OUR SKIN- FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO DETERIORATION

It is hardly necessary to emphasize once again that exposure to the sun is a major contributor to damaged skin, no doubt why today’s elderly who were obsessed with having a suntan developed unsightly wrinkles, having earned the rather unpleasant label “crinkle cuts”!

Time to consider other issues of which readers may not be aware.

COFFEE contains caffeine which can raise cortisol levels and “stress hormones” may contribute to breakouts. This by no means states that coffee causes acne, but excessive sugar can cause a spike in insulin increasing the levels of oil [sebum] in the skin.
Poor quality coffee with added milk has its disadvantages if cows have been injected with anti-biotics which can disrupt intestinal flora.

ALCOHOL in excess, due to the dehydrating effects, plays havoc on the skin. Dryness is accelerated, promoting wrinkles, puffiness termed bloating and purple dilated capillaries often termed “broken veins”.
It is not totally clear as to why alcohol can trigger an auto-immune disease like psoriasis which results in an overproduction of skin cells.

NICOTINE in cigarettes is thought to compromise the immune system and “pursing” the mouth continually to draw in smoke has a lasting effect resulting in fine lines around the lips, thus the term “smokers mouth”.
Nicotine damages collagen and elastin fibers and constricts blood vessels.

INCREASED BODY FAT due to this occurrence, the skin has to stretch to accommodate the excess. This results in stretch marks called striae, undermining the normal appearance of the skin.
Another unsightly disorder named cellulite can develop when the collagen fibers fail to contain the fatty tissue below and unattractive “dimpling” occurs.

In conclusion, coffee in the morning, alcohol during cocktail hour, with a cigarette thrown in for good measure; does this perhaps sound like a daily routine? With Christmas fast approaching and many tempting and perhaps fatty delicacies to explore do remember that the moment of pleasure can end in the aftermath of guilt!