing mental stress and decreasing sleep comes a third phenomenon: an increasing consumption of sugar due to the proliferation of processed foods and beverages. To understand what sugar does to our skin, we need look no further than coffee and the process of caramelization. Coffee beans start off fresh and green, but when heat is applied, they gradually turn brown and take on complex aromas. This is due to the small amounts of sugar present in the coffee beans are being transformed in a chemical process known as glycation.

Glycation also takes place in our skin, although in ways that do not require heat. As a result of the reaction between sugar and the proteins in our skin, Advanced Glycosylation End products (AGEs) are formed. The more sugar is present, the more AGEs are formed. Unlike the flavor enriching process that chefs strive to achieve with food, AGEs are largely unwelcome: They cause our skin to stiffen and even take on a yellowish hue. In other words, glycation is a significant cause of skin ageing.

3. Higher levels of pollution

It is well known that air pollution is a source of free radicals that damage our skin cells and ultimately age our skin. While reports suggest that air pollution in North America and Europe is either declining or leveling out, thanks to stringent government regulations on emissions, emissions in Asia have been climbing steeply, due to its rapid economic growth, and appear to have surpassed the levels in North America and Europe. This rise in air pollution is yet another worrying stressor that can cause signs of ageing to appear earlier than they should.

The quest for youthful skin in an increasingly stressful world

The relationship between stress and skin is clear and while both emotional and physical stress have plagued us since time memorial, increased stressors are not making it any easier to maintain young, healthy looking skin in the 21st century. These stresses can take its toll on women’s skin – by weakening skin’s renewal power, lose its elasticity, or take on an unflattering yellowish hue, ultimately causing it to age more quickly.

In an age where we are fighting an uphill battle for fair and youthful skin, the question that begs is, is your current skincare powerful enough to fight these extra stressors?

Pioneering research on skin aging in Indian women has brought to light new evidence that gives reason to rethink what skin aging looks like, and at what age it may appear. It was revealed that caring for your skin at an early age can make a significant difference in keeping the signs of aging at bay. According to Dr. Nina Madnani, women who took followed an effective skincare regimen at an early age to overcome the effects on the skin due to a hectic lifestyle have significantly less fine lines and wrinkles than women who overlooked their skin amid chaotic schedules. Hence early skincare helps to reduce the signs of aging.

To effectively address skin ageing concerns, women should be aware of not just fine lines and wrinkles, but all 7 signs of ageing which are:

1. Rough/uneven skin texture
2. Age/dark spots
3. Uneven skin tone
4. Sagging skin
5. Dry/dull skin
6. Increased pore size/Open Pores
7. Lines and Wrinkles

I am 26 and soon would be turning 27 in one and a half month. I think its better to start taking care of your skin and include an anti-ageing regime also in your skincare as soon as possible. These factors stated above are definitely more rampant these days, and were not much of an issue in the previous days. Women are surely ageing faster and I believe prevention is better than cure. In terms of ageing skin, there is no cure as such except for botox or those chemical treatments. I would be including Olay regime in my skincare soon.

Do you guys believe women age faster these days ? What do you do to prevent your skin from ageing ?