Forever Young

You know those mornings when you look at yourself in the mirror and do a double take, and ask “Where did that wrinkle come from? Or is that a sleep line?” Signs of aging on the skin usually appear around age 30, although some women report seeing lines and wrinkles in their 20s. As the skin ages it becomes less energetic, immune function decreases, structural components deteriorate, chronic inflammation develops, and it has decreased ability to repair DNA damage. 90% of our lifestyle effects our skin and my belief is treating the skin as a whole—what we put on topically and what we take in internally—and aging gracefully.

Here are a few preventative tips for aging gracefully:

Stress Management

Skin is the most environmentally stressed organ so minimizing stress is a crucial component in prevention of chronic inflammatory conditions.

Stress management nutritional tips: Almonds, pistachios and walnuts all help minimize the adrenal response provoked by stress.

Vitamin C boosts your immune system while helping normalize blood pressure and cortisol levels.

Dark green vegetables, such as broccoli, kale and spinach help the body resist the depleting effects of stress.

Drink plenty of water! Dehydration stresses the body. Take your body weight, divide it in half, and that is how many ounces a day you should be drinking.

When you get stressed, breathe more slowly and deeply. As you breathe, your chest and abdomen should move together. When you are tense you tend to hold your breath, which is not a good thing.

Eat well, especially fruits and vegetables that are brightly colored, hence rich sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants are essential to all living tissue because they capture and trap free radical activity and protect the skin against premature aging and disease, as well as neutralizing the free radicals that occur naturally in the skin.

Key Antioxidants to look for:

Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Co-Enzyme Q10, Green Tea

Sleep

By day the body protects itself, by night the body repairs itself. Sleep gives your body and mind time to restore, renew and shed toxins through breath and skin. When your body is at a restful state you have more oxygen flow in the tissue, therefore better absorption of the repairing products in your nighttime regime.

Sleep Lines

Sleep on your back if you can. When you sleep on your side you create sleep lines on your face and décolleté, deep creases, and even puffy eyes over a period of time.

Sun Protection

Always use a non-comedogenic full spectrum physical block versus a chemical block, at least a SPF 30. If you are in the sun all day, reapply sunscreen every two hours.

Facials

Facials with an experienced licensed aesthetician are recommended every 4-6 weeks or even 8 weeks. Facial treatments not only deeply cleanse the skin, they exfoliate the uppermost epidermal layers, which allows your home care products to penetrate effectively.

Inflammation

All skin, and certainly weakened or aged skin, is subject to inflammation. It can be prevented by using a wide spectrum of topical products formulated with antiinflammatory properties and antioxidant ingredients, and consuming foods that have anti-inflammatory benefits.

The key ingredients listed below help reinforce, protect and boost the antioxidant response system. Look for these in your home care products:

Aloe Vera, L-Asorbic Acid, Green Tea, Tocopherols, Allatoin, Beta Glucans, Resveratrol, Alpha Lipoic acid, Copper peptides, Spin Traps

Home Care Protocol

Home care is essential for prevention and keeping skin healthy. You are able to treat your skin everyday to improve pigmentation, dehydrated skin, fine lines, or any skin condition. When choosing home care products, pick result oriented skin care products.

Look for the following key ingredients in your home care regime:

Resveratrol, L-Asorbic Acid, Retinol, Spin Trap, Cassia, Snap8 (Octapeptide-3), L-Superoxide Dismutase, Syn-coll® (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5), EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor), Matrixyl™ 3000, D-Beta-Glucosamine, Hyaluronic Acid, Beta Glucan, Lactic Acid

Skin Prophecy Clinic 1230 Coast Village Circle Suite B Santa Barbara www.skinprophecy.com (805) 969-64546454

Written by Dee Dee Serpa-Wickman, L.E.

Photographed by Meadow Rose

Model Alessa Valenzuela

Hair & Makeup by Leah Rose Washuta

Manicure by Aqua Skin & Nail Bar using LVX in French Rose