When it comes to how our skin ages, it seems it’s a case of like mother, like daughter.
We’ve all heard the old adage told to hubbies-to-be that if they want to know what their wife will look like in years time, just look at her mum. As it turns out, there may be a large grain of truth when it comes to ageing skin.
A group of plastic surgeons from the Loma Linda University Medical Center in California scanned the faces of mothers and their daughters and found the daughters’ faces were beginning to sag, wrinkle, thin and lose elasticity around the eyes in exactly the same patterns as their mothers’ faces. This similarity increased after the daughters hit the age of 30.
One of the surgeons, Dr Matthew Camp, says the study was the first to prove scientifically that women age like their mothers. Until now, Dr Camp says studies of facial ageing have mostly been subjective and observational.
Another author of the study, Dr Subhas Gupta, says knowing exactly how a woman’s lower eyelids will change with age can help surgeons plan a surgical correction that will prevent the changes seen in her mother. One other reason to thank your mum!
‘If you come in when you’re 30, we can tell you where you will have changes and quantify what you will need and where,’ Dr Gupta says. ’The findings were surprisingly repetitive regardless of ethnicity and actual age difference between mothers and daughters. You can beat Mother Nature to the punch and not have your mother’s eyes.’
Now the researchers plan to look at the whole face in a larger number of mother-daughter pairs to see if the findings hold merit.
Further to this, early 2010 saw the dream of retaining youthful looks for longer inch a little closer. Scientists announced they had identified the key genes involved in ageing skin using data generated by the human genome project – the international effort to decode human DNA.
The researchers, led by scientists working for Procter & Gamble, found 1,500 separate genes that govern how long people stay free from wrinkles and believe they’ve nailed the eight major causes of ageing skin.
Until now, the best that most of the expensive anti-ageing creams can do is smooth over wrinkles or plump up the skin. But thanks to research in the past few years, the findings of the multi-billion human genome project may have yielded results in finding the genetic cause of ageing.
It has been suggested that whether you grow old gracefully depends partly on your lifestyle and partly on these genes. One of the most important factors is the way that skin collects and retains its moisture, using molecules that bind water into skin. As skin ages, the genes that control this process become less active and skin retains less moisture, causing wrinkles.
Another involves collagen, which is the protein that gives skin its underlying structure. As we age, the genes that degrade collagen can become overactive, leading to more wrinkles. Other factors involve inflammation, how the skin reacts to sunlight and the skin’s response to free radicals.
Of course, all this data doesn’t mean you’re going to look exactly like your mum. Regular SPF use will help you ward off the sun’s harmful rays and cut back on the risk of fine lines and sun spots. And, until we uncover the elusive fountain of youth, a good skincare regimen tailored to your specific skin type will keep you looking the best you can at any age.
Daughters
When you’re young it’s all about damage control and gentle nourishing products. Your hormones are still balancing themselves, so stick to oil-free, gentle cleansers, moisturisers and makeup where possible.
Getting into a good skincare regime in your teens not only helps resolve some of the teen angst-causing problem skin issues but it also forms good habits for the coming decades.
Cleanse, tone and moisturise are the basic three steps at any age and should be followed morning and night.
Many teens find oily skin is their main concern, so a gel-based cleanser is best – perhaps one that includes salicylic acid to help clear acne. Use a light, non-comedogenic, oil-free moisturiser afterwards.
Women in their 20s should opt for foamy gel cleansers and light moisturisers, perhaps a milky cleanser if you’re prone to dry skin. Of an eve, use a hydrating fluid or an oil-free moisturiser along with a mild hydrating gel eye cream to stave off early signs of ageing. If you’re a 30-something, even if you’ve taken good care of your skin it may become a little drier and sun damage may begin to appear.
As you age, keep adjusting your routine. Your mid-30s is a great time to start using a nutrient-packed serum and active night creams. Use a creamy cleanser and creamier moisturisers to lock in hydration (apply over damp skin) and continue with a slightly richer eye cream at night.
A clay mask applied weekly will deep clean your pores if you’re oily, or a light hydrating mask if you’re slightly drier. Use a grainy mechanical exfoliator or something with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) for a chemical process twice a week to remove the top layer of skin and deal with clogged pores.
Try adding some products with antioxidants to combat free radicals and introduce some products with Vitamin A derivatives in your 30s. Retinol can be found in low doses in many over-the-counter night creams and serums or, for stronger dose retinoids, creams and gels may be prescribed by your dermatologist or GP in some cases.
Keep your skin glowing with some professional treatments such as microdermabrasion and Vitamin C facials. It’s around your 30s that you may be considering anti-wrinkle injections as a preventative method for future wrinkle formation and to refresh your appearance.
Not to sound like your mother, but you must use sun protection at all ages – the younger you start, the better. Not only does it protect your skin from the sun but 90 percent of premature ageing is caused by UV exposure. You’ll be thankful for this advice when you’re your mum’s age.
Mums
Kicking up the nutrients a notch is a must as the signs of ageing deepen – it’s all about products with plumping and firming benefits. Those beach holidays may have started to catch up and the gradual (and unfortunately unavoidable) loss of collagen is a part of intrinsic ageing and becomes more apparent.
You can help slow cellular degeneration with the antioxidant properties of Vitamins C and E, which help protect the skin from free radicals that devour healthy cells. Vitamin C can also boost the synthesis of collagen, especially when it is applied in a potent form.
Additionally, prescription retinoids containing Vitamin A acid used topically is a potent free-radical fighter. It can reduce brown spots, increase exfoliation and collagen production, thicken the epidermis and can help reverse sun damage. Chemical peels are also good for refining the skin’s surface, and injectable dermal fillers work well in replenishing volume and boosting collagen production.
Of course, it’s essential that you continue slathering on thick face and eye serums on a nightly basis, with rich moisturising properties such as hyaluronic acid, shea butter or oils. Along with your broad-spectrum moisturiser, add in a couple of creams, lotions or serums containing at least two types of antioxidants.
For crepey skin try a formula with peptides, which have been shown to strengthen collagen. Use a creamy cleanser morning and night or, if your skin tolerates a cleanser with a mild AHA or salicylic acid, substitute this in once a day.
Anti-ageing or wrinkle-reducing prescription formulas containing retinol or glycolic acid products are essential in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, improving skin texture, skin tone and colour, and boosting hydration. Post-menopausal women can also use a topical cream containing hormones that may improve skin elasticity and firmness. Studies have shown that Q10 supplement can help prevent skin cancer, which commonly appears in this decade.
Laser skin resurfacing can offer an effective solution to significantly improving crepey eyelids and wrinkles around the eyes, minimising lines and age spots, and improving the overall appearance of the skin. This is also the age where facial cosmetic surgical procedures may be seriously considered.
