Childhood: From 0 to 10

As smooth as a baby’s bottom. Don’t we all wish we had skin like a baby. Healthy baby skin always seems flawless and moist. The only complaint that you’ll get would be sensitivity and rashes during the earlier years between 0 – 5. The body’s collagen and elastin are at optimal levels.

The skin is superbly resilient and as they move pass 5 years old, the skin is much stronger where cuts and scrapes maraculously heal overnight. Skin cells turn over and renew themselves naturally every 21 – 28 days. Care still needs to be taken with a daily washing routine a very mild and gentle face and body wash. Since the skin is alot thinner than fully developed adult skin, extra sun care protection needs to be used during outdoor activities.

The Teenage years: 10 – 20

Puberty starts to kick in and hormones start flying through your body. The wonder years from 0 – 10 for the skin slowly deminishes and without warning, skin starts changing, and often in a negative direction through the teenage years. The smooth baby-bottom faces its first challenges in this phase of life. As you move into adulthood, your body will indicate through your genetic composition your genetic skin type. The skin produces more oil due to overactive sebaceous glands, and breakouts occur more often. It may seem like a bad omen if you’re genetically born with oily skin where your skin produces even more oil, increasing the chance of even more breakouts. It may seem like a bad omen now, but not when you pass 40 when metabolism slows and skin dries, the oily skin type will usually cope alot better. The skin cells are still renewing themselves every 21 – 28 days. Establish a routine of cleansing, toning and moisturizing and exfoliating to prevent breakouts.

Still Young: 20 – 30

In your early 20s, hormones are still flying high and breakouts and other skin problems are still frequent. By late 20s, your hormones would have settled down with reduced oil production and blemishes becoming less frequent. Skin tone becomes more even and general inflammation reduces. Provided that you didn’t party your life away during these fruitful years, your skin should be plumped, moist and radiant with no wrinkles or sagging. Your skin still has ample amounts of collagen and elastin. The cell renewal cycle of 21 – 28 days is also starting slow down.  Enjoy your skin now in your late 20s and early 30s and start adopting a lifestyle that will keep your skin healthy.

Mature and Steady: 30 – 40

Mature in thinking but definitely not mature skin. Skin in your early 30s should still look young and vibrant, with maybe a few lines or wrinkles. Your skin looks healthy and still has plenty of collagen and elastin. As you approach your 40s, your skin may experience a major turing point. This coincides with the time when your metabolism starts to slow down, partially because muscle mass starts to decline. Sun damage becomes evident due to the sagging and discloration of the skin, collagen and elastin regeneration slows leading to slower cell turnover and worst yet, if you didn’t take good care of your skin during the earlier part of your life, fine lines and wrinkles will show.

However, with all these body changes, if you maintain a healthy lifestyle, your skin can still look fabulous. Along with the standard cleansing, toning and moisturizing, now maybe a good time to start using glycolic acid exfoliation products regularly. Glycolic acid has been shown to assist the skin in rebuilding collagen. Get plenty of exercise, rest and sleep. Your partying days should be kept at minimum.

Midlife Challenges: 40 – 50

Its a challenging time for your skin. For those with oily skin that believe it is a bad omen during the teenage years suddenly embrace their oily skin type with naturally producing oils that help to moisten the drier skin. The skin can still appear hydrated, moist and radiant. Proper moistursing and a healthy lifestyle is vital.

It’s especially challenging for women as they approach their late 40s with the start of menopause. Your body goes through many changes ranging from chemical imbalances,  mood swings, change in appetite, increased stress and for your skin, oil production slows, leaving the skin drier, and skin may start to become thinner and more translucent. Being flexible with your skin is important by switching products or skin care lines as your skin becomes drier and more sensitive.

The Wise: 50 – 60

For women, between 50 – 60 you’re probably at the finishing stages of menopause. Collagen is not optimal but enough to keep your skin smooth. Sagging of the jawline becomes more evident  with perhaps some slightly darker pigmentation spots around the forehead and cheeks. Fine lines and wrinkles have set in and are almost unavoidable at this stage. For those that have had strong exposure to the sun during the early years, deep brown pigmentation spots will appear.

There are many products in the cosmeceuticals market that make claims of being able to reduce or minimise or even reverse these aging effects. Some products and ingredients have proven effects whilst others, you’ll just be throwing your money away. If you are tempted into a plastic surgery (face lift), be extremely careful that you know of the consequences.

The Beautiful Road Ahead: 60 – 100

For most women menopause has passed (thank goodness). However, skin oil production is low, skin becomes thinner and more fragile, moles and pigmentations appear, skin becomes courser and rougher to touch, wrinkles are more noticeable and sagging and drooping of the skin becomes a fact of life. Lifestyle and genetic diseases and disorders, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease can also affect the radiance of your skin.

Sounds negative? This is when lifestyle makes the biggest difference in the quality of your skin. Give your skin the vitality it deserves by eating a healthy diet, participating in regular exercise, continuing with your anti-aging skin care regeme and most importantly staying positive and embracing your beautiful road ahead towards retirement. Enjoy your life, you deserve it.