The good news is that there is always something you can do to help damaged skin. The important thing though is to avoid any additional damage in the first place, which means you need to stop whatever you were doing that caused that damage in the first place.

Even though the skin is the largest organ in the body and one of its functions is to help protect us by providing an outer shell, it is actually quite fragile. It can be damaged by age, environmental factors, chemicals, physical trauma, and even a poor diet.

Skin damage caused by age.

It’s natural for skin to age, but that doesn’t mean you should let yourself go and let nature take its toll—older skin can still look great. If the skin looks healthy and radiant, a few lines and wrinkles are not going to take away from that, on the contrary, they can even add character.

As we age, our skin naturally begins to lose collagen and elasticity, so it will inevitably begin to sag and droop. It also becomes thinner and more transparent and loses its ability to retain moisture, which can result in dry skin that feels rough to the touch.

Part of the secret to keeping aging skin looking good or even slowing down the aging process of your skin is keeping your skin hydrated. You can also try using products that contain palmitoleic acid, which is an Omega 7 fatty acid found in sebum.

You can also find palmitic acid in sea buckthorn oil, gevuina oil, and macadamia oil, and to a lesser extent, avocado oil. The amount of palmitic acid in our sebum decreases as we age and some studies have shown that products containing palmitic acid can help rejuvenate the skin. Other useful ingredients for mature skin are squalane and AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), which are usually in the form of lactic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid and glycolic acid.

Skin damage caused by environmental factors.

By far the biggest environmental factor that can damage the skin is solar radiation from the sun. People with fair or sensitive skin can see the negative effect of the sun’s rays in a matter of minutes, as their skin turns red and feels hot to the touch. It’s important to stay out of the sun as much as possible if you want to keep your skin looking young and radiant. People who have spent many years worshiping the sun when they were younger pay the price as they age with prematurely aged skin with many lines and wrinkles.

It is important to protect your skin from the sun using products that contain a sunscreen with an adequate protection factor for your skin. If you have sensitive skin that burns easily, then you need a higher sun protection factor than darker skin.

Skin can also be damaged by wind, rain, temperature changes, central heating and air conditioning systems, sitting in front of a computer all day, smoking, smog, traffic fumes, etc. If your skin is already damaged, you can help protect your skin from these elements by using a good quality moisturizer that has been created for damaged skin.

Skin damaged by chemicals and physical trauma.

It is good that your skin can renew itself every 28 days or so, as it gives you a chance to have fresh skin on a regular basis. If you regularly use harsh abrasives on your skin, then it won’t do your skin any good.

Get in the habit of treating your skin gently and washing your hands before touching the skin on your face. Avoid scrubbing hard with a towel or using rough grains in any exfoliating products. If your skin is scarred, you can try using products that contain vitamin E that will help the damaged skin heal.

Any skin care products you buy should be as natural as possible. Get in the habit of reading skin product labels so you can avoid potentially harmful chemicals. There are many online lists of these chemicals that you can become familiar with.

Never use soap on your face, as soap can clog pores and prevent sebum from doing its job, so your skin ends up dry and flaky, and always use lukewarm rather than hot water when washing your skin.

Damage to the skin due to poor nutrition.

Many people underestimate the effect that a poor diet can have on the skin. The skin needs the usual range of vitamins and other nutrients that can be found in a diet consisting of a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, white and lean meats, legumes and grains, and by drinking plenty of water. This is just common sense. However, what many people are unaware of is the positive effect that Omega 3 fatty acids can have on the skin.

You can find Omega 3 fatty acids in some plant sources, however a really important one known as eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA can only be found in fatty fish or fish oil. Unfortunately, very few people get enough EPA in their diet, and one of the first symptoms of a lack of this essential fatty acid in the diet is unhealthy-looking skin. If you want to take fish oil to help your skin, look for one that contains high amounts of EPA and has been purified to remove toxins.