Ageing

Our ageing process starts the moment we are born. Skin ageing begins in our early 20s. However his process can be slowed down radically.

Ageing can be of two kinds

1. Intrinsic Ageing
   This is natural ageing of skin with the passage of time as our skin gets thin. And there is a loss of the collagen and elastic tissue. This unavoidable process is mainly responsible for firmness of skin or the lack of it. However this calculates for only 10 percent of the natural ageing process.
2. Extrinsic Ageing
   80 per cent of the ageing process is the accumulative outcome of environmental conditions.
   • Sun Rays: Sun rays penetrate our skin and injure the cells and their contents. Our skin wrinkles and withers like an apple, which loses its moisture. There is almost a 20 per cent reduction in collagen levels if you tan regularly. Every dayexposure to the sun can give worse results and accounts for 90 per cent of ageing. You can prevent this ageing process by controlling skin exposure to the sun.
   • Facial Expressions: Furrows and crow’s feet on our face are a result of our facial movements. Our emotions Control our expressions, thus by changing the way you emote you can change your facial movements. So instead of making a face and frowning try and smile because it takes 14 muscles to smile, but over 70 muscles to frown.
   • Gravity: Everything that goes up comes down ! But our skin only comes down. The gradual elongation of our earlobes and nose is due to the earth’s gravitational pull. As we lose basic fat with age our eyelids and jowls star drooping. The shrinking of our bones results in loose sagging skin. Sever weight loss in little time also results wrinkles caused by rushing gravity. Try and prevent a drastic weight change by avoiding fad diets etc. Remember a well toned and muscular body will age better than a toneless body. Yoga involves anti-gravity exercises and prevents ageing to a certain extent.
   • Sleeping Posture: An average individual spends almost one-fourth of his or her life sleeping. For example, at the age of 60 a person would have slept for at least 20 years. This accounts for six to eight hours of pressing wrinkles to form, everyday. It's said earlier Chinese women used concave porcelain pillows and sleep on their back to prevent their heads from sinking, thus preventing wrinkles in the long run. Try sleeping on your back, use propped up pillows, keeping cushions under knees for support. Silky satin pillow covera prevent skin from sticking, unlike cotton ones.
   • Smoking: Prevent cancer and skin sagging ! Yes smoking adds five years to our ageing process. It accentuates facial wrinkles especially tiny prominent ones on the upper and lower lip. The constant inhaling and blowing actions stimulate crow’s-feet and hanging cheeks and jowls. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels resulting in leathery and gray skin.