5 lifestyle factors making you look far older than you are – from alcohol to sugar

The worries caused by the past few years have caused many of us to look much older than our actual age.

When we age, it causes a person’s skin becomes far less elastic than what it was and also more fragile.

Alongside this, the fatty tissue located just below the skin decreases with the result being far more wrinkles and less of a fresh appearance.

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Although ageing is inevitable, did you know that there are a number of lifestyle factors which could be negatively affecting your looks?

Often, these habits could make you physically appear much older than your actual age.

Fortunately, being aware of what they are and therefore curving as much as possible, you could get that young healthy glow again.

Not wearing sunscreen

Probably one of the biggest ageing factors is sun damage which occurs when ultraviolet (UV) light penetrates the skin causing DNA changes at a cellular level.

Sun exposure is responsible for most of the visible ageing of your skin.

For this reason, sunscreen could be a lifesaver for those wanting a younger look but also to help protect you against the damaging effects of the sun including cancer.

Smoking

The use of nicotine products causes blood vessels to narrow which in turn reduces oxygen and nutrients to skin cells.

Chemicals found in these products trigger molecular events which damage the structures of a person’s skin causing less elasticity.

Alongside this, repetitive sucking and pursing of the lips when inhaling will cause more lines around the mouth and eye area.

Eating too much sugar

Eating a diet with too much sugar will damage a person’s collagen and elastin.

Both of these helps to keep the skin smooth and wrinkle-free.

Simply put, consuming a diet high in sugar makes your skin wrinkle faster.

Not enough water

The human body is made up of around 70% of water.

Despite having so much water in our bodies, every cell and organ requires sufficient water in order to function properly.

Not drinking enough water is said to age the body not only on the inside but the outside too.

Therefore, you should aim for at least eight glasses of water a day to help everything run smoothly and to have visibly less wrinkles and fine lines on the face.

Too much alcohol

Alongside premature wrinkles, drinking too much alcohol will cause a loss of collagen, elasticity, redness, dehydration and puffiness.

Alcohol also contains a lot of sugar and causes you to be dehydrated which means a vicious cycle for your face and skin health.

As with most things in life, moderation is key as numerous studies have found drinking in small amounts could be beneficial to your health.