N Skin Care Alert

Skin and Photoaging

Our skin undergoes several changes as we grow older. Collagen and elastin, the fibers which keep the skin firm, weaken as we age. What used to be skin that’s smooth and plump is now thinner and wrinkled. Gravity also affects the skin as it pulls and causes the skin to sag.

Genetics likewise plays a role on skin changes. Some women look old in their forties, while some sixty year olds look much younger than their age.

However, skin aging is also influenced by external factors, also known as extrinsic aging or photoaging. Years and years of unprotected sun exposure is the main reason for the changes we seen on our skin – and often mistaken for just plain, natural aging.

Effects of photoaging on skin

Photoaging interacts with chronologic (or natural) aging. It is responsible for most age-related changes in the skin such as age or liver spots, uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles, and dryness.

Photoaging is the effect of chronic and excessive sun exposure on the skin. It is present in everyone, including toddlers, but not visible to the naked eye until we are much older. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 80% of all photodamage to the skin happens by age 20.

Prevention from sun damage

It is never too late to protect your skin from photoaging. Older skin is thinner and more delicate, so always apply the best protection against sun damage:  sunblock!

Use a broad-spectrum sunblock with an SPF of 25 to protect your delicate skin from harmful UVA, UVB and UVC rays. Check that your sunblock has zinc oxide, nature’s original sunblock and the ONLY sunscreen that works throughout the UV spectrum. Godiva Green Tea Sunblock Cream contains zinc oxide for complete sun protection. Apply daily, whether indoors or outdoors for protection from photodamage.

Anti-aging treatments

Women of today are luckier because modern technology has paved the way to solutions for photodamaged skin. Among these is Intense Pulsed Light or IPL treatments that utilize advanced light and heat energy to restore skin’s youthful glow.

IPL Photo Rejuvenation treatments improve the appearance of photoaged skin by removing age spots, dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles.

The results of IPL Photo Rejuvenation treatments can be best seen and enjoyed in conjunction with Diamond Peel treatments, the latest non-surgical age eraser. Long-term benefits include increased skin firmness, more even skin tone, minimized pores, and reduced pigment marks and scars.

Complement your anti-aging treatments with age-defying products to keep skin soft and younger-looking. Smooth on Godiva Face & Neck Firming Cream on face and neck twice daily to firm up the skin and reduce superficial wrinkles. Then apply a natural alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) cream like Godiva Fruit Acid Revitalizing Complex at night to accelerate the production of fresher, creamier skin.

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