Why do certain people seem to have frozen in time? Can you tell me their secret? Everyone has a friend who defies age and gravity by looking younger than their age.
We've all been taken off guard by someone who appears too young or too old for their age. Regardless of physical appearance, scientists have been hard at dissecting the elements contributing to aging and have developed "Ageotypes." Your age can be very different from how your colleague across the cabin, who is the same age as you on paper, ages.
That is the answer to why some people appear younger than their age while others appear older. Aging is, at its most basic, a biological process that occurs in all living things, whether they are fruits, flowers, animals, or people.
Consider this. What occurs when a piece of fruit or flowers ripens? Their appearance rapidly shifts from lively and supple to the polar opposite. The fruit rots and decomposes while the blossom withers and dies. They go through a maturation phase.
Regarding humans and the aging process, some appear older than they are. In contrast, others of the same age appear significantly younger due to disparities in the acceleration of biological age compared to chronological age.
What exactly is Chronological Age? - Your chronological age is the years between birth and present. It is the number we give when asked how old we are.
What exactly is Biological Age? - Your biological age explains the physical evolution of your body based on biomarkers, which are cellular and molecular activities in the body that can be recorded. The length of one's telomeres, caps at the ends of DNA strands, is also a factor. Telomeres influence how cells age in the body and why you look young.
So, not only does a person with a younger biological age look younger, but they are also biologically younger. In this context, "age ain't nothing but a number" applies to chronological age. Consider this. Take a look around. You'll see that it's correct.
What are some of the signs of early skin aging?
Although the aging process is unique to each individual, several symptoms hint at premature aging. Here are some early indications of aging.
Gaunt hands
The uppermost layer of the skin thins over time. Furthermore, the collagen content of the skin layers decreases, resulting in skin drooping and wrinkling. Your hands may look thin, veiny, and wrinkled as you reach your late 30s or early 40s.
Skinimalism or skin minimalism is a new skincare routine about less is more. Our blog, Everything You Need To Know About Skinimalism - The Latest Skin Care Beauty Trend, is all you need to know about this new skincare beauty trend.
Sunspots
Age spots, also known as sun spots, are hyperpigmented spots on your forearms and face. These spots most commonly appear in your 50s. People who are white or have fairer complexion get sun spots earlier than tanned people.
Dry or itchy skin
Itchiness and dryness can be caused by skin thinning and dehydration. You'll also notice that your skin becomes flaky. Unhealthy skincare routines may age your skin. However, it does help to have a strict skincare routine that includes daily cleansing and the removal of all traces of makeup. Read our blog Does Wearing Makeup Age Your Skin? and learn more anti-aging tips.
Wrinkling or sagging
Wrinkles may form with the slow loss of collagen fibers, the skin's connective structures.
Hair loss
Although genetics play a role in hair loss in women, most women in their 50s to 70s may begin to experience hair loss. Apart from genetics, environmental factors and hormone changes can also contribute to hair loss.
Is it all in the genes?
A 2016 research of several thousand people in Europe discovered that one form of a specific gene caused people to appear up to two years older than persons with a different form of the same gene.
According to twin research, at least 60% of skin aging is caused by genetic causes, but non-genetic factors cause up to 40%. This implies that there are some factors over which we may have some control. Although this study was conducted many years ago, we included it since twin studies are especially important for determining which characteristics are likely genetic and which aren't.
6 of the Most Significant Factors that Affect Biological Aging
1. Exercise vs. Little to No Exercise
Fitness is an essential factor in delaying the consequences of aging. Why? Because being fit entails moving the body, it can include high-, medium-, or low-impact aerobics or anaerobic, walking, jogging, weight training, stretching exercises, Pilates, yoga, sports, martial arts, dancing, etc.
Exercising has numerous advantages. Moving increases excellent circulation, stimulates digestion, strengthens the heart, aids in the release of body toxins, and provides many of other advantages that aid in the reduction of inflammation in the body, which is linked to aging and disease.
Sedentism promotes the accumulation of toxins in the body and inflammatory responses, which can lead to auto-immune illnesses and other diseases.
Research shows that exercising at least 30 minutes 3 to 4 times a week will keep your body fit.
2. Cigarette Smoking vs. Not Smoking
Cigarette smoking is one of the most harmful things you can do to your body. Smoking can hasten the natural aging process of the skin. Cigarettes contain poisonous carbon monoxide and over 4,000 carcinogens and cancer-causing compounds. According to the American Cancer Society, cigarette smoking is responsible for 30% of all cancer deaths and 87% of lung cancer fatalities.
Skin wrinkling and age spots are one of the adverse effects of smoking, produced by nicotine usage, which narrows blood vessels and reduces blood flow to the skin. Smoking also depletes the oxygen in the bones, which can contribute to osteoporosis (brittle bones).
Cigarette smoking can cause hair loss, psoriasis, cataracts, dental issues, sagging skin, asthma, COPD, and other health concerns. Cigarette smoking harms the body's organs, mainly the lungs and heart, and can cause blood clots due to artery narrowing, leading to strokes and heart attacks. All of the above can physically age you and make you appear much older than you are.
There are Benefits if You Choose Not to Smoke
In contrast, quitting smoking dramatically reduces many risk variables connected with diseases caused by cigarette smoking. Not smoking or quitting enhances your appearance because it increases blood flow, allowing your body and skin to acquire more nutrients and oxygen, both necessary for appearing younger and being healthier.
Because smoking is a modifiable risk factor for many diseases, it is a habit that can be broken. For example, research suggests that modifiable risk factors were responsible for 45% of cancer fatalities. This suggests that these fatalities were unnecessary and could have been avoided with a lifestyle change.
3. Bad Nutrition vs. Good Nutrition
The adage "You are what you eat" probably isn't entirely false if you give it some thought. Or perhaps "You are what you eat" would be more accurate. The adage "beauty is only skin deep" also fails to stand up to scrutiny.
The truth is that proper health, including skin health, begins within and extends well beyond the body. The impact of one's diet on their physical appearance is often overlooked. When you eat poorly, you gain weight and age from the inside out. Whether you fuel your body with excellent or bad food, it will affect the health of every organ, cell, and system.
Bad dietary choices include but are not limited to, the following: fried chicken, hot dogs, potato chips, doughnuts, burgers and fries, bacon and sausage, milkshakes, soda pops, candy, pizza, fried pickles, and so on.
A good diet consists of Lean meats like chicken, fish, grilled or baked, Fruit, Vegetables, Nuts, Eggs, Tofu, Grains, Water, and Baked potatoes, and Healthy fats like olive oil and Yogurt.
Not that we have to pretend to be nutritious. You don't have to eat like Harry and Harriet every day of the week to reap the health benefits of a balanced diet, but doing so on most days can significantly impact how old you look and how quickly you appear to age.
How come? - Saturated fat, sugar, sodium, and other hazardous elements like MSG, trans fat, and nitrites are the main reasons unhealthy foods are terrible for you. The cumulative effects of a poor diet may be seen in how it ages the body and makes you look older and worse than you are. Another way that a poor diet contributes to premature aging is by causing diseases and disorders in the body.
4. Too Much Sun Exposure
Don't get me wrong — getting enough sun is essential for good health and maintaining proper vitamin D levels.
However, excessive sun exposure is unhealthy for the skin and can destroy the skin cells, leading to age spots and deeply wrinkled, saggy, baggy, and leather-like skin—all of which make you look much older than you are.
UV radiation from the sun slowly breaks down elastin fibers in the skin. This is why exposure to excessive amounts of UV radiation from the sun or tanning beds can increase your risk of skin cancer and accelerate the aging process by as much as 80%.
Sunburn occurs when the epidermal layer of skin is damaged due to sunbathing. However, the skin pigment (or melanin) increase during tanning still indicates skin injury, even if the skin becomes sunburned.
Best sunblock tips:
- Check the UV. The UV is on my Apple Watch home screen, so I can quickly check it;
- Use physical, not chemical, sunscreens like titanium oxide and zinc oxide;
- Wear sunblock, even indoors, if you are next to a window all day at work;
- Keep sunblock at the door, in the car, and in your bag;
- Invest in some fabulous sun hats for added protection;
Do your many skin care products and steps confuse you? Our blog, Correct Order of Your Skin Care Routine, is all the info for the correct order of your skincare routine and how to get started according to your skin type.
5. Inadequate Water Intake
It's always encouraging to be reminded how much better I feel and how much younger I look when I stick to my daily water intake goal of 6-8 glasses. Give it some thought.
What happens to a lush field if it goes without rain for a long time? Right. The landscape becomes arid. Everything evaporates. What would you see if you looked about at that time? There would be no moisture; therefore, the luscious grass, plants, trees, and leaves would all be dry, brittle, and withering.
Conceptually, similar things happen to our bodies if we don't get enough water. Adequate water consumption is essential for optimal bodily function. Our bodies have a lot of uses for water. To keep all the body's organs, tissues, and cells working correctly, it controls its metabolic and chemical reactions and keeps the body at a constant temperature. Water also aids in flushing out waste, maintaining good skin, and transporting nutrients throughout the body.
The effects of water on the body's aging process cannot be overstated. Lack of sufficient hydration leads to dryness and skin, cells, organs, and tissues malfunction.
So drink plenty of water and eat foods that contain water, like whole fruits, daily!
Premature aging occurs when you don’t take in enough water, among other adverse effects, because the body constantly loses water and must be adequately rehydrated. Water is lost by sweating, digestion, and breathing.
6. Sleep
Skin aging and resilience decline were both accelerated by sleep deprivation. That's what researchers found in a 2013 study funded by Estee Lauder.
Chronic insomnia is linked to increased cortisol production. The stress hormone cortisol can cause collagen breakdown in the skin. Sleep deprivation has been linked to reduced human growth hormone (HGH), a hormone that aids in skin thickening.
The quality of sleep we obtain, mainly sleeping through the night following our natural body clock, was proposed to affect skin aging in a 2015 textbook on skin aging.
So what can we do? Aim to sleep for 7-8 hours continuously per night.
Conclusion
What you put into your body, especially the state of your brain, bones, and connective tissue, is a significant factor in how quickly you age. Suppose you want to stay healthy and appear young. In that case, it's essential to make appropriate dietary choices (six days a week), avoid tobacco use, exercise regularly, drink lots of water and limit your time in the sun. Having clear skin is also a factor in making you appear younger.