How to Avoid Early Aging

In spite of the quest for a "fountain of youth," one has yet to be located and it is unlikely that one ever will be. However, medical science has introduced techniques for prolonging life. Preventive health care, a balanced diet, adequate exercise, and medicines have resulted not only in a longer lifespan but also in increased vitality and youth throughout middle age. The typical human lifetime has been increased by about 20 years since the start of the twentieth century.
 
Even though it has been slowed down, aging continues. The external signs of aging are familiar--gray hair or baldness, wrinkles, and loss in muscle tone. Although there is no specific timetable of those signs to appear, their onset is usually sometime after age 40. An earlier appearance of any one of these signs is an indication of early aging.

All skin inevitably ages but different types of skin react in a different way to the aging process. Dry skin has a tendency to become thinner and wrinkle easily while oily skin tends to thicken, causing enlarged pores and a few deep lines to appear. One sign of aging skin is the loss in flexibility and elasticity.

Although the aging process cannot be prevented, the right preventive and corrective measures can assist you to slow down premature aging. Avoidance is always better than correction. It's simpler to stop a problem from developing than it is to remedy it later. The better condition skin is in when degeneration is slowed, the easier it is to preserve its health. It is quite vital that you maintain the skin you were born with in the best condition possible. This means being precise and thorough in your daily cleaning routines. It also means making sure to protect your face and hands from the sun and cold. In cold weather, this can mean bundling up and applying moisturizer to your face; in the summertime, ensure that you apply a broad spectrum sunblock prior to going outside. These preventive measures can delay the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Once the damage has already been done and it is too late for prevention, the only real options left are correction. These options can range from a simple anti-wrinkle cream to something as drastic as plastic surgery. Procedures such as laser resurfacing and microdermabrasion are also getting increasingly popular. However, even the simplest anti-aging skin care regimen can become costly over time so it is preferable to avoid premature aging, rather than attempting to treat the symptoms once they appear.