“Every one of us can find the two minutes… it takes to look good.” — Estee Lauder

WHEN we age, the skin turnover slows down, hence the dullness. The cells do not renew as they did and this results in moisture loss, thinning, jowls, and eye bags. Sun damage from being in a car in traffic with the sun exposure beaming in, all those years of tanning or running around as a kid without sunscreen begin to take their toll. Our lifestyle catches up with us (smoking, drinking and dieting).

We have to age, but age is really just a number, and Estee Lauder left us at age 97, but she was wise — there are things you can do to slow down the ageing process and repair some of the damage already done. Here are some non-surgical tips for doing just that. I have listed them in order of price, and you will see there is a lot you can do with a small budget.

1. LIVING A HAPPY, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Hands down, this the absolute best thing you can do to slow down the ageing process.

Creams, procedures and lasers do help and have their place, but healthy lifestyles not only keep you looking young and feeling great, but they also keep you living (preferably longer), which I’m sure no cream can do.

Internal antioxidants are a must-have. Colourful vegetables and fruit is a safe way to tell that a lot of antioxidants are in a meal. Colour is synonymous with rich antioxidants. Noni juice is an excellent anti-ageing preventative source. But berries, pomegranates, watermelons, apples, oranges, guineps, june plums will also be amazing for your skin.

Eating a well-balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, not smoking, not drinking too much alcohol, laughing, and not stressing out too much are all good anti-ageing habits.

Do not get so wrapped up in physical anti-ageing treatments that you forget about internal health, relaxation, and emotional well-being. This is the rock upon which topical anti-ageing treatments build, everything else is sand.

2. A BASIC SKIN ROUTINE

A daily, no-frills routine with a simple cleanser, toner and moisturiser will be better than doing nothing at all. You don’t need the latest breakthrough skin care product to prevent ageing, as long as you take good basic care of your skin and remove make-up or build-up of the day.

Your hands, neck and eyes (maybe the lips for some people) can show the ageing first. Whatever you do to care for your face, do the same for the rest of your body. The eyes are very delicate and the skin around it gets thinner as we age, so be very gentle and careful in that area.

3. SUNSCREEN

This is the number one way to slow down ageing. In skin that is prone to hyperpigmentation, it will block the UV rays’ effect on blemishes to become darker.

4. CHEMICAL PEELS AND EXFOLIANTS

People say men tend to age slower (or look younger, however you want to think of it) because they shave, frequently exfoliating their face. For both women and men, exfoliating is definitely an easy way to keep your skin fresh. Any beauty magazine you look at will recommend exfoliating your skin at least once a week.

A facial scrub or washcloth can be used, but more effective is chemically, with peels by using topical acids and/or retinoids. Exfoliating helps keep your skin looking young by shedding dead skin cells and pushing newer ones to form.

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) can minimise the appearance of wrinkles over time. Scientific evidence is emerging that long-term AHA use encourages collagen regeneration, repairing the effects of ageing. Skin is left more even and brighter which is what more youthful, healthy skin is.

5. ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants like Vitamin C, Q10, alpha-lipoic acid, and green/white tea prevent free radicals from damaging your skin. Free radicals are partially responsible for wrinkles, non-gravity defying eye bags, etc.

Topically, vitamin C is probably the most powerful antioxidant for your skin, scientifically proven to stimulate collagen production and brighten overall skin tone. Green tea is another popular antioxidant, but studies have indicated that the particles are large and not reliably absorbed.

Dr Simone Van-Horne is a consultant in internal medicine. Currently, she is a hospitalist, where she does inpatient-hospital medicine in Florida and sees patients in a medical spa setting at Metamorphosis Medispa Wellness Center Inc in Hollywood, Florida, and at The Face Place Ja at 3 Carvalho Rd, Kingston, and The Skin Bar, #16 Freeport Shopping Centre, Montego Bay. Contact info@spamorph.com and www.spamorph.com for questions.