7 Things You May be Doing that Speed up Skin Ageing

Ageing is a natural part of life, and something we should feel grateful to experience. But there's nothing wrong with wanting to slow it down and stay healthier as we get older. This isn’t just about reducing wrinkles or skin ageing—it’s also about slowing down the cellular ageing that affects the entire body. While we can’t stop the clock, we do have control over the pace at which we age. The choices we make in our daily lives can either speed up or slow down the internal changes that come with ageing, making a big difference in how we feel and look over time. It is important, then, to recognise some of the habits that we might be doing that can contribute to premature ageing.

1. Eating Too Much Sugar: Glycation and Skin Ageing

A high intake of sugary foods and other refined carbohydrates like white bread, white pasta and pastries can contribute to a process called glycation. This involves the binding of sugar molecules to proteins in the body like collagen, forming Advanced Glycation End-Products, or aptly shortened to, “AGEs”. These AGEs damage our structural collagen and elastin proteins, resulting in wrinkles, loss of elasticity and dullness of the skin. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to breakdown or undo this process and so the best option is to limit sugar intake and swap to more complex carbohydrates and wholegrains wherever possible:

Also, although glycation is very difficult to undo and minimising sugar and refined carbohydrate intake is the best option, certain compounds found in foods have been shown to help destroy AGEs. These include curcumin in turmeric, tannins in tea and cacao and other flavonoids in plant foods.

2. Drinking Alcohol: Inflammation and Poor Gut Health

We all know that alcohol can have harmful effects on the body, from increasing the risk of certain cancers and liver disease to contributing to metabolic and cardiovascular issues. But what is often overlooked is how alcohol speeds up skin ageing.

Excessive alcohol consumption impacts the body and accelerates skin ageing in several ways. It is likely through a combination of inflammation, increased gut ‘leakiness’, micronutrient deficiencies, tissue damage and collagen breakdown, that we get these visible signs of ageing like dullness, sagging skin and wrinkles.

A large multinational study looking at the impacts of alcohol use on facial ageing in women, found that heavy alcohol use (≥8 standard drink/week) was associated with increased upper facial lines, under-eye puffiness, midface volume loss, increased marionette lines and visible blood vessels. Moderate drinking was also associated with visible signs of ageing, though to a lesser extent.

While red wine is often praised for its antioxidants like resveratrol, it is better to get these benefits from non-alcoholic sources, such as red grapes, to avoid the damaging effects of alcohol.

3. Smoking and Vaping: Oxidative Stress

Smoking does not just damage the lungs and heart - it also takes a serious toll on our skin, making it one of the biggest contributors to premature ageing. Unfortunately, vaping is not a safer alternative. Both tobacco smoke and vapes contain hundreds of chemicals that break down collagen and elastin, two proteins that keep our skin youthful and firm. This leads to early wrinkles, particularly around the mouth.

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that even a single 30-minute vaping session can significantly increase oxidative stress levels in otherwise healthy young people. Long-term smoking or vaping compounds this damage, accelerating the ageing process.

Oxidative stress involves the production of harmful free radicals which damage tissues throughout the body and cause the breakdown of our collagen and elastin proteins in the skin, resulting in sagging and wrinkling of the skin, as well as other visible signs of ageing.

The multinational study mentioned above also showed that smoking was linked to deeper forehead lines, crow’s feet, under-eye puffiness, tear-trough hollowing, nasolabial folds, marionette lines and lip thinning. Even the women who had given up smoking for the longest period of time still displayed visible signs of ageing, indicating that while stopping smoking is crucial for health, it can’t completely undo the long-term skin damage.

4. Not Drinking Enough Water: Dehydration

Water is the foundation of our body's cells and tissues, making up about 75% of our composition at birth and around 60% in adulthood. Beyond its many essential roles, water is key for maintaining skin’s elasticity and plumpness. When the body is dehydrated, the skin appears prematurely aged with fine lines becoming more prominent and skin becoming more saggy and dull.

Drinking more than 2L of water daily can have a positive impact on the health and appearance of our skin, though this amount can vary depending on our height, weight, the climate and our activity levels. Along with staying hydrated, it's important to cut back on things that dehydrate us, like alcohol, caffeine, and foods high in sodium and sugar. Instead, try incorporating hydrating foods like cucumber, watermelon, celery, and tomatoes to keep skin looking fresh and youthful.

5. Not Getting Enough Sleep: Impaired Skin Recovery

Quality sleep is essential not only for our overall health but also for skin recovery and regeneration. During deep sleep, blood flow to the skin increases and the body releases growth hormone, which stimulates collagen and elastin production and encourages cell turnover and repair. When we don’t get enough sleep, this process is disrupted, leading to dull, sagging skin and those pesky dark circles under the eyes.

Sleep deprivation or poor sleep also raises certain hormones and inflammatory markers that interfere with skin repair. Impairments in skin barrier function occur in skin conditions like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, suggesting that a lack of sleep could potentially trigger or aggravate these conditions.

One study subjected healthy women to 42 hours of sleep deprivation and found a significant reduction in skin barrier recovery and increased circulating inflammatory markers in the bloodstream, showing that just one night of sleep deprivation can have harmful effects on our skin and whole body health.

Getting 7-9 hours of restful sleep is crucial for maintaining healthy, glowing skin. Establishing a consistent sleep routine can go a long way in supporting skin health and helping us to wake up looking and feeling our best.

6. Skipping Sun Protection: UV Exposure

Sun exposure is essential for our health - it helps with vitamin D production, boosts mood, and even improves sleep. However, too much sun can take a serious toll on our skin. In fact, up to 90% of visible skin ageing is caused by excessive ultraviolet (UV) radiation - known as photoaging. These UV rays damage skin cells and proteins, leading to wrinkles, sagging, hyperpigmentation, and slower wound healing.

For fair-skinned individuals, 3-15 minutes of sun exposure, and for those with darker skin, 15-30 minutes is typically enough to get the benefits. Keep in mind that factors like climate and time of day can affect this. The key is to balance sun exposure with protection. We can still get the benefits that come from sun exposure whilst protecting ourselves from photoaging by implementing sun smart measures like wearing a SPF50+ broad spectrum sunscreen daily, regardless of the weather.

7. Overwhelming Stress: High Cortisol

We all go through short bouts of stress, but chronic stress can take a serious toll on our bodies and speed up the ageing process. When we are stressed, our bodies produce more of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which can break down collagen and elastin in the skin, leading to wrinkles and sagging.

Chronic stress also impacts skin hydration and barrier function. A study on interview-related stress in healthy women found that even short-term stress increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) - the loss of moisture through the skin - and delayed the skin's ability to repair itself. It also raised cortisol levels and triggered inflammation in the body. If short-term stress has these effects, it is easy to imagine how chronic stress could compound them.

Since stress is a part of life, it is crucial to incorporate stress management techniques into our daily routines. Practices like meditation, exercise, and deep breathing can help protect our skin - and our overall well-being - by keeping stress in check.