As you age, a number of processes in your body begin to slow down, from the number of calories that you burn to your metabolic rate. When your skin’s metabolism begins to decline, this then brings about a number of consequences, from wrinkles to a dull and rough complexion. Fortunately, there are several different ways in which you can stimulate your skin’s metabolism, giving it a good boost so that it can once again perform at its optimum ability.
Fight the Free Radicals
Free radicals are produced by exposure to the sun and pollution, and can cause irreparable damage to the DNA of cells within the body. Since it is the DNA of cells that tell them exactly how to function, damage to this can cause absolute havoc to the skin, drastically interfering with its metabolism. In addition to using a sunscreen to prevent the increase of free radicals in your skin, you need to also be using antioxidants that will neutralize the free radicals already within your skin. Vitamins C and E are fantastic for this, while certain other ingredients, such as algae and plankton, are able to repair the DNA damage that free radicals have caused, giving skin metabolism a much-needed boost.
Boost Collagen Production
Collagen is considered to be one of the building blocks of your skin, and, if you want your skin’s metabolism to speed up, then your skin cells need an increased supply of collagen to work with. Retinol, which is a form of vitamin A, is known to be one of the best ingredients for boosting collagen, but be sure to start off with a gentle form of it, as it is also known to often irritate the skin. Eventually, you will be able to progress to a retinoid product, which not only has metabolic benefits, but also many anti-aging ones.
A Heart-Pumping Workout
One of the quickest and most basic ways of boosting your overall metabolism is by doing some exercise, as this gets your heart pumping and increases blood flow. This then means that you are increasing the amount of oxygen and nutrients that are delivered to your skin cells, keeping your complexion looking fresh and perky. Regular exercise also helps to reduce stress levels, which decreases the amount of cortisol, the stress hormone, flowing around your body. Cortisol can have a severely detrimental impact on the skin, with one of its effects being to slow down its metabolism.
Energizing Ingredients
There are certain skin care ingredients out there that have been proven to stimulate the skin’s metabolic process. From caffeine, applied topically, to algae to ginkgo biloba, these ingredients help to increase blood flow, thereby delivering more oxygen to your skin cells.
If you think that your skin’s metabolism could do with a boost, there are many different ways in which you can provide it with this. From the short-term effects of an energizing workout, to the long-term benefits of retinol products, these methods will each do wonders for your skin.
