The global beauty industry is valued at over $500 billion. That jaw-dropping valuation comes from all kinds of different products and services, but skincare is a huge part of it, and for good reason.
Our skin is one of our best and most temperamental assets. Whatever your shape, size, or build, we all know that having healthy, clear skin is one of the best ways to feel great about ourselves and look great to others.
And we also know that those days where our skin plays up and gets all blotchy and red really, truly suck.
A lot of that comes down to skin elasticity and the natural effects of aging. So how can we counteract the ravages of time and improve skin elasticity?
Well, you came to the right place. Here are some of our favorite ways to improve skin elasticity.
What Factors Damage Our Skin Elasticity?
Our skin is, well, sensitive, and it can react pretty negatively to lots of different things. However, some things affect it far worse than others.
The number one enemy of your skin’s elasticity is UV radiation, or sunlight. The sun’s harmful rays cause elastosis: the degradation of skin elasticity, and will easily counteract all your hard efforts to improve skin elasticity if you aren’t conscientious about wearing sunscreen.
Other factors can also have deleterious impacts on the different ways to improve skin elasticity. For example, not sleeping enough or being stressed can trigger really bad effects on your skin.
So wear sunscreen, try to relax, and get your full 8 hours every night!
What Are the Foods that Improve Elasticity of Skin?
If you’re looking to improve skin elasticity naturally, then loading up your lunch or dinner with antioxidant-rich foods is a great way to do it.
That means stuff like broccoli, kale, cantaloupe, berries, or different kinds of nuts are all great for your skin. Conversely, a diet rich in hyper-sugary and processed food will have your skin crying out for relief. Yep, as it turns out, unhealthy foods are unhealthy for your whole body, not just the waistline!
If you’re despairing at abandoning pizza and donuts (hey, fair enough), treat this as an opportunity to expand your culinary skillset. You can make some delicious meals with healthy foods, it just takes a bit of time and skill.
What About Retinol and Retinoids?
Though they sound like sci-fi bad guys, retinol and retinoids are actually great for your skin because they’re made from vitamin A. You can usually get them in all sorts of skin creams and other topical ointments from pharmacies and drug stores.
They work by increasing the amount of collagen and elastin in your skin, which is a great way to improve skin elasticity.
Hyaluronic Acid? What’s That?
Your skin has natural stores of hyaluronic acid, which acts to retain water and enhance elasticity. Sadly, those stores deplete over time, and as you age the stores of hyaluronic acid in your skin degrade.
But wait! You can replenish those stores by imbibing oral or topical supplements. You can even get full-blown profhilo treatment, of which hyaluronic acid is a vital part.
Speaking of Supplements, Let’s Talk About Collagen
Collagen is a vital ingredient in your skin for preserving its appearance of elasticity and preventing elastosis. But like so many other things, your body gets less keen on producing it as you age. So what can you do?
Well, you can collagen supplements that you can take orally, and which help replenish the stores of collagen built up in your skin. The result? Healthier, happier, elastic-er skin!
Exercise Your Right to Elastic Skin
You might have noticed that a lot of the general tips for ‘leading a healthy life’ are also good for improving skin elasticity. That extends to exercise! Exercise boosts metabolism and gets the blood circulating, helping you to maintain a youthful appearance. Even better, it doesn’t really matter what kind of exercise you prefer. Whether you’re a runner, a cyclist, or you were born to row, it can all help you keep that skin looking great.
Better Living Through Science
Like so many problems, elastosis can be counteracted by lasers. Using fractional lasers on people’s skin has been shown in a few studies to have a generally positive impact on skin appearance and elasticity. It may be the case that in the very near future, those looking to improve skin elasticity will be able to utilize laser treatments to fight the effects of elastosis.
Chemical Peels
If you have a dermatologist, have a chat with them about the possibility of using chemical peels to combat elastosis and promote elasticity. If you don’t have a dermatologist, get a dermatologist.
All kinds of chemical peels — whether light, medium, or deep — can combat the harmful effects of UV radiation and promote the production of collagen. Not bad for face masks!
Getting Herbal With It
Looking to improve skin elasticity naturally? Then there are plenty of herbs out there that can promote collagen production and counteract elastosis. Cucumber, aloe vera, ginseng, cinnamon, the list goes on and on and incorporating treatments featuring these herbs into your skincare regime can do wonders for the levels of elastin in your skin.
Also, it’s a great excuse to pamper yourself with a spa day, and to put cucumbers on your eyes like they do in all the cartoons.
Improve Skin Elasticity the Right Way
So there you have it, our top tips for ways to improve skin elasticity, no matter who you are. By following our handy guide and pursuing a few of the methods we’ve mentioned, you’ll have healthy and radiant skin in no time.
So get out there and get thinking about skincare!
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