Anti-aging skin care is a hot topic; just watch a few minutes of television commercials or flip through a magazine and you’ll find a wide variety of products and services claiming to reduce, plump, firm, prevent and banish any signs of aging skin.

The reality is that aging is inevitable. But, you can take a proactive approach once you understand what causes the visible signs of aging skin and what can help slow the aging process. You may be surprised to learn that not only professional skin care products and treatments can help slow down the aging process, but a healthy diet and nutritional supplements can too.

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What are the Signs of Aging Skin?

As we get older, there is no doubt that our true age will eventually begin to show itself, especially in our face. The visible signs of aging skin include:

• The appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Pigmentation changes, sometimes called “age spots” or “liver spots”
• Loss of volume, strength and elasticity, resulting in a sagging, lax appearance of the skin
• Dryness (especially in menopausal women) and roughness
• The development jowls, or a drooping jaw line and neck.
• Increased likelihood of bruising and injury with a delayed healing response

Unfortunately, individuals with light colored eyes and a fair complexion are more likely show signs of aging than those with darker complexions.

What Contributes to Aging Skin?

Although genetics play an important role in how you age, scientists believe that the #1 cause of premature aging skin is sun exposure.

You may already be able to see some of the common signs by comparing the skin that regularly sees the sun, like your arms and chest, to areas that don’t receive much sunlight, like your stomach or thighs.

Damaging ultraviolet rays penetrate the skin and promote wrinkling, freckles, and discoloration known as “sun spots”. Harsh UV rays also break down the elastin fibers that help keep skin from sagging.

Excessive sun damage will lead to a dry, tanned and leathery appearance (not to mention an increased risk of skin cancer). The popularity of tanning beds over the last two decades is well known to have exacerbated these symptoms among regular users.

Another thing that contributes to the visible signs of aging skin involves lifestyle habits like smoking and drinking alcohol. Aside from the toxic chemicals in the smoke swirling around the face, smoking depletes the body of vitamin C, a necessary nutrient for producing the collagen needed to keep skin moist and plump.

Alcohol dilates blood vessels in the face, causing a flushed appearance. With continued use, the damage to the blood vessels and flushing can become permanent. Additionally, individuals who consume too much alcohol, generally make poor dietary choice that affect the skin.

Other contributing factors include:

• Genetics
• Stress and lack of sleep
• Pollution and exposure to toxins
• Poor diet and nutritional deficiencies
• Facial expression lines, sleeping creases and gravity

How Important is Nutrition for Aging Skin?

Diet and nutrition play a bigger role in preventing visible signs of aging than most people realize. The skin needs a variety of nutrients in order to protect and repair itself from environmental elements.

What are the Best Anti Aging Supplements?

A diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables will contain the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients the body and skin need to prevent aging from the inside out. Additionally, Omega-3 Fatty Acids found in fish, nuts and seeds can help keep skin soft and supple.

Antioxidants are incredibly important anti-aging nutrients. Antioxidants help neutralize unstable, damaging molecules in the body, called free-radicals. Free-radicals are caused by sun exposure, environmental toxins and stress.

Consuming a poor diet deprives the skin of these vital nutrients. Additionally, a diet high in sugar is now believed to speed the aging process.

Supplementing with a high quality multivitamin & mineral, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and an antioxidant or phytonutrient blend can greatly benefit individuals with a poor diet.

What are Common Anti-Aging Treatments?

These days, modern science and technology have resulted in more anti-aging products and treatments than you can count. But before you start spending money on the latest treatment, it’s important to take steps to prevent aging skin.

With sun damage being the biggest contributing factor for premature aging, the best way to prevent it means staying out of the sun when possible, and wearing protective clothing, hats and sunblock when exposed.

Another way to prevent premature aging is to lead an anti-aging lifestyle. Preserving the integrity of your skin is motivation for not smoking cigarettes. Consuming alcohol in moderation will also help prevent damage.

You may consider making changes to your diet by incorporating plenty of anti-aging foods for skin. Consuming a plant-based diet with lean sources of protein, like beans and fish, can help ensure that your skin and body is getting what it needs.

Getting enough nutrients from your diet alone can be tricky, especially if fresh fruits and vegetables aren’t widely available in your area. That is when anti-aging supplements can benefit the most.

Once you’ve incorporated the diet, lifestyle and supplement changes, you can begin to undo the damage with a combination of anti-aging products and treatments.

Common anti-aging treatments include:

• Over-the-counter lotions, creams and masks
• Prescription-strength retinol skin creams
• Spa treatments like facials and microdermabrasion
• Medical-grade treatments like lasers, peels and injections
• Cosmetic facial surgery

There’s no doubt that both scientists and consumers will continue on in the quest for the fountain of youth. But it’s clear that understanding the causes of aging skin is what gives us the power to take preventative measures and combine it with the technology available to keep our skin looking young, fresh and age-defying.