Environmental ageing is caused by daily exposure to UV rays, toxins and other pollutants which damage our skin by inhibiting collagen production and causing wrinkles, age and sun spots.

Sun exposure is still considered the most damaging environmental factor which results in ageing of the skin due to speeding up collagen breakdown in the skin and causing the body to produce abnormal elastin.

High-energy visible light is the latest buzzword in beauty – Why? Because HEV could be as damaging to our skin as sun damage. Scarily, it’s emitted by our television screens, smartphones, laptops and iPads.

Soaking up those UV rays and HEV exposes our bodies to free radicals. Over time, these nasties attack melanin, elastin and collagen cells, accelerating the signs of ageing culminating in fine lines, wrinkles and dehydrated unhappy skin.

Unavoidably, our busy city lifestyles expose us to environmental factors every day which we cannot control like air pollution, water chemicals and pesticides which cause our bodies to produce free radicals – accelerating the ageing process.

The good news is that we can control some of the sources of pollutants and toxins we expose ourselves to.  Avoiding harsh chemicals used in household cleaning and skincare products as well as abstaining from lifestyle choices such as smoking cigarettes help avoid exposing ourselves to a lot of unnecessary contaminants.

How to prevent environmental ageing:

1. ALWAYS use a sunscreen – step up the SPF factor during the summer months.
2. Opt for toxin-free natural household cleaning products and skincare
3. Stay active – regular exercising not only keeps our bodies healthy but also helps us de-stress, which is important to retain that youthful glow.
4. Drench yourself in antioxidants – eat them and embrace skincare products rich in them to minimize the effects of environmental ageing from the inside-out. Antioxidants help eliminate free radicals in our bodies thus helping prevent the signs of premature ageing.
5. Try and limit your screen exposure as much as possible. It’s scary how dependent our modern lifestyles revolve around computers, smartphones and TV screens. Don’t forget to take breaks and explore the great outdoors – submerging ourselves in nature brings a whole wealth of health benefits as well as giving our bodies, eyes and soul a well-earned rest from electronics.