7 Golden Rules of Skin Care for Seniors to Fend Off the Years

   As we age, our skin loses elasticity, becomes dry and saggy, and wrinkles creep up on our faces. For seniors, skin care is not just about aesthetics, it's about keeping your skin healthy and preventing skin problems. Here are 7 golden rules of skin care for seniors to help them resist the onslaught of the years and keep their skin glowing.

Gentle Cleansing

Older people's skin is more fragile and sensitive, so when cleaning the skin to choose a mild cleansing products, avoid the use of strong detergents or soap, so as not to excessive removal of the surface of the skin oil, resulting in dry skin.

It is recommended to use cleansers designed for sensitive skin or mild non-soap cleansers, which usually contain fewer harsh ingredients and can effectively cleanse the skin while protecting the skin's barrier function.

Water temperature is also critical when washing your face. It is not advisable to use water that is too hot, as hot water can cause the skin's blood vessels to dilate, accelerating the loss of moisture from the skin and leading to drier skin.

The appropriate water temperature should be lukewarm water close to the body temperature, around 37℃.

After gently moistening the face with warm water, take an appropriate amount of cleansing products in the palm of the hand rubbing out the foam, and then gently massage the face with the fingertips, pay attention to avoid the sensitive areas around the eyes.

Massage time should not be too long, generally 1 - 2 minutes can be, and finally rinse thoroughly with water, and use a clean soft towel gently press dry moisture, avoid wiping.

focus on moisturizing

Moisturizing is the top priority of elderly skin care. As we age, the sebaceous glands of the skin gradually lose their secretion, and the skin's ability to retain moisture decreases, so we need to add extra water and oil to maintain the skin's moisturized state.

It is vital to choose a moisturizer that is suitable for your skin type. For older people with dry skin, they should choose creams or lotions that are rich in oil and have a strong moisturizing effect, such as products containing glycerin, hyaluronic acid, squalane and other ingredients that can deeply moisturize the skin, lock in moisture, and prevent the skin from drying out and peeling.

For the elderly with oily skin, although the skin is relatively oily, but also need proper moisturizing after cleaning, you can choose a more refreshing texture of the moisturizing gel or water-based lotion, to avoid the use of excessively greasy products, so as not to clog pores, triggering skin problems.

Moisturizing time also have to pay attention to, the best in the face after washing 3 minutes to apply moisturizing products, the skin's water content is higher, can better absorb the nutrients in the skin care products.

In addition to daily facial moisturizing, body skin moisturizing should not be ignored. After bathing, should be timely in the whole body coated with moisturizing body lotion, especially elbows, knees, heels and other easy to dry parts of the body, you can increase the amount and frequency of appropriate coating.

Sun protection

Ultraviolet rays from the sun are one of the main factors leading to skin aging, which destroys collagen and elastic fibers in the skin, making the skin loose and rough, producing wrinkles and discoloration. Therefore, the elderly also need to do a good job of sun protection in their daily lives.

When going out, they should try to avoid going out during hours of strong sunlight (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). If they have to go out, they should wear wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses and use parasols to minimize the area of the skin that is directly exposed to ultraviolet rays. At the same time, applying sunscreen is essential.

When choosing sunscreen, care should be taken to select a product with an appropriate sun protection index. Generally speaking, sunscreen with SPF 30 - 50 can provide better daily sun protection.

For the elderly who spend a lot of time outdoors, it is recommended to choose a waterproof sunscreen and reapply it every 2 - 3 hours to ensure that the sun protection effect is long-lasting.

It should be noted that even on cloudy days or indoors near windows, UV rays are still able to penetrate clouds and glass and cause damage to the skin, so sun protection should not be ignored.

Eat Right

Diet also plays an important role in skin health. Elderly people should maintain a balanced diet, intake of nutrient-rich food, in order to promote skin metabolism, enhance the resistance of the skin.

Firstly, they should ensure sufficient water intake and drink at least 1500 - 2000 ml of water every day to maintain the water content of the skin and keep the skin hydrated and glowing. Secondly, eat more vitamin-rich foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits.

Vitamin A helps to maintain normal keratinization of the skin and prevent dryness and roughness of the skin, you can eat more carrots, pumpkin, spinach, etc.

Vitamin C has an antioxidant effect, which can promote the synthesis of collagen, enhance the elasticity of the skin, and reduce the production of wrinkles, citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, etc., are a good source of vitamin C. Vitamin E is also an important antioxidant, which protects the skin from free radical damage, nuts and vegetables.

Vitamin E is also an important antioxidant that can protect the skin from free radicals, nuts, olive oil, whole grains, etc. are rich in vitamin E.

In addition, moderate intake of protein-rich foods, such as lean meat, fish, beans, eggs, etc., can help maintain the normal structure and function of the skin and promote the repair and regeneration of skin cells.

At the same time, reduce the intake of high-sugar, high-fat and spicy stimulating foods, which may lead to an imbalance in skin oil secretion and aggravate skin problems.

Moderate Exercise

Moderate exercise can promote blood circulation and enhance the body's metabolism, so that the skin can get more nutrients and oxygen, thus maintaining a healthy state. Elderly people can choose exercise methods suitable for their physical condition, such as walking, tai chi, yoga and so on.

Walking is a simple and effective form of exercise. Walking for 30 minutes to one hour every day can promote blood circulation throughout the body, including microcirculation of the skin.

Tai chi, with its slow and gentle movements, can regulate breathing and enhance cardiorespiratory function, while also helping to relax the body and mind and reduce stress, which also has a positive impact on the health of the skin.

Yoga, on the other hand, can be practiced through a variety of asanas, stretching the muscles and bones of the body, promoting flexibility and balance of the body, improving the circulation of blood and qi in the body, and making the skin firmer and more radiant.

During exercise, it is important to pay attention to moderate sweating and avoid excessive exercise that leads to heavy sweating, because sweat contains salt and other metabolic wastes, which may irritate the skin and cause skin discomfort if not cleaned in time.

After exercise, you should promptly take a bath with warm water to clean your skin and replenish water and nutrients.

Regular work and rest

Good work and rest habits are essential for skin repair and regeneration. Older people should maintain a regular routine and get enough sleep for 7-8 hours a day.

In the process of sleep, the body will enter the self-repair state, the metabolism of skin cells will be accelerated, which will help repair the damage during the day, promote the synthesis of collagen, reduce the production of wrinkles, so that the skin is smoother and more delicate.

Therefore, it is important to develop a good habit of going to bed early and getting up early to avoid staying up late. At the same time, it is also important to create a comfortable sleeping environment. Keeping the bedroom quiet, dark and cool, and choosing comfortable mattresses and pillows will help improve the quality of sleep.

Avoid bad habits

Older people should try to avoid some bad habits, which may cause damage to the skin. First, quit smoking and limit alcohol. Smoking will make the skin vasoconstriction, reduce the blood supply to the skin, leading to skin hypoxia, accelerate skin aging, but also increase the production of skin wrinkles and pigmentation.

Excessive alcohol consumption will affect the function of the liver, resulting in the accumulation of toxins in the body, affecting the metabolism of the skin, so that the skin becomes rough and dull.

Secondly, avoid prolonged exposure to dry, cold or hot environments. Dry environments can exacerbate moisture loss from the skin, cold weather may lead to vasospasm in the skin, affecting blood circulation in the skin, and high temperature environments may cause excessive sweating, leading to dehydration and inflammatory reactions in the skin.

If these environments cannot be avoided, appropriate measures should be taken for protection, such as using a humidifier to increase indoor humidity, keeping warm in cold weather to avoid exposing the skin to low temperatures, timely hydration in high-temperature environments, and paying attention to ventilation to dissipate heat.

In addition, do not touch the skin on your face frequently, bacteria and dirt on your hands can easily stain your face and trigger skin infections and inflammation. At the same time, avoid excessive pulling on the skin, such as rubbing the eyes hard and making exaggerated facial expressions frequently, which may lead to skin laxity and deepening of wrinkles.

Elderly skin care needs long-term persistence, follow the 7 golden rules, from cleaning, moisturizing, sunscreen, diet, exercise, work and rest and avoid bad habits and other aspects of the start, careful care of the skin, in order to effectively resist the onslaught of the years, so that the skin to maintain a healthy, youthful state, to enjoy a good old age.