There's no escaping the passage of time – you will get older, and your body will age.
And yet, some people in their 60s look like they're in their 40s, while some people in
their 30s look like they're in their 50s.
So what gives?
Some lucky people hit the genetic jackpot, but lifestyle choices and daily routines play
a big role in the aging process.
Here are some bad habits that may be aging you prematurely…
Skipping sunscreen
Sun damage doesn't just lead to skin cancer; it leads to wrinkles and sun spots.
Dr. Alan J. Parks, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of DermWarehouse, told us:
"I know it seems obvious, but the one terrible habit that will age you beyond belief is not
wearing sunscreen.
Ninety percent of skin aging is from the sun, so wearing sunscreen on a daily basis is one
of the best habits you can get into to keep you looking young."
And it's not just the summer sun that does the damage.
Wearing sunscreen even on cloudy days and in the wintertime is just as important.
Damaging UVA rays can penetrate through clouds and glass, doing a number on your skin health.
Leaving your sunglasses at home
Store a pair of sunglasses in every bag you own!
According to our conversation with Dr. Christian Subbio, a board-certified plastic surgeon,
constant squinting on sunny days can lead to major wrinkles.
He said:
"You might be surprised to find that not wearing sunglasses could be aging you.
This is especially true during the summer and during winter snows, which can reflect
high levels of sunlight, leading to increased squinting.
This repetitive squinting reinforces the 'crow's feet,' which are the small lines splaying
out from the sides of the eyes.
Failing to wear sunglasses could mean more frequent trips to your plastic surgeon for
Botox!"
Hmmm...regular botox injections, or a pair of shades?
Which sounds more appealing?
"Oh, honey you finally got Botox."
"No, I did not get Botox."
Fake baking
We all know the sun isn't your skin's friend.
With that in mind, don't ever go tanning!
Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points to the very real risks that indoor
tanning poses, including increased risk for skin cancer, premature skin aging, and changes
in skin texture.
Need proof?
Check out Tan Mom.
"And this whole things been blown out of proportion."
"How is that real?
I mean...""
It's time to turn in your tanning membership and embrace the beauty of soft, wrinkle-free
skin.
It may be an adjustment, but in 20 years, you'll be glad you made a change.
Smoking
Need easy to see proof that smoking makes you look old?
Take a look at some of these photos.
They were part of a 2013 study of the physical effects of smoking on twins.
Twins who smoked were compared side-by-side with their identical siblings who didn't — and
the the photos clearly reveal additional wrinkles and baggy eyelids on smoking twin.
The study, published in the Plastic and Reproductive Surgery Journal, found that as little as a
five-year difference in smoking history "can cause noticeable differences in facial aging
in twins."
Even if you don't have a doppelganger to compare your facial aging to, you can pretty much
count on smoking's negative impact when it comes to premature aging.
Sleeping on your face
Unless you're a back sleeper, it's time to switch up your bedtime routine.
Dr. Anthony Youn, a board-certified plastic surgeon and the author of the book, The Age
Fix: A Leading Plastic Surgeon Reveals How to Really Look Ten Years Younger, got right
to the point in our email correspondence.
He wrote:
"Sleep wrinkles are real and can be permanent.
Sure, sleeping on your face for a night after a bender won't create permanent lines, but
if you sleep on your face night after night, year after year, then those sleep wrinkles
will eventually stay there permanently."
The good news is there's a solution: just sleep on your back or side.
And if you have to smoosh your face against a pillow all night, try a satin or silk pillowcase.
Poor skin care
As tempting as it is to head to bed after a long day without washing your face, Dr.
Youn says this is a mistake:
"Makeup, as well as the day's grime, oil, and pollution, clog your pores and can result
in acne.
Your skin rejuvenates itself at night and cannot do this very well if it isn't cleaned."
Staring at your phone
Ever heard of Tech Neck?
Chances are you will soon.
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Joel Schlessinger told us about the phenomena, which happens
when you constantly look down at your phone, laptop, or tablet.
The forward tilt of your head results in the combination of a loss of neck firmness, physical
strain, and premature wrinkling of the skin along the front of your neck.
The solution is simple, says Dr. Schlessinger:
"Hold your phone or device higher when you look at it.
Try to hold your head in a neutral position whenever possible and limit the time you spend
on your devices.
If you're working on a laptop, sit at a desk and place the monitor at eye-level."
That's not all — changing up this habit could do wonders for any back pain you might
have, too!
Poor diet
Surprise!
What you eat can significantly impact your looks.
Junk food and alcohol denies your body the key nutrients it needs to function at full
capacity, but the damage doesn't stop there.
Dr. Schlessinger explains:
"A poor diet, specifically one that is high in sugar, can affect your skin from the inside
out.
Sugar molecules attach to collagen and elastin proteins in the skin through a process called
glycation.
This process produces advanced glycosylation end products, or AGEs for short.
AGEs are free radicals that lead to inflammation, breaking down collagen and elastin in the
skin."
While the occasional night out with friends is unlikely to do permanent damage, alcohol
isn't your body's best buddy, either.
"Alcohol dehydrates the body causing skin to look red, blotchy, and bloated.
Drinking alcohol prevents the production of vasopressin, an anti-diuretic hormone that
the body uses to absorb water.
This causes the kidneys to work twice as hard to remove excess water from your system, leaving
all of your organs, including your skin, dehydrated."
Drinking from a straw
Drinking from a straw seems so harmless – maybe you even do it to help prevent dark liquids
from staining your teeth.
At any rate, it might be time to retire your straws — because pursing your lips to sip
from a straw can lead to "smoker-style" lines surrounding your mouth.
Dr. Youn emphasizes that these smoker's lines "can worsen and deepen with any activity that
involves pursing your lips, including drinking out of a straw or drinking from a non-reusable
water bottle."
Yikes!
Harboring anger and grudges
Anger, stress, and grudge-holding don't just wreak havoc on your insides — they can actually
hurt your outsides, too.
Alixandra Foisy, a licensed clinical social worker and retirement transitions specialist,
pointed out to us that:
"Attitude can make you extremely rigid and uncompromising, and literally stiffens the
body.
A rigid person who cannot relax is not able to heal.
The body does a great job of healing itself, but it must be relaxed to do so."
Holding onto anger is also associated with coronary heart disease, while depression is
linked to cellular aging.
Nobody can avoid stress or anger completely, but everyone can find positive ways to let
go through exercise, meditation, and regular social engagement.
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