As you age, your skin naturally begins to show signs of wear and environmental exposure. Too much sun, dry skin, exposure to pollutants and even having too many beauty treatments can lead to premature scarring and aging of your skin. These tiny defects in the skin are referred to as micro scarring. Understanding the causes for micro scarring, along with being mindful of the best ways to protect your skin, will help slow this damage over time.
Sun Exposure
Sunlight is a major factor in the damage that your skin suffers. Inflammation can result due to an enzyme that is stimulated by sunlight, according to Optimal Nutrients. This process creates damaging free oxygen radicals, which alter the DNA in your cells. A variety of natural antioxidant therapies will help prevent these oxygen radicals from causing excessive damage, but many people are already deficient in antioxidants due to poor dietary choices and individual genetic makeup. Protecting your skin from sun damage by wearing a sunscreen whenever you're outdoors will slow the aging process, and you can even find a sunscreen product which contains a number of healthy antioxidants. The Mayo Clinic recommends that when you're selecting skin care products, choose those with an SPF of at least 15.
Aging
While you can slow the rate of micro-scarring, you cannot entirely avoid it, as it is a natural part of aging. As you age you will slowly lose more collagen in your face. Collagen and elastin are fibers which give your skin strength and elasticity. Less collagen and the loss of elasticity over time creates micro scarring. Although this is part of the natural aging process, you can slow the progress by using high quality skin care products that contain ingredients that promote skin health -- such as retinol, CQ10, hydroxy acids, copper peptides, kinetin and tea extracts.
Cigarette Smoke and Air Pollution
Air pollution and tobacco smoke can damage your collagen, which prevents the collagen molecules from gliding smoothly over each other. This leads to the skin becoming loose as it loses elasticity and softness. Avoid cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke, including second-hand exposure. If you live in an area with a high amount of air pollution, you can also experience premature aging of your skin, so make sure to do your best to limit exposure to air pollution. You can also make other changes in your health patterns to offset the unhealthy environmental toxins -- such as eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, exercising and getting plenty of antioxidants, which will protect your skin cells from damage and promote a healthy complexion.
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