INFLAMM-AGEING: the new buzz word in skin health and ageing

Have you heard of the term before? It’s as scary as it sounds! It relates to chronic, long-term, inflammation that negatively affects our body and has been linked to numerous diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, macular (vision) degeneration and now, skin ageing! As if we don’t have enough to worry about!

How does it affect the skin?

There are two types of skin ageing, internal and external.  Internal ageing affects the density of the skin, thinning it as we age and results in lines and wrinkles.

External factors such as UV exposure, poor lifestyle, or injury, cause inflammatory reactions in the skin, as well as oxidative damage. This oxidative stress injures cell membrane proteins and fats, and the genetic blueprint of the cell (DNA), which cause premature ageing and can even increase skin cancer risk.

And what about age spots?  These result from oxidative stress (free radicals) on the pigment-forming cells within the skin, leading to many inflammatory and immune reactions in the cell, which eventually causes tissue damage. 

A solution: ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS (EFAs)

These are fats that our bodies can’t create for themselves so we need to acquire them through diet.  They include omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.  EFAs are important for the cell membrane’s structure and function and can cause positive changes both outside and inside the cell.  They also play a very important role in your body’s natural inflammatory response.

However, not all omegas are equal! For example, too much of the omega-6 called arachidonic acid that you’d find in grain-fed beef, chicken, eggs, and pork, can lead to a higher chance of developing inflammation than a diet that contains equal amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.  When we achieve this ratio, our bodies are better able to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.

EFAs also very important when it comes to how our bodies control inflammation. So when you have an adequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids, it can help to reduce the production of substances that are known to promote inflammation.

From a skincare perspective, when our skin becomes irritated, this triggers the release of chemicals that can cause inflammatory damage and destruction of the skin’s support proteins including collagen and elastin, which leads to wrinkles.  EFAs reduce this inflammation. They also help maintain your skin’s barrier function to prevent water loss and protect your body from microorganisms that can cause infection and disease, control the growth of collagen and elastin, increase the skin’s resistance to sunburn, and promote tissue repair. All this leads not only to enhanced skin function but also to healthier appearance!

Unfortunately, a typical western diet is lower in fish and other foods rich in omega-3’s, so it increases the risk of various inflamm-ageing related conditions.  While making the proper dietary changes can be helpful in reducing inflamm-ageing, supplementing with a fish oil containing 1000-2000mg of combined EPA and DHA can really help.

So eating a healthy diet and supplementing with a fish oil supplement can definitely reduce the risk of inflamm-ageing, and add to this few simple preventative skin care ingredients such as anti-oxidants and sun protection and it can go a long way for the health of your skin!

To help prevent inflamm-ageing we recommend incorporating Vitamin C into your skin regimen and using the best possible sun protection you can find.

Our favourites;  Vie Collection – Vita C Concentrated Solution and Phytomer – Sun Solution Sunscreen SPF 30 Face & Sensitive Areas.