Undone By The Sun
The rays of the sun have more potential to change the look of your skin than any other environmental factor. A sunburn – or even a tan – indicates your skin has been damaged. And most dermatologists agree that over-exposure to the sun’s damaging rays is the No. 1 culprit in skin aging prematurely. “Skin has a memory,” says Mark Naylor, M.D., associate professor of dermatology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. “Every tan or sunburn sets the stage for future wrinkles, blotchy pigmentation and age spots.”
Why is this life-giving orb so hard on our skin? The sun emits two types of skin-damaging light, UVA and UVB. Known as the “tanning rays,” UVA penetrates the lower layers of the skin and speeds up the breakdown of collagen and elastin, the compounds that keep our skin soft and supple. UVB rays are responsible for that painful sunburn and can damage the skin’s DNA by activating a flurry of free radical activity. It’s also the ultraviolet light most commonly associated with skin cancer.
Preventing this damage, however, requires more than just slathering on the sunscreen. Diet can play an important role in reducing sun-induced damage by boosting critical antioxidant levels. Eating foods rich in antioxidants and other phytochemicals, like fruits, vegetables and green tea, can help protect against oxidative damage induced by ultraviolet light.
Other Environmental Factors
 The climate can also affect your skin. Your skin is pliable and soft, and tends to look its best in humid climates. That's because skin actually draws the moisture from the air into its top layers. But the dry air found in desert-like climates or even in artificially heated rooms will sap moisture from the skin, leaving it flaky, tight and rough.
Pollution is another troublemaker. Dust can clog pores and increase bacteria on the skin. Invisible chemical pollutants in the air can also interfere with your skin's natural antioxidant system. In fact, a growing number of studies show that pollution can actually cause reactions in the skin that inhibit the way skin builds and repairs itself. For instance, ozone – one of the factors in smog – can trigger oxidative injury in the skin, leading to DNA damage. Because of this, air pollution makes you more vulnerable to premature aging and skin cancer.
Up In Smoke
Bad habits can also age skin prematurely. Epidemiological studies show that heavy smoking causes premature skin aging. Smoking has a negative effect on the production of collagen. Smoking has also been found to trigger oxygen damage to the cells and reduces blood flow to the skin. Another reason smokers get more deep wrinkles because nicotine constricts the tiny capillaries that nourish the skin and the chemicals in cigarette smoke depletes the nutrients necessary to keep skin cells healthy.
On a more serious note, smoking greatly increases the risk of developing a particular type of skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma. Researchers from the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands found that smokers were 3.3 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma than non-smokers. The research team speculated that smoking caused damage to DNA in skin tissue, producing abnormal cell growth.
Weighing In On Healthy Skin
 Your weight can also affect your skin’s appearance. Being overweight contributes to older looking skin, since excess fat can accumulate around your chin, neck and cheeks as you age. Maintaining your ideal weight will keep your skin firm and youthful. But beware, yo-yo dieting may give your body short-term results, but it won’t do your complexion any favors. A recurrent cycle of gaining and losing weight will cause your skin to stretch and become less elastic. As you age, this loose skin will be more prone to sagging and wrinkles simply by the force of gravity.
Menopause and Your Skin
Dry, thin and sagging skin is one of the most common complaints of women who have gone through menopause. These changes are believed to be due in part to the breakdown of collagen in the skin because of decreasing estrogen levels. Lower estrogen levels also decrease the blood supply to the skin and slow down its overall function. Because your skin does not shed dead cells and build new skin as quickly as it did in your youth, you lose radiance.
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