CAN A TWEAK TO YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE REALLY IRON OUT THOSE WRINKLES?
TO BE FOREVER YOUNG. OR JUST TO LOOK IT.
Who doesn’t want to age gracefully and with gratitude? But being a fan girl of your wisdom and life experiences doesn’t mean not taking steps to fight premature aging. Lucky us, all the advancements in health now gives us a fuller picture of what’s causing those signs of aging, from premature sunspots to hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and hair loss.
Science never stands still, and we’re getting new intel on anti-aging treatment all the time. But while we’re at it, we are particularly tuned into the potential benefits of CBD for aging skin. Since the skin is a great general indicator of overall wellness, it’s no wonder that general health lifestyle practices can also combat those wrinkles.
What Causes Premature Aging?
So, what exactly is “premature” in aging terms, and how can we tackle it? The general definition of premature aging is when we see signs of aging before our mid-30s to 40s. This can happen to everyone (sigh), and some factors are out of our control (genetic conditions for example). Other factors are down to lifestyle choices and can be battled head-on, with the right approach. Here’s your rundown of factors behind premature aging:
- Smoking: We’ve all got the memo: smoking is bad for you, but what are the aging implications? Well, smoking cigarettes and tobacco products can increase MMP levels which leads to the degradation of collagen, elastic fibers, and proteoglycans, ultimately damaging your dermal connective tissue. In short, these are the things that make your skin look bouncy and youthful. Cigarette smoke is also known to increase many premature aging symptoms through oxidative stress and toxic chemicals.
- Tanning and sun exposure: It might feel good at the time, but long-term exposure to isolated UV rays in tanning beds not only increases the risk of melanoma but also heightens the risk of premature aging. At the same time, sunshine is essential for overall wellness, so we want to soak it up and practice safe sun exposure to minimize the risk of premature sun spots and wrinkles.
- Alcohol intake: The summary is that alcohol leads to excessive dehydration of the body, which anyone can attest to after a boozy night. Consistent, long-term use makes this dehydration (note: along with other negative impacts on various biological systems) lead to premature aging. In a recent study, heavy alcohol use in women was associated with increased upper facial lines, under-eye puffiness, oral commissures, and midface volume loss.
- Sleep: It’s enough to say that sleep is critical for all physiological functions. It allows your body to refresh and regenerate cells and leaves you feeling zingy. In aging terms, studies show that poor sleep quality is connected to increased signs of aging along with a diminished skin barrier function.
- Stress: The ultimate bad boy in modern health, chronic, unmanaged stress triggers an inflammatory response in your body. This cascades, quickly impacting everything including your sleep. While that’s all going on, high cortisol levels and systemic inflammation can both age the body quicker.
- Diet: More and more people are becoming illuminated of just how important diet is, so it’s no shocker to say that a diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods can contribute to premature aging. Oh, and that’s along with other serious health implications.
- Environment: Environmental pollutants are also major culprits when it comes to pigment spots and wrinkles. Since the skin acts as a barrier for protecting you against toxins and pollutants, premature aging can be an unfortunate result of overexposure to these environmental toxins.
- Genetic conditions: This one is rarer, but certain rare genetic conditions can cause signs of premature aging during childhood through early adulthood. These conditions are referred to as progeria.
Tips for Preventing Premature Aging
If you’re wondering where the good news bit is, you’re onto it! Most of the risk factors for premature aging are in your control! It just takes some mindful lifestyle practices to help you prevent the signs of premature aging while supporting your overall wellness. Double win! Here are your top tips:
This one is as simple as keeping your water intake at the right levels. Staying hydrated helps combat dehydration which can make wrinkles much more visible. Work in a healthy, well-balanced diet along this and you’ll be promoting better nutrition to support the production of healthy skin cells. The final piece of the jigsaw is daily exercise because this boosts circulation which is also crucial for healthier skin. Round this off with proper, restful sleep to rejuvenate your skin and you have a powerful regimen for preventing premature aging and staying all-around healthier.
Remember we mentioned practicing safe sun exposure? Well, this is what you need to do here. Note first that sun exposure is essential for a wide variety of physiological functions, so we like it! But we need to make sure to wear protective sun clothing and only use non-toxic, mineral sunscreens when soaking up those rays. Another tactical skincare habit is to remove all your makeup before bed, with dermatologists recommending washing your face twice a day with warm water and a mild cleanser. Now there are countless skincare products marketed for premature aging prevention, so this one is on you, but we always recommend introducing one new product at a time and allowing enough time for you to notice visible results. Also, biggie here – check those products for toxic ingredients like parabens, formaldehyde, and phthalates before you buy too.
Stress likes to hide under the carpet, and, typically, it can be an overlooked factor when it comes to premature aging. Just know that it’s critical to find effective stress relief techniques to properly manage your stress and feel better all-round. Finding healthy coping mechanisms can create a profound impact on your health, keeping those vital physiological functions on track. In turn, this will minimize the overproduction of stress hormones and the body’s inflammatory response.
How Can CBD Help With Premature Aging?
CBD research is still widely in its infancy with more and more clinical trials underway. However, based on the preliminary data and anecdotal accounts available, CBD may offer a variety of benefits when it comes to premature aging. It may provide direct therapeutic promise for premature aging while also addressing some of the major culprits behind these signs.
Studies support that CBD possesses antioxidant properties which are known for combating free radicals and oxidative stress. Free radicals can lead to collagen breaking down faster, making antioxidants an important key for helping slow down collagen loss for more youthful, firm-looking skin. In addition to having antioxidant properties, CBD exhibits anti-inflammatory effects and has demonstrated the ability to balance sebum production in the skin. Adequate sebum production is essential for hydrated, plump skin which may further help directly with premature aging.
Tip: Try mixing our Balance Everyday Tincture with your favorite face mask or night cream for concentrated premature aging CBD skincare.
Since beauty sleep is so important when it comes to fighting the signs of premature aging, here’s another reason to prioritize your sleep schedule. For those that need a little help with improving their sleep, CBD offers a natural alternative that may prove powerful for helping manage certain sleep disorders, improve the natural sleep-wake cycle, combat daytime fatigue, and alleviate symptoms like anxiety and pain that can disrupt sleep quality.
Tip: Try soaking in our Indulgent Bath Salts and adding our Dream Night Tincture to your nighttime routine for powerful, consistent sleep support.
Stress is another factor that can quickly age you. Anxiety, constant worry, an overactive mind, and exhaustion can all take a serious toll on the body. In addition to self-care and your existing stress management tools, CBD offers another great option for helping cope with stress. Studies and anecdotal reports show that CBD is effective for reducing stress and helping with anxiety. While CBD should never be the only thing you try for stress management, it’s always best to have multiple tools at your disposal.
Tip: Try sipping on our Refreshing Mint Tea to help soothe immediate stresses.
How to Use CBD for Premature Aging
So, you see that both topicals and ingestible CBD products play a role in helping prevent premature aging. Combining both options with ingestibles and the best CBD skin care may help you address both internal and external factors for this condition. Introducing quality, targeted, full-spectrum CBD products, like our Glow Care Capsules, can even offer essential fatty acids, vitamins, amino acids, and protein for additional premature aging support.
Just like any other skincare product or supplement, we recommend starting with one product at a time, journaling, or making notes of any visible benefits. You need to allow adequate time to see the results too because sadly, nothing in the skincare world is a magic one-time-hit potion. This allows you to make the most informed, intentional choices with your skin and overall wellness routine.
For those taking medication, make sure to check with your doctor about taking CBD. CBD can pose certain drug interactions, so it is critical to speak with your trusted healthcare provider first. It’s worth knowing that a minimal amount of CBD makes it to the bloodstream with topical application, so topical CBD products should be fine if you’re taking medication. But be safe and sensible and err on the side of caution by discussing with your doctor before trying.
Press Pause CBD for Premature Aging
Press Pause proudly presents women’s wellness CBD products that help support premature aging prevention. Our hardworking range of both topical and ingestible wellness products is all formulated with efficacy for youthful-looking skin in mind. If you need us, our team is always happy to help you find the right CBD skincare regimen. Shop our premature aging products today or contact us for more information anytime!
