Scientists have found that sugar really likes protein. Sugar molecules attach themselves to the proteins in your skin and damage them – a process called glycation. The main proteins in your skin that contribute to healthy, plump, youthful skin are collagen and elastin. Both of these proteins weave themselves together like a fabric to create the strength, elasticity, and firmness in your skin. In fact, collagen is the most prevalent protein we have in our body. What sugar does is attaches itself to the collagen and weakens it causing the skin to sag and wrinkle. Now as if that wasn’t enough, it also takes our strongest collagen fibers called Type-3 collagen and changes them to Type-1 which is the weakest.

Sugar and Diabetes

Sugar also is a major contributor to diabetes. Doctors advise that one of the earliest diabetic symptoms that they look for is prematurely aged and sagging skin.  Many people with diabetes have gone years with undetected high blood sugar levels and their skin tone and texture are the first sign of a problem.

What Can We Do?

The first step to repair is to slow the damage. The easiest way to do that is by becoming aware of your sugar intake and deciding to lower it by limiting the added sugars in the food you eat. Try to incorporate more whole, unprocessed (ie real and not pre-packaged) foods in to your diet. If you are going to eat processed foods, read the labels and try to limit those with added sugars listed in the ingredients.

The next big step is to cut back on the sugar you personally add to your diet via coffee, tea, or drinks: if you’re use to adding three spoonfuls of sugar to your coffee, try cutting back to two. Did you know that there are 10 teaspoons of sugar in just one 12 ounce can of soda? The average American eats 31 teaspoons of sugar per day!

Step two is about rebuilding. The collagen and elastin fibers in your skin CAN be rebuilt and made firm, toned, and plump. There are several ways to do this. Exfoliation every few days will remove the dead skin cells from the surface layer of your skin and stimulates the skins production of new elastin and collagen giving your skin a more youthful appearance. I like to add a homemade body scrub to my shower routine every twice. Here is a link to a recipe I posted a few months ago: Body Scrub

Also, take your vitamins! Certain vitamins have been proven essential to the process of collagen and elastin production. A daily doses of vitamins B, C, and E will help improve the your skins elasticity.  Vitamins C and E, for example, are two of the most essential ingredients in the bodys production of collagen.

Now let’s talk about product. Topically, you want to focus on anti-oxidants and Vitamins A, C, and E.  The same antioxidant vitamins that are fighting off the free radicals that are damaging your skin are also building up your skin’s collagen and elastin. Here at 360 Skin we wholeheartedly recommend Image’s Vital C Hydrating Anti-aging Serum. It’s a complex blend of poly-peptides, green tea, and L-ascorbic acid that stimulate collagen production while soothing your skin to make it look firmer and well hydrated.

Wrapping Up

The good news is this – our skin is constantly growing and new skin cells are being generated every single minute.  With just a little more attention to your food intake and even less effort on your part, you can have the skin you want and age at your own pace.  What it really comes down to is making the commitment to getting great skin and sticking with it.

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