27 months ago
Sun exposure and cigarette smoking are two things that I would say have the greatest effect on accelerating skin aging. The sun’s rays have a major effect on the skin’s elastin and collagen, causing them to breakdown – creating leathery wrinkled skin and sunspots.
There is also a direct correlation between cigarette smoke and levels of MMP-1, an enzyme that breaks down collagen. Therefore, in addition to lack of oxygen going to the skin, cigarettes have a direct effect on causing wrinkling.
- The way to deal with these age accelerators is to wear a broad spectrum UVA/UVB sun block all year-round and do all that you can to stop smoking. The day that you stop these age accelerators is the day that you will slow the skin aging process.
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