what can i do to reduce the signs of aging?

by kerry and sally
this is a question we get asked a lot at sS. "anti-aging" is such an innocuous looking phrase but the fact is, it becomes so very important the minute we see our first fine line or our first gray hair. if you suffer from acne then sometimes it just feels like life is just piling it on. curse you father time (fist in air)!
so what is the secret to anti-aging? is there a magic pill? is there a machine? truth be told, the secret to staying and looking young comes from a variety of internal and external factors.
EXTERNAL FACTORS
if you have acne, the best part about your sS treatments and home care regimen is that anti-aging is major fringe benefit. you're already on an anti-aging regimen....at least at skinSALVATION you are. here's why:
1. moisture sometimes the skin appears more wrinkly when its really just dry or dehydrated. try our hydrating cream under your spf in the AM and alone as the last step in your regimen in the PM.
2. exfoliation it's best to use a mild exfoliant everyday and follow up with a good chemical peel (if you're at skinSALVATION you're already doing that!) the sS exfoliants that you may be using at home are mandelic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, or vitamin a.
3. antioxidants help kill free radicals and b3 and b5 and help bind moisture the skin. the antioxidants that you may be using from sS are green tea, spin traps, fruit extracts or vitamin c.
4. peptides are proteins made from amino acids that bind moisture to the skin and and help skin repair. in addition, they can inhibit the skin's inflammatory response. you'll find the peptide glutathione in sS's skin brightening serum.
5. skin brighteners even out tone and help lift pigmentation from previous acne, inflammation, or sun damage. these include kojic acid, azelaic acid and ferulic acid. you can find one or more of these ingredients in sS's skin brightening serum and our
6. spf! it's super important to wear sunscreen every day to prevent hyper-pigmentation. when you have a wound on the skin (like a pimple) and the sun hits it, the skin produces more melanin in that area to protect the dermis (beneath the epidermis) from more serious damage. the sunscreens that we carry reflect the UV rays from the sun so that they are not absorbed by the skin. this prevents the over production of melanin in areas where pimples are coming and going.
7. LED stands for light emitting diode. certain molecules in our cells can absorb light energy and use it as fuel called ATP. think of these molecules as solar panels on the roof of a building. the solar panels absorb light from the sun and use it as energy to provide power in the building (our cells). some results from LED are immediate, like using the blue light to kill bacteria and red light to reduce redness and inflammation. other results are cumulative, like repairing damaged skin and increasing natural moisture and hydration. we offer LED light treatments as an add on to the signature treatment or as a stand alone treatment. we also sell the acne light and the anti-wrinkle light for home use. we carry the anti-wrinkle light and the acne light. both lights help with both acne and anti-aging.
to use the acne light at home as part of your regimen just do 3-10 minutes on each area (inflamed, healing) after cleansing/icing and before the rest of the regimen once a day. also, apply a little hydrating toner before doing the light so that your skin doesn't get dried out. you can do the LED light while your skin is healing after the treatments and when you go back to your regular regimen.
to use the anti-wrinkle light at home do 3 minutes on each area of your entire face after cleansing and icing and before the rest of your regimen. it takes a total of 30 minutes and you can read or watch tv. just like with the acne light, it's a good idea to apply a little hydrating toner before using the light to prevent dryness.
Q + A Q: won't the chemical peels i get at sS lighten the pigmentation and give me anti-aging benefits? A: yes, however, there is no chemical peel out there that will be able to give you the same protection from hyper-pigmentation or the same level of anti-aging benefits that a good sunscreen can. peels can help to lighten pigmented areas but if you aren't doing something to prevent the pigmentation/accelerated aging from happening they can end up being more of a risk for permanent hyper-pigmentation and damage. so invest in a good sunscreen and wear it every day. prevention is the most important key to anti-aging. it's easier to keep the wrinkles and hyper pigmentation from occurring then it is to take them away once they're there. luckily this is part of your regimen already at skinSALVATION!
INTERNAL FACTORS
1. healthy diet limit sugar, alcohol, and refined foods. instead fuel your body with unrefined carbohydrates, organic produce and grass fed, organic, and wild caught proteins. kerry's favorite anti-aging/acne reducing diet is a combination of a healthy paleo-based diet and a vegan raw foods diet. think bone broth meets raw tacos.
2. control your stress we know that it's easier said than done! get back into or start up a new yoga practice, get some acupuncture or massage, start mediating, go for walks in the park or near the beach. one of our favorite tools is to write a list of 20 things that make you happy and then do at least one every single day.
3. sleep does your skin look great first thing in the morning after a restful night's sleep? this is because you body does most of its healing at night while you are in the deep REM stage of sleep. the skin cells are turning over at a faster rate, the hormones are resetting and the toxins and waste are getting ready for that am evacuation. staying up late and burning the candle at both ends eventually takes its toll on the body and the skin. so prioritize that beauty sleep! if you have a hard time getting to sleep because your mind is too active then get this free app and listen to a guided mediation right before bed. kerry likes the true north sleep mediation best.
4. drinking enough water (half of your body weight, in ounces) throughout the day, is critical to keeping you looking and feeling your best. it keeps your body systems well hydrated, keeps your digestion steady and internal + external elimination regular. if you don't believe us just look at this women's skin before and after drinking 3 liters of water a day for four weeks.
5. collagen powder can help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and textural scarring. check out our blog post about collagen powder to find out more.

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