Genie Complete

Enemies of the skin and ageing factors

Introduction

During the mid-years of life, generously around the age of forty or fifty, men and women find that fine lines and wrinkles on the face and neck begin to become more prominent. Loss of the skins elasticity and the body’s biological changes in mid-life contribute to this process. Some people accept these changes with an optimistic attitude, while others view them with distress. In either case, you will be happy to know that facial treatments, can help maintain the health and attractiveness of the skin for a lifetime.

Persons with light, thin and dry skin tend to develop lines and wrinkles at an earlier age than persons whose skin is oily, thick and dark. Taking care of the skin should start at an early age because once the skin is neglected; it is more difficult to improve its appearance or to undo damage that has been done by neglect.

Characteristics of Aging Skin

As a person ages, the deeper or dermal layer of the skin undergo changes. In most cases, the skin loses its elasticity, becomes thinner and drier and shows a deepening of the lines and wrinkles. The loss of elasticity of the skin and loss of firmness of the underlying facial muscles contribute to the deep folds and lines in the skin. A creamy appearance of the skin often follows illness, extreme loss of weight, improper lubrication of dry skin, or over exposure to sunlight may also hasten the ageing process.

Growths are more likely to appear on ageing skin. Fine lines around the eyes, commonly known as crows feet, are usually caused by normal facial expressions such as, smiling or grimacing. Lines are also associated with swollen, puffy tissues around and under the eyes. Hormonal changes in the body especially during the menopause may contribute to a diminished supply of natural oils and moisture needed to keep the skin looking youthful.

Alcohol

Moderate intake of alcoholic beverages such as an occasional cocktail is not usually harmful to the skin, and may be somewhat beneficial. A small amount of wine or other beverages gives the skin a warm flush, while a heavy intake of alcohol over dilates the blood vessels. If continued over a long period of time this can weaken capillary walls. When the blood expands the weakened capillary walls, they can burst, causing unsightly splotches in the sclera (white) of the eye or underneath the skin. Alcohol also draws water out of the tissues and leaves the skin dull and dehydrated.

Drugs

Drugs of various kinds may have an adverse effect on the skin and should be taken only as prescribed by the physician. Studies of the effect of drugs on the skin show that some drugs interfere with the intake of oxygen that the body needs for healthy cell growth. Tranquillizers, amphetamines, barbiturates, heroin, marijuana and similar drugs can cause dryness, allergic reactions, and often aggravate existing problems such as acne.

Tobacco

In addition to warnings about disease, such as cancer and heart disease, which may be caused or aggravated by excessive smoking, it is also reported that smoking contributes to premature ageing and wrinkling of the skin. Nicotine causes small blood vessels and capillaries to contract, which decreases the blood circulation to the skin and deprives it of essential nutrients and oxygen. In some cases excessive nicotine in the system can cause a yellow cast on the skin.

The Weather

Everyone is subjected to the scorching sun and the withering blasts of wind, which dry and toughen the skin. Heat and air-conditioning also dry the skin.
Sunlight.

Over-exposure to the sun is harmful to the skin. The ultra-violet (U.V.A. and U.V.B) rays of the sun not only penetrate the epidermis of the skin, but also the dermis where it affects living cells. One of the skin's main defences against too much sun is its ability to tan. A suntan is a shield set up by the skin to help prevent the sun's rays from causing damage to underlying tissues. It is important when sun tanning to do so gradually, in order for the skin to set up its protective mechanism. People whose skins have been over-exposed to sunlight during their younger years generally start to show signs of ageing between the ages of thirty eight and forty five. This is partially due to structural damage that affects the skin's elasticity. People who have not over-exposed their skin and were cautious when sun tanning, will generally have younger looking skin.
The Lack of Muscle Tone in Facial and Neck Muscles.

What makes the difference between a young face and an old face? It is the difference in muscle tone and the circulation of the blood through the facial muscles and skin. When the facial muscles are not exercised, the muscle fibres deteriorate and shrink and the skin covering these muscles seems to age very rapidly. As the years pass, the supply through the small, thread like capillaries that lead to the facial muscles and skin slows. Less oxygen, fewer nutrients and a diminished supply of blood pass through the muscles and the skin.

Gravity

The downward pull that keeps us on earth is an ageing factor. This constant pull downward, over the years, will eventually drag the skin downward. The skin sags and there seems to be a lack of firmness and taught smoothness; the face looks older.

Thirst

Your skin may hunger for water, minerals and other food nutrients, oils and oxygen. It is through your blood supply that your skin is given both food nutrients and water, but as you grow older, water in lavish and constant supply is needed to keep your skin lustrous and glowing. The skin can be firm and bouncy, that is, elastic, only when its cells contain enough water. Moisture is needed for a youthful skin.

Frequent Weight Loss and Gain

To keep the body healthy, an individual should maintain his or her normal weight. As excess weight is gained, the skin stretches to accommodate the extra pounds. When weight is lost too rapidly, as in the case of crash diets, the skin does not have time to adjust to the underlying facial muscles. This causes premature wrinkling and sagging of the skin. Clients should be advised to lose weight gradually under the supervision of a physician.

Excessive Massage

Massage is good for the skin if done properly by a trained aesthetician. However, constant rubbing, pulling or wrong massage movements can weaken the collagen fibres, resulting in wrinkling of the skin. The client should be advised to always use gentle upward movements when cleansing the skin. Mannerisms such as tugging, pulling or pushing the facial muscles should also be avoided. Biting the inside of the cheeks, pursing or biting the lips should also be avoided.

Stress, Worry and Fear

Stress is your skin's worst enemy. Stress is the spring or mechanism that gets you going, but too much stress can cause problems: acne, wrinkles, or even a heart attack! There can be no beauty or real health when fear and worry take charge of your life. Stress and worry etch lines on the face and cause premature ageing of the face and body.

You!

The way you live, what you eat, and your habits can have a dramatic effect on the ageing of your skin. Now with the aid of the MICRO-TECH, helping to concentrate directly on the underlying muscles, we can help to slow down the process of ageing.

Everyone should develop a sense of skin awareness. For our skin to look its best, it must be fed by a nutritious diet, given fresh air, exercised, and given a proper amount of sleep. What we all should understand is that our skin needs to be very clean. Our skin reflects everything about us, what we eat, how well we take care of ourselves, our moods, our health, and our level of self-esteem.

Our skin is the largest organ of the body, comprising 16 to 18 percent of our body weight. The skin has four functions:

It protects the body from radiation and mechanical injuries.
It is a sense organ.
It regulates body temperature.
It metabolises and stores fat.

The outer, protective layer of skin, that we see, is called the epidermis; it is separate from the nourishing dermis below. The dermis manufactures new cells rapidly, transmitting them from the dermis, to the epidermis. The dermis is packed with oil glands, hair follicles, blood vessels, nerve tissue, and sweat glands. Collagen and elastin are the major proteins and building blocks of the dermis. It is the collagen fibres in the skin's connective tissue, which undergo changes with ageing and contribute to the appearance of wrinkles. Elastin is the protein that forms the chief constituent of elastic fibres.

Any successful skin-care program, combined with MICRO-TECH treatments and our Lifestyle Range, will give you remarkable results. It does not create miracles, and the care of your skin does not stop in the salon at the end of your session. Your skin-care program will only help promote what the treatment has started. You need to follow your skin care program diligently. If you eat properly, drink 8-10 glasses of water a day, exercise, and keep your skin clean. In a little over 15 days, you will find that your skin will look new and glowing, and younger. The care that you give your skin today, along with your Micro lift treatments, will be your reward 10-20 years from now.