Environmental factors that lead to ageing skin

Premature ageing, wrinkles and expression lines are all somethign many of us try to avoid. But there are some environmental factors that lead to ageing skin. You will need to be aware of these, and avoid these, to keep your skin in the best possible coniditon. But waht are thse environmental factors? Well, here at The Skin and Wellbeing Clinic, we are Preston’s number one clinic for aesthetic procedures, such as dermal fillers and fat dissolving injections. As a result, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about ageing skin issues associated with environmental factors.

What are the environmental factors that lead to ageing skin?

There are a number of different environmental factors that can lead to premature ageing of the skin, and the development of lines and wrinkles. These factors include:

• temperature and humidity
• air pollution
• UV exposure

Ageing skin, temperature and humidity

So how does the temperature and the humidity of your environment influence ageing? And can this have an effect on lines and wrinkles? Well, the impact will depend on the specific factors in your environment. For example:

• Cold weather combined with a dry humidity inside (typically from heating or air conditioning units) can lead to dry skin. This is because the moisture trapped in the top layers of your skin will be removed by the cold and wind, and the skin will become dry and even cracked or sore. But crucially, losing hydration in this way leads to a lack of skin nutrition and poor skin quality. As a result, more collagen and elastin are likely to be lost, leading to the development of lines and wrinkles.
• Hot weather, even without considering sun damage, can make your skin oilier or drier depending on the genetic make up of your skin. Some people will see more oil, blemishes and spots appearing in the warm weather, while others will experience dry, dehydrated skin instead.

Air pollution and ageing skin

Pollution from vehicles, especially in cities can be very damaging. With an increasing number of studies showing the damage to children’s lungs, from this pollution, the negative impact on the skin is often overlooked. But the large particles of pollution emitted mainly by vehicles on the road can irritate the skin barrier and lead to skin ageing issues, as well as causing skin pigmentation issues like age spots.

UV exposure and ageing skin

While we all enjoy the sun and warm weather, over exposure to UV rays can lead to the development of wrinkles, as well as premature ageing. This is because the UV rays cause the break down of collagen and elastin, which are two vital skin components. As a result, without enough collagen and elastin your skin can lose volume and elasticity, leading to sagging skin and the development of lines and wrinkles. Make sure to wear a high factor sun cream when out in the sun.

Damage from UV exposure can also include sun spots, or age spots, and areas of skin discolouration.

For more information or advice, get in touch with the team today, here at The Skin and Wellbeing Clinic.