Aging skin is a natural part of getting older. Although some people choose cosmetic treatments, surgery, hair transplants, or other ways now available, to slow the external signs of aging skin, the fact remains that everyone ages.

If you are lucky and live long enough, aging skin will catch up to you and the years you have lived will eventually show on your face. Despite the country’s fascination with looking young, one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself is to work on accepting your aging process with dignity, grace and style.

After all, from the moment you were born your skin began to age. How we look as we age depends on two important factors; our genes and how we treat ourselves. The aging skin “genes” you inherited, you have little control over.

These are the hereditary patterns in your family lineage that pre-determine how your face and body respond to the aging process.

The external factors that act on aging skin, you do have control over. More importantly, you can learn which health and lifestyle choices cause skin to age faster, and what you can do to create your own anti-aging skin care program.

If you were fortunate enough to know older members of your family members, you may see in yourself patterns of aging skin similar to their faces and bodies. These can include such things as tiny lines or crinkles around the eyes, loose skin along the jaw line, drooping eyelids and male or female pattern baldness.

It is likely that if you noticed any of these indicators of aging skin, or others, in your older family members, chances are good that you will experience at least some of them too.

This doesn’t mean you have no control over how your skin ages.

Many of the external causes of aging skin are determined by the health and lifestyle decisions you make every day. Making unhealthy choices will harm your skin and make you look older faster.

An important part of any anti-aging skin care program is to know what you may be doing that is harming your skin and what to do about it.

Whether you smoke, or you spend time with a smoker, cigarette smoke is damaging your skin. Research has shown that exposure to cigarette smoke, over time, significantly increases skin wrinkles and dryness.

This is partly due to the fact that cigarette smoke depletes your body of Vitamin C, which is a key ingredient for keeping skin plump and moist. Some researchers even believe that exposure to cigarette smoke is as bad for your skin as exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Speaking of sun exposure, unprotected skin that is exposed to the sun becomes mottled in appearance. Freckles can turn into brown spots, the skin takes on a dry, leathery appearance, and wrinkles and sagging increase. Skin cancer is also a risk that is significantly increased by sun exposure.

The good news is that sun damage is avoidable, and if you start now, you can improve the condition of sun damaged skin, no matter what your age.

First, visit a dermatologist to assess the amount of sun damage you may already have, and to rule out possible skin cancers. They may be able to prescribe medication that can help to reduce existing sun damage.

If you are determined to be out in the sun, make sure you use sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Choose sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, and use it all year-round, even on cloudy days. Clouds do not protect you from ultraviolet ray exposure.

Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays appears to be the most important factor in the development of skin cancer. Skin cancer is largely preventable when sun protection measures are consistently used.

One of the best things you can do is to stay out of direct sunlight, or time outdoor activities for hours when UV light is less intense. That means avoiding the beach between the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Believe it or not, a lack of exercise can also affect how our skin ages. Because exercise helps tone muscles and gets blood flowing, it should be an important part of every anti-aging skin care program.

The benefits of a regular exercise program will undoubtedly show on your face. After all, having a bright smile and lots of energy will help you look younger at any age.

Cold winds and low temperatures can dry out your skin, so if you venture out in the cold make sure to use a good moisturizer. It’s also important to use moisturizer indoors too, as heated rooms can be very drying to skin. Consider using a humidifier in the winter to help keep your skin moist.

Drinking alcohol dilates small blood vessels in the skin, which causes increased blood flow near the skin’s surface. Over time, these blood vessels can become permanently damaged, causing a flushed appearance and broken vessels on the surface.

Maybe you’ve heard this expression: “Don’t frown, your face could stay that way.” Strangely enough, stress and worry do cause frowning, which over time can make the muscles in the face actually conform to that movement.

Be aware of your stress levels, and try to vary your facial expressions during the day. A good anti-aging skin care program should include meditation, yoga, gentle exercise or other relaxation techniques. Keeping stress in check, and frown lines and wrinkles to a minimum, will help you look and feel younger.

Too little sleep makes you look and feel tired. One of the first places lack up sleep shows up is on the face, with dark circles and bags under the eyes, and sagging skin. Research has shown that most adults function best with eight to nine hours of sleep each night.

Reducing caffeine intake during the day, having none in the evening, avoiding eating at least two hours before bedtime, and maintaining a sleep routine that includes going to bed at the same time each night can all have a beneficial affect on your skin’s health.

While some signs of aging are inevitable, there’s a lot you can do to look your best at any age. Taking good care of yourself is the most important step in your anti-aging skin care program.

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