Youth Movement

by Chloé Ball

We often feel a sense of nostalgia when recalling our first kiss, or the moment we realized that we had potentially met our soul mate. Yet, that first sign of aging—that first wrinkle, or sun spot, or laugh line around the mouth—is about as poignant a moment in our lives as is being stood up at the alter. Unless you’re an eternal optimist, who equates aging with a life well lived, aging for the rest of us is simply a sign that we’re getting older. Yet, despite this impending doom, there is hope. Skincare professionals and experts are quick to suggest invasive (and costly) procedures like Botox as viable solutions to aging. However, as they are temporary solutions to an ongoing and persistent “problem,” understanding our skin and what it truly needs from the inside out is essential if we are to achieve beautiful, healthy complexions year after year, decade after decade…

Not surprisingly, we ultimately accept that we are getting older, yet we don’t want to look old. The key here is to have a responsible skin care plan with a solid knowledge of what your skin really needs to fight free radicals, and to both alleviate and combat the effects of both photo and intrinsic aging. As a decided non-authority on the topic of health and wellness, I decided to speak with Dr. Tanya Zangaglia (Physician, Brownsville Family Health Center) to find out exactly what the best solution to beautifully radiant skin really is—sans Botox. “It’s all about one’s lifestyle habits that they employ from an early age,” asserts Zangaglia. According to Zangaglia, achieving ageless, radiant and sexy skin is simple with these steps:

Nourish your skin—satisfy your skin’s appetite from the inside out. Eat well, and it will show.
Exercise, exercise, exercise—stay active regularly. It increases blood flow to the skin and in turn provides more oxygen for our skin which alas, provides us with a healthy glow, and a more radiant complexion.

Relax—learn how to unwind and to de-stress from a hectic day. Make “you” time a top priority.

Rest-up—allow your skin to rejuvenate and heal itself daily. Get quality sleep for a minimum of 6 hours every night (preferably 8).

Pamper—it’s all about having a thorough understanding and appreciation for wellness and balance in our lives. Indulging in spas is a great way to incorporate the art of pampering into your life by entrusting your care in someone else’s hands—if only for an hour! Take a trip with friends, and enjoy being indulged.

Saturate—you’ve got to moisturize! It’s essential to skin health. Quench its thirst.

Protect—using a daily moisturizer with an SPF of 15 or greater is a must, but preferably an SPF of 30 or greater in the warmer months where there’s increased UV rays and often times prolonged sun exposure.

What is important to realize—and then accept— is that all the anti-aging creams and elixirs in the world, trips to the doctor’s office weekly, or lime facials won’t rid us completely of the skin changes that will inevitably occur with time. Even if one were to avoid the sun’s UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays from youth, with the onslaught of aging, there will always be a loss of fat and a breakdown of collagen occurring within your skin, which ultimately results in fine lines, skin transparency and wrinkling, to name a few woes. Dermatologists report that the earliest signs of aging begin to occur in our mid 20’s—where the most inconspicuous of changes within our skin can add years to our “real” age. In fact, according to The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, uneven skin tone (which includes sun spots, wrinkles and redness) can adversely affect people’s perception(s) of your age—and that’s regardless of whether you have wrinkles or not.

Despite its exorbitant price tag and temporary relief, Botox is generally considered to be the solution to our fading femme-fatale allure—thanks in part to the manner in which it is marketed. However, what people don’t realize is that in order to maintain that baby-bottom smooth face, new [maintenance] Botox shots every three to four months are necessary and cost anywhere from $350 (for a single injection) to $1,300 for larger surfaces such as the forehead—prices to pay that are unnecessary if, with the right knowledge, you can achieve longer-lasting results for free.

The reality is that we live in a world where we are judged by our complexions and our physical appearances. Another reality is that people are living longer, healthier lives. Instead of succumbing to the invasive medical procedures professing to be the “fountain of youth,” with the right knowledge, you can learn to treat your environmentally and intrinsically damaged skin on your own. So take ownership of your skin and its future and discover for yourself how your functional and economically savvy preparations over time can enhance your overall appearance—and without botulinum toxin.