Will a deep wrinkle appear when you furrow your brow? Is that brown spot a freckle or an age spot? Does your skin seem like it sags more than it used to? It’s common and normal to feel curious about the way our skin changes as we age. You might have even heard the phrase “premature aging of the skin,” and wondered if that’s something you should worry about.

But first, a little reminder: You are radiant at any age, with or without a wrinkle, freckle, or sunspot. Aging skin is a natural part of our journey, and hey, it can be a sign of a life well-lived! In a world obsessed with filtered selfies and unrealistic expectations, remember to protect your inner peace – just as much as you want to protect your skin.

Now, onto the science…

Our bodies are constantly evolving, and our largest organ, the skin, is no exception. As you age, the epidermis thins. Aging skin tends to look paler, thinner, and a little more translucent. On top of that, pigmented spots aka “age spots” or “liver spots” might appear on the hands, face, and common areas that were exposed to the sun. (1)

So, What Is Premature Aging?

Chronological skin aging is a natural process of the skin changing as you age. It’s often defined in scientific literature as intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic skin aging is due to the passage of time, and likely influenced by your genetic makeup. Extrinsic aging is something we can potentially influence and what we’re talking about when referring to premature aging of the skin. (2)

It’s likely caused by something called photoaging, the exposure to sunlight and UV rays. (2) Extrinsic skin aging can also be a byproduct of diet, exposure to pollution, smoking habits, and overall quality of life. (3) It accelerates the skin aging process and may be the reason you’re seeing things like fine lines, wrinkles, brown spots, or other skin pigmentation changes. Photoaging is responsible for 90% of visible changes you’ll notice to your skin as you get older. (4)

What Causes Changes In Skin Appearance?

A number of factors influence your skin’s health, and some can accelerate the visible signs of aging. Let’s take a look at what may cause changes in our skin earlier than we expected.

• Genetic makeup: if someone has light-colored skin and light eyes, changes in their skin might appear earlier than in their friend of the same age who has darker skin. (1)

• Sun exposure: Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays is the most common cause of premature aging.

• Tobacco use: Smoking leads to a loss of skin elasticity that results in the grayish tan of the skin as well as faster skin aging. Pollution: Air pollution can lead to skin aging and inflammation of the tissue. (5)

• Stress: When stressed, our body releases cortisol, a hormone that increases oil production in our skin. This excess oil can clog pores and lead to skin blemishes. Not to mention, when we’re feeling overwhelmed we tend to neglect our skincare routine.

• Weather: Cold air that causes dry, itchy skin can make wrinkles and fine lines appear more noticeable. (6)

• Dehydration: If your water-guzzling routine has been waning, it could show up on your skin. Healthy skin is hydrated skin. That can be done by drinking water and taking HyaCera™ daily to enhance your skincare routine from the inside out. HyCera can support the reduced appearance of wrinkles and fine lines while promoting hydrated skin.* (7)

• Nutrient deficiencies: While skin ages naturally, poor nutrition, lacking in antioxidants and essential nutrients, can accelerate this process by hindering the body's ability to support and maintain a healthy skin barrier. (16)

• Your lifestyle: Life can throw us curve balls sometimes - a demanding new job, a shift in routine, a change in a relationship, or an ongoing health journey. Remember, while these experiences can impact how we feel and look, they're also part of our story. (9)

Can You Prevent Premature Aging?

Let's face it, aging is a natural part of life. But that doesn't mean there isn’t anything we can do to support our skin.

Here are 7 strategies for healthy aging of our skin:

1. Protect your skin from sun exposure: One of the most important things you can do to help with premature aging of the skin is to watch your exposure to UV. We’re not saying to hide away in a dark cellar for the rest of your days, just remember to wear broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day, even on cloudy days. If you can wear a hat and UV-blocking clothes to prevent harmful rays from permeating the skin, even better. (11)

2. Taking a skincare supplement: Incorporate HyaCera™ to help reduce wrinkles, fine lines, and crow’s feet. It combines two clinically-studied ingredients, Ceratiq® and Hyabest®. Ceratiq® supports the reduced appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and promotes hydrated skin on the face and body. Hyabest® can help promote glowing and moisturized skin.*

3. Eat a healthy diet: Limit refined carbohydrates and sugar since those may contribute to signs of premature aging. Pack in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. (12)

4. Reduce alcohol consumption: Alcohol plays a role in your skin’s appearance and can make it look older.

5. Rest up: A poor night’s sleep takes a toll on how your skin looks the next day. Shorting yourself sleep or not getting quality sleep can speed up cell aging. (13)

6. Quit smoking: Smokers who quit often report that their skin looks better. (14)

7. Add in resistance training: Aerobic exercise can improve skin elasticity and upper dermal structure. Resistance training did that and improved the skin thickness at the end of a study that showed exercise’s impact on skin aging. (15)

Supporting Aging Skin Is Possible

If you’re showing signs of premature skin aging, all is not lost! You can take steps to support your skin, such as taking HyaCera™. In a clinical study, HyaCera™ showed reduction in crow’s feet wrinkles and an increase in skin smoothness within 90-days†. In a clinical study, at week 12, more HyaCera™ participants reported improvement in skin glow and elasticity†‡.*

^{†Based on a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study on 63 women and men ages 26 to 64 years old}

^{‡Compared to placebo}

In addition, follow the healthy lifestyle habits outlined above to live your best, healthiest life. No matter what, make sure you protect your skin from the sun each day and follow a science-back skincare routine.

But once again — skin appearance is only skin deep! It’s natural to be curious about skincare tips, but remember, we all age and that’s just a natural, and beautiful part of life.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References:

1. Aging Changes in Skin: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.” Accessed April 12, 2024.

2. Martic, Ines, Pidder Jansen-Dürr, and Maria Cavinato. “Effects of Air Pollution on Cellular Senescence and Skin Aging.” Cells 11, no. 14 (July 17, 2022): 2220.

3. Liang, Yihuai, Wenrou Su, and Feifei Wang. “Skin Ageing: A Progressive, Multi-Factorial Condition Demanding an Integrated, Multilayer-Targeted ...” Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology 16 (May 9, 2023).

4. Foundation, Skin ... “Photoaging: What You Need to Know About the Other Kind of Aging.” The Skin Cancer Foundation (blog), January 10, 2019.

5. Yegorov, Yegor E., Anastasia V. Poznyak, Nikita G. Nikiforov, Igor A. Sobenin, and Alexander N. Orekhov. “The Link between … Stress and … Aging.” Biomedicines 8, no. 7 (July 7, 2020): 198.

6. “Cold Weather and Your Skin.” Accessed April 12, 2024.

7. Chaudhary, Manupriya, Azmi Khan, and Madhu Gupta. “Skin Aging: Pathophysiology and Current Market Treatment Approaches.” Current Aging Science 13, no. 1 (May 2020): 22–30.

8. Bocheva, Georgeta, Radomir M. Slominski, and Andrzej T. Slominski. “The Impact of Vitamin D on Skin ...” International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, no. 16 (August 23, 2021): 9097.

9. Yegorov, Yegor E., Anastasia V. Poznyak, Nikita G. Nikiforov, Igor A. Sobenin, and Alexander N. Orekhov. “The Link between …Stress and … Aging.” Biomedicines 8, no. 7 (July 7, 2020): 198.

10. “Nutrition and Youthful Skin.” Clinics in Dermatology 39, no. 5 (September 1, 2021): 796–808.

11. Yale Medicine. “Photoaging (Sun Damage).” Accessed April 12, 2024.

12. Cleveland Clinic. “Premature Aging: Signs, Causes & Prevention.” Accessed April 12, 2024.

13. Sabot, Debbie, Rhianna Lovegrove, and Peta Stapleton. “The Association between Sleep Quality and Telomere Length: A Systematic Literature Review.” Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health 28 (January 9, 2023): 100577.

14. “Aging Skin.” American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

15. Nishikori, Shu, Jun Yasuda, Kao Murata, Junya Takegaki, Yasuko Harada, Yuki Shirai, and Satoshi Fujita. “Resistance Training Rejuvenates Aging Skin….” Scientific Reports 13, no. 1 (June 23, 2023): 10214.

16. Schagen SK, Zampeli VA, Makrantonaki E, Zouboulis CC. Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012 Jul 1;4(3):298-307. doi: 10.4161/derm.22876. PMID: 23467449; PMCID: PMC3583891.