20 DAILY HABITS THAT AGE YOUR SKIN

Smoking, drinking and not getting enough sleep are obvious skin agers, but did you know that your daily habits and even beauty products, among other things, can have surprising aging effects on your skin? Dr. David E. Bank, President of the New York State Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, breaks down his patients’ top twenty skin agers and offers his expertise on anti-aging 101 to combat existing lines and wrinkles and ward off future signs of aging.

AGING CULPRITS:

1.       Overdosing on coffee/ caffeine

2.       Stress

3.       Not knowing your skin type

4.       Chewing gum

5.       Your DNA

6.       Facial expressions

7.       Not exercising

8.       Chemicals in your sun screen (Octocrylene)

9.       Being Angry

10.    Your manicure (UV Lamps)

11.    Cutting fruits and vegetables from your diet

12.    Sleeping on your side/face down

13.    Skimping on your daily moisturizer

14.    Skipping your yearly visit to the dermatologist

15.    Not drinking your standard 8 cups of water a day

16.    Not getting enough essential vitamins, minerals and

proteins

17.    Not getting enough quality sleep

18.    Not exfoliating

19.    One too many cocktails and cigarettes

20.    Skipping the SPF

“Knowing the aging culprits is the first step to keeping your skin looking young and refreshed,” says Dr. Bank. “Learning how to combat the aging process is second.”

TOP 5 NEW AND TIME TESTED WAYS TO COMBAT AGING:

1.      Retin-A and Vitamin C – The gold standard ingredients in anti-aging products proven to contain anti-oxidant properties to treat and fight lines, wrinkles and age skins

2.      Natural Botanicals – New ingredients like Pomegranate, Acai and Sea Buckthorn contain potent concentrations of vitamin C, while Avocado Oil and Macadamia Oil have replaced ingredients like lanolin and petrolatum in moisturizers with anti-aging abilities like anti-oxidants and palmitoleic acid.

3.      Botox/Dysport – Injectable forms of botulinum toxin type A that are safe and effective in helping prevent and combat lines and wrinkles.

4.      HA Fillers with Lidocaine – Restylane-L, Perlane-L, Juvederm-XC are all newly FDA approved fillers with numbing property lidocaine for a more comfortable injection.

5.      Lasers/Microdermabrasion – Diode lasers help remove brown spots with gentle bursts of light while Microdermabrasion is used to remove dead, sun-damaged skin to reveal new, fresh skin.