Why does skin look increasingly dull as we age.
That’s an easy question to answer.
Metabolism slows as we age.
This includes cellular metabolism for the skin.
Your skin replaces itself approximately every 60 days.
It’s like a conveyer belt of skin cells making their way from fresh new round cells, progressively flattening as they head toward the surface – resulting in multiple overlapping flattened cells giving you the matrix that we see from the exterior.
Once at the surface, the outermost layers are naturally and perpetually shed.
Beyond that at the very surface is your lipid barrier.
If you consider that the conveyer belt creating the cells slows down – and give focus to the sloughing off of the outermost layer slowing and in some cases all but stopping – you’ll appreciate that there is a layer of cells building up that would have exfoliated off by themselves in previous years.
It’s a thickening of the outermost layers of skin cells creating the dull look:
- Reduced light reflection, as the skin is less supple
It looks kind of pale and grey because circulation happens slightly below the additional cells, and mid layers where radiance emanates from have usually thinned at the same time as outer layers thicken.
Thickening is usually accompanied by deeper lines as your collagen matrix loses integrity – made more obvious in the thickened skin, with reduced radiance from mid layers.
Generally, a decline in elastin integrity adds a drag factor as features start to sag fractionally.
So, you can see there are multiple factors all impacting collectively – and several jobs to be done if you wish to restore a semblance of youthful glow to your skin.
Staying with reducing skin thickening for the moment (usually the first job in the process of rejuvenation, as serums and treatment products usually absorb more fully after this layer has been reduced), mechanical exfoliation is a great way to go if you are looking for a shortcut or fast track.
Microdermabrasion is generally the safest option.
Derma blading is also worth considering, but personally I’d never let a beauty therapist near my face with a scalpel in her hand.
Enzyme peels are also effective (this is my preferred first step), Jessner peel works well (done in Winter and progressively – it’s important to select your therapist carefully as it’s an aggressive treatment if not performed correctly), or good old alpha hydroxy acid facials. I prefer lactic peels, which I favour as a second step in a treatment regime behind Enzyme Peels, because lactic acid also stimulates GAG cells to product hyaluronic acid in the mid layers – boosting your glow as the outer thickening is reduced.
These are all treatment facials and are readily available but can be pricey.
To work on reducing thickening and boosting radiance at home with homecare products, Vitamin A treatment products are your best option – ideally in conjunction with Vitamin C.
Vitamin A is the repair vitamin. It also exfoliates – refining upper skin layers, restoring elasticity and light reflection and boosting mid layers (delivering healthy radiance).
However, it is very possible to over-do it, so you need to take your skin’s health into consideration and tread lightly.
Vitamin A also regulates sebum production. For a person with dry skin or an impaired lipid barrier, this can lead to scaly itchy skin. If this is you, please get in touch for advice.
My advice generally is to stay away from the very aggressive Vitamin A products and go with a more gentle option – taking the slower & safer road.
Not all vitamin A products are the same, and not all forms of Vitamin A metabolise at the same rate. Some are more stable than others and thus deliver more & some metabolise much more quickly and fully – and are thus significantly more active.
Essentially it’s not the vitamin A you apply to the skin that does the work, it’s the retinoic acid that your skin converts it to post application during the night.
The form of Vitamin A applied determines the relative degree of conversion and the relative duration of action from the product.
- Retinol converts efficiently and can be very aggressive in thickened, but dry, fragile skin. I don’t recommend it for anything other than oily skin management for acne prone skin.
Retinyl Acetate is commonly used in aggressive fast-track products. You would use these products short term only (12 week maximum) and only 3 times per week at the most. Your skin may feel dry and tight and you’ll need to augment with other products accordingly. Stay out of the sun while using retinyl acetate and only use it at night.
Retinyl Palmitate is a better option for most skin types. While it metabolises at lower rate, it’s less likely to irritate or dry. You’ll still need to sunblock diligently and only use at night.
Make sure you know what you are using and how much of it is in the product. - Staying still with the issue of metabolism and how you can improve this, here are some things you can do to increase cellular metabolism
Circadia SWiCH treatments – this is a unique and amazing treatment that literally boosts metabolism from the inside out. A serum is applied to the skin for around 20 – 30 minutes to enable a louvre effect through the skin cells, following which a peel is applied – pyruvic acid and succinic acid is released into the mitochondria – the very heart of the skin’s cellular structure, igniting cellular metabolism. These are not ‘foreign chemicals’. Both are produced naturally in the skin and define the pace of your metabolism. As your body slowly produces less of them, cellular metabolism slows. This treatment literally reverses the cycle. It’s amazing.
Exercise regularly – even a gentle walk will help boost microcirculation through moving your body. It’s easy and it helps keep you calm.
Eat properly. Do I even have to stay it? Vitamins A, B & C in your food, plus zinc, magnesium and all the other core minerals for health is critical to cellular health everywhere in your body.
Hydration. You knew I was going to say that, right?
So, while it’s not a straightforward ‘do this to reduce thickening and improve the appearance of your outermost layer of skin, hopefully this can help you understand the role of treatments vs homecare & how you can make informed decisions for better, safer progress.
You don’t have to look your age, and it doesn’t have to be expensive to keep our skin youthful.
As always, please get in touch if you’d like to chat. My number is 022 353 9576. I am in Auckland.
Julie x