The chemical differences between men and women suggest that men's skin ages less rapidly than women's. However, nothing is guaranteed, and men should feel just as compelled to set themselves up with a lifestyle that keeps their skin looking younger.
You're probably familiar with the importance of collagen production, and you may have heard of hyaluronic acid, the ultimate skin hydrator. These are two molecules fundamental in promoting healthy skin. But what is elastin in skin care, and how can its decline affect your appearance over time?
What is Elastin in Skin Care for Men and Why is It So Important?
Like collagen, elastin is a major structural protein naturally found in the human body. It resides in connective tissues in your skin, blood vessels, ligaments, lungs, and other areas that require elasticity to move.
Elastin and collagen levels work together to keep your skin healthy, but also serve a different function. Collagen provides strength and structure to the skin, making it plump and full. But elastin gives your skin "stretchiness", allowing it to "bounce back" to its original shape after lengthening or contracting.
Elastic fibers are easily damaged and tough to repair
Unfortunately, just like collagen, the elastin present in your skin decreases, soon after puberty. First, as aging occurs, elastin cells easily become weaker and damaged. Second, new elastin becomes a lot more difficult for your cells to produce. So, your supply begins to decrease rapidly.
Elastin has a very slow turnover rate and can only be produced by one gene. So, it's especially prone to damage over time. This loss of elastin means, as you age, your skin will not be able to naturally recycle and regenerate itself as well.
Elastin is crucial to youthful-looking, healthy skin
Elastin structure is 1000 times more flexible than collagen. So, it can stretch much further and still return to being firm. Every time you smile, frown or raise an eyebrow, elastin's effects return your face to its original shape. Pull the skin on the back of your hand and let it go. If it immediately springs back to where it was, you have high levels of elastin in your skin.
How does elastin affect your skin's appearance? Because it keeps your skin supple and tight, elastin fights against the tell-a-tale signs of aging. It also helps in wound and scar healing.
If you have low levels of elastin or damaged elastin, you're more likely to notice signs like:
- Permanent expression lines
- Wrinkles and fine lines
- Sagging, loose skin
- Thin, crinkly skin
- More noticeable scars and stretch marks
How to Prevent the Loss of Skin Elasticity
No matter what you do, the biological process of aging will affect the elastin in your skin. Even with all the anti-aging treatments in the world, it's currently very difficult to reverse an elastin deficit and increase its production.
With this in mind, prevention is your best defense. It's far wiser to protect the elastin you already have earlier on by minimizing elastin loss and damage.
Adopt a daily skin care routine to protect healthy elastin
Researchers are still looking for ways to increase elastin production. So, there isn't yet a skin care product that can do this. But, in the meantime, the right daily skin care routine can help you protect your existing elastin supply.
Protecting your skin against the sun's UV rays will help preserve your elastin fibers. You can easily incorporate the anti-aging effects of sunscreen into your daily skincare routine. Using a product that contains hydrolyzed elastin in the evening can help boost your natural supply of elastin, stimulating cell growth. Lastly, a quality nighttime moisturizer will keep your skin hydrated, allowing it to repair itself more efficiently.
Monitor your diet and lifestyle to stop extrinsic aging
Protecting your skin from free radicals and oxidative stress will help you maintain healthy supplies of both proteins, collagen and elastin. Incorporate foods high in antioxidants into your diet, such as dark chocolate, blueberries, strawberries, and pecans.
Avoid eating too much sugar and simple carbohydrates, as these break down quickly in the bloodstream, causing inflammation and damaging elastin.
But effective skincare and diet aren't the only factors in maintaining a youthful complexion. A lifestyle that allows you to maintain elastin is one where you:
- Avoid smoking
- Protect your skin tone from sunburn
- Get enough sleep
- Practice stress relief
Retain Elastic Tissue and Ensure Elastin Production with Quality Skin Care Products
Keeping your elastin levels healthy and high as you age is an important task, but it doesn't have to be a lifelong struggle. Tiege Hanley face products are formulated to protect your skin against the stressors of everyday life.
Check out our eye cream for men, containing a combination of vitamins to improve your skin's elasticity and encourage a younger appearance. Or take a look at our face serum for men, designed to subdue the facial muscle contractions that make your elastin work harder in the first place.
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