What is 'inflammageing' and how does it affect your skin?
The pandemic has brought about many changes in our life, from things like our day-to-day schedules to our beauty routines.
It seems like these days, we’re all stressed out, our diet is awful (despite being at home all day), and our skin condition is yo-yoing as the weather swings wildly between really, really, hot, and thunderstorms all day.
As the beauty and skincare industry continues to discover new ways to tackle pesky skin issues that plague us, the focus has shifted away from purely tackling the issues we can see at the surface e.g. fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, breakouts; and looking at what is really going on beneath the surface.
If your skin has been flaring up, looking dull, or you’ve just spotted yet another fine line– you might be experiencing “inflammageing”.
What is 'inflammageing'?
Essentially, it is coined from the words ‘inflammation‘ + ‘ageing‘.
It refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that often goes undetected, as its effects may not result in violent reactions and symptoms. However, over time, this chronic inflammation ages our skin and inhibits our skin’s natural healing processes.
How does inflammageing occur?
A combination of external (UV rays, pollution) & internal (stress, diet, poor sleep) factors causes inflammation to rise beyond what the body is able to manage & repair, resulting in persistent low-grade inflammation.
Inflammageing...
- Weakens the skin cells
- Causes breakdown of elastin and collagen
- Impairs skin's barrier function
This can result in–
- Wrinkles and fine lines
- Hyperpigmentation
- Uneven skin tone and texture
- Loss in elasticity and firmness
- Dull skin
- other signs of ageing!
How can we protect ourselves from inflammageing?
Our diet is important! Adopt a skin-friendly diet with plenty of whole foods, lean proteins, and lots of fruits and veggies with antioxidants to combat free radicals.
Where you can, avoid high-stress/anxiety situations and pace yourself during work days, taking breaks when needed. Speak to a loved one or a close friend if the stress gets out of hand, especially during this period. High levels of stress causes increased cortisol levels, which causes flare-ups of skin conditions and more frequent breakouts.
Adjust your skincare routine and include more products with anti-inflammatory and anti-pollution protection. If you are in your mid-twenties or older, now would be a good time to start a solid anti-ageing routine if you haven’t already started!
Here are some of our favourites:
These products are available at all Renaza outlets. Inquire at your regular branch to purchase!
Marina Bay Link Mall: 6323 3018
Wisma Atria: 6235 3343
