Why Do Faces Age?

The face often ages more rapidly than other parts of the body. Facial skin is exposed to the environment more than other areas. In your 20s, you might not have given this much thought. At this time, your face is still firm and virtually wrinkle-free. But as you reach your 30s, your 40s and certainly your 50s, an aging face, particularly one that's aged prematurely, can make you appear older, more fatigued and less excited than you really are.

There are two ways by which your face, and for that matter your skin all over, ages: internally and externally. Internal aging is what's commonly referred to as the "natural" aging process. This type of aging occurs as you get older, and involves:
*Collagen production slowing
*Elastin production decreases
*Fat cells begin to disappear
*Your skin losing its ability to retain moisture
*Frown lines and wrinkles appearing due to small muscle contractions
*Dead skin cells not being shed as quickly
*Slightly less turnover of new skin cells

External factors from your lifestyle and environment play a huge role in how quickly your face begins to show the signs of your age. Here are some of the top contributing factors to premature aging of your face, along with how to avoid them and keep your skin looking young longer:
1. Smoking - Exposure to cigarette smoke, whether from your own smoke or second-hand, will increase wrinkling and dryness of the skin. This is partly because smoking depletes your body's vitamin C, which is necessary for young-looking skin.
2. Sun exposure - Too much exposure to the sun is well known to cause wrinkling, premature aging and even cancer of the skin. You may develop brown sunspots or the skin can take on a dry, leathery appearance.
3. Poor diet - A poor diet is a source of facial aging (and overall aging) from the inside out. Without the proper fuel, your body does not have the nutrients it needs to even function properly, let alone devote to keeping your skin firm, moist and blemish-free.
4. Not enough exercise - Exercise tones muscles and helps promote blood flow - necessary for healthy skin and body.
5. Too much stress - Anyone who's been through an extremely stressful event knows how it seems to show up all over your body, including on your face in dark circles under your eyes, dull skin and new wrinkles.
6. Exposure to cold - If you're outside in the elements, like cold temperatures and wind, your face will show it. Too much cold can easily suck the moisture right out of your face, leading to dry, irritated patches.
7. Excess alcohol - Over time, alcohol can permanently damage blood vessels in the skin, causing you to appear flushed. Broken blood vessels may also appear near your skin's surface.

Unfortunately, the aging process can't be stopped or reversed, but good daily skin care can slow the process.
* wash the face daily with mild soaps containing moisturizers
* avoid prolonged exposure to the sun
* use sun blocks
* eat plenty of grain, fruits, and vegetables
* exercise daily, and do facial exercises to retain muscle tone
* do not smoke

Gravity is not a major part of face aging. While common sense might dictate that gravity plays a role in gradually pulling our faces down, leading to jowls and drooping skin around the eyes, chin and neck, a study found this is not the case. According to researchers, fat loss, sun exposure and natural changes in the skin are the primary causes of face aging, not gravity.

You can't stop your face from aging entirely, but it's never too late, or too soon, to start taking care of your face and preventing premature aging. We're all living longer, so the earlier you start professional care, the younger you'll look as the years advance.

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