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Category Archives: Skin Care

Improve Skin with a Collagen Boost

   Skin Care  Mar 20, 2023  Comments Off on Improve Skin with a Collagen Boost
Improve Skin with a Collagen Boost

As we get older, we tend to look for ways to keep our skin and bodies in shape and looking as good on the outside as we feel on the inside.

One of the biggest things that diminishes with age (and in fact ages us) is our natural production of collagen.

Find out how you can replenish the collagen we lose with age.

What Collagen Does

Collagen is a vital protein made up of a group of amino acids produced by and spread throughout the body. Collagen, along with accompanying protein elastin, plays a key role in healthy skin, bones, and muscle tissue.

Collagen is a bit like a glue that keeps skin from sagging and wrinkles from forming, in addition to helping to keep muscle tissue strong.

The biggest plus of collagen is to improve and support healthy skin. The more collagen you have, the greater number of healthy cells you have working consistently to rejuvenate your skin.

In addition, collagen helps fight against UV damage which is the #1 cause of wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and loss of elasticity in the skin.

Aside from keeping skin looking lifted and glowing, collagen provides many other benefits throughout the body including:

  • Reduces hair loss
  • Promotes stronger, healthy nails
  • Bone loss prevention
  • Muscle mass retention
  • Joint support
  • Regulates metabolism
  • Better sleep

The Effects of Collagen Loss

When collagen production decreases in the body, you may notice your body and looks changing. Here are some of the effects that may be due to collagen loss:

  • Dehydrated, thinning skin
  • Fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin
  • Loss of fullness in face, hollows under eyes
  • Weight gain
  • Joint pain
  • Dull, flat, limp hair
  • Oral health issues

Replenishing Collagen

While you can help boost collagen production by eating more protein-rich meat and beans, along with green leafy vegetables, almonds, and bone broth, you can also take supplements to make up some of your collagen deficit.

Vitamins A, C and E are great choices for increasing levels of collagen in your system.

Collagen supplements also come in pill or powder form. A scoop or two of a powder collagen supplement added to coffee, tea or a smoothie is an excellent way to get more collagen with no added taste and very few calories.

Professional facials and massage along with high quality skincare routines that include hyaluronic acid and/or retinol are other ways to boost collagen production.

Wrap Up

One way to dramatically improve your skin is to boost production of collagen. The added effort of healthier diet choices, supplements, and UV protection will be rewarded with healthier, more youthful-looking skin.

For professional advice and to schedule a collagen-boosting facial or skin treatment, call the experts at Laura Skincare in Petaluma today.

 

Crepey Skin Fixes

   Skin Care  Feb 19, 2023  Comments Off on Crepey Skin Fixes
Crepey Skin Fixes

Yet another sign of aging is the appearance of crepey skin. A different look from that of good old-fashioned wrinkles, crepey skin takes on a thin, crinkled, crepe papery texture and appearance.

Read on to find out what causes crepey skin and how to tame it.

What Causes Crepey Skin

Crepey skin, much like wrinkles, is caused by a variety of things:

  • UV Sun Damage
  • Environmental Toxins / Smoking
  • Genetics
  • Age
  • Dry Skin
  • Lack of Sleep
  • Poor Diet
  • Extreme Weight Gain/Loss
  • Stress/High Cortisol Levels
  • Medications
  • Alcohol

The biggest reason for crepey skin is UV damage from the sun or UV radiation from tanning beds.

Harmful UV rays damage the skin by breaking down elastin, which along with collagen, are the proteins that build underlying connective tissue and keep skin firm.

While natural aging, genetics and all the other causes listed certainly contribute to the onset of crepey skin, UV sun damage over time is the primary cause.

Prime Areas for Crepey Skin

The first areas of the body where crepey skin is notorious for showing up is on the underside of the arms (along with sagging skin commonly referred to as “bat wings”) and legs.

Other prime target areas crepey skin appears is on the neck, face, and backs of hands.

The more skin is exposed to UV rays, the higher the risk for developing crepey skin.

Fighting Back Against Crepey Skin

Because crepey skin is the result of elastin and collagen loss, it needs consistent treatment to improve skin texture and appearance.

Without fillers or surgical intervention, here are some things you can do to fight back against crepey skin.

Sunscreen

You’ve heard it a million times, but sunscreen is one of the most important weapons you can use to combat crepey skin.

Choose a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more. Apply frequently and generously on sunny and cloudy days.

Hydrate

Dry skin is basically an invitation for fine lines, wrinkles and crepey skin to form on your skin.

It’s important to keep skin clean as well as moisturized and hydrated.

Use a rich moisturizing sunscreen before heading outdoors for the day.

At night, reach for a retinol-based product to stimulate collagen production and skin cell turnover. To avoid flakiness, follow up by applying hyaluronic acid which locks in moisture to keep skin plump and hydrated.

Nutrition

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is always the goal but not always the reality.

Supplement your diet with skin friendly vitamins A, C, D and E, along with Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil).

Sleep

Getting enough sleep each night not only keeps you alert and functioning at your best each day, but the extra z’s help keep crepey skin and wrinkles away as skin regenerates each night.

Exercise

Getting enough exercise is not only good for your heart and overall health, but it also reduces stress and yes, helps improve the appearance of skin.

Increased blood flow and circulation gives you a healthier glow.

Wrap Up

Crepey skin may be an inevitable sign of what’s to come in the golden years, but until then, there are ways you can keep your skin looking firm and smooth.

For a consultation with professional estheticians who can help make a noticeable difference in the appearance of your skin, call Laura Skincare in Petaluma today.

 

The Benefits of Massaging Skin

   Skin Care  Jan 21, 2023  Comments Off on The Benefits of Massaging Skin
The Benefits of Massaging Skin

There’s nothing more relaxing than a facial massage. But did you know that there are more benefits to performing even minimal face massage than simply feeling good?

Here are some of the benefits of massaging your skin.

Stress Buster

Stress puts a strain on your entire body from your immune system to your skin. A lot of times, stress shows up on the skin, resulting in fine lines, wrinkles and those annoying “eleven” lines between the eyebrows.

A simple facial massage performed each morning and night while cleaning your skin can make a world of difference. This eases tension in the face muscles and tissues, relaxing you and reducing the amount of the body’s natural stress response hormone, cortisol. Massage signals the brain to release endorphins, which work to calm cortisol levels.

You’ll notice a difference in the appearance of dark spots, circles under the eyes, enlarged pores and fine lines.

Boosts Skin Regeneration

When cortisol levels are reduced and you’re relaxed, the body can go to work to regenerate the skin.

With an increased ability to regenerate skin at night while at rest, the better your skin bounces back from scarring, dullness, sagging and wrinkles.

Circulation Booster

Massage stimulates blood vessels and helps expel fluid retained in the lymphatic system.

When blood flow and circulation improves, veins and capillaries under the skin receive more blood, ramping up their ability to remove toxins.

These toxins are flushed out and eventually make their way to the kidneys, where they are eliminated.

Drinking more water along with your massage makes this flushing process even more effective.

Helps Lymphatic Drainage

Massage helps reduce toxin buildup in the skin. As the toxins flush away, you’ll notice an improvement in your skin tone and texture.

Effective lymphatic drainage achieved through massage also helps reduce puffiness, dark circles under the eyes and brightens your overall complexion.

An added bonus is that massage stimulates the production of collagen, which is the key protein responsible for skin elasticity and firmness.

Wrap Up

Overall, massage has been shown to reduce tension, combat anxiety, and improve both sleep and focus. We all know that when you feel better, it shows up on your skin and in your life.

For your skin, it can transform from dull and dry to noticeably healthier and glowing.

To get started, schedule a rejuvenating facial massage appointment with the skincare experts at Laura Skincare in Petaluma.