Fights sagging and creates firm, tight skin

Even though my weight stayed the same, I noticed that the skin around my chin was sagging. My facial contours are less defined and a little saggy.” While this is common in the aging process, it also occurs in 20-somethings, as we recently observed with these comments, “I was shocked to see my laugh lines when I took off my mask!” , “It’s so frustrating to see the facial lines on my monitor during online meetings ……” The cause of sagging cheeks is a loss of skin elasticity.

SK-II Fights sagging and creates firm and tight skin
What is skin firmness?
What is skin firmness?
Firm skin is skin that is taut and has good elasticity. How can I test if my facial skin is firm? Just as you encounter resistance when you push a bouncy ball with your fingers, elastic skin is flexible and pushes back so you don’t leave pillow marks on your face when you lie down to sleep, fine lines are reduced when you laugh, and overall, your skin easily returns to its original state. Collagen and elastin are the two essential proteins that support skin firmness. The thickness of the epidermal skin layer also contributes to skin suppleness and firmness.

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Reduced elasticity means sagging skin, even for those in their twenties!
It is a common misconception that a person’s skin only begins to sag in their 40s or 50s as a result of aging. However, research has refuted this, and SK-II’s decade-long skin aging study in Akita, Japan, shows that the first sign of aging is neither increased dark spots nor dehydrated skin; it is a loss of skin elasticity. Reduced skin elasticity leads to sagging facial skin, which is the main cause of dull skin and enlarged pores. It is no coincidence that dull skin and visible pores are also considered signs of aging. Observations such as “my skin seems to shrink and deflate at the end of the day” and “I feel like my skin is tired at night” are the result of reduced skin elasticity. This is true, even for people in their 20s!

Why does skin lose its firmness? Here are 6 reasons why!
Aging changes the dermal structure of the skin
Collagen supports skin firmness and the natural amount we have peaks in our 20s. Beyond this age, the slowing down of dermal fibroblast function leads to a decrease in collagen production. At the same time, glycation (the process of breaking down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars) affects collagen and causes skin degeneration, resulting in loss of firmness and elasticity, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin. Elastin, a protein responsible for helping the skin expand, contract and regain its original shape, also decreases as the function of dermal fibroblasts decreases. The result is that the skin becomes stiff and loses its elasticity. Over time, the skin loses its firmness and your face and cheeks begin to sag.

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As the epidermis thins, the skin loses its suppleness
The visible effects of aging are evident where it first begins – in the outermost layer of the skin, the dermis, also known as the stratum corneum. At the same time, the deeper skin tissues begin to age. Water loss leads to coagulation and thickening as the skin’s renewal rhythm becomes unbalanced. As for the deeper layers of the skin, cells begin to shrink. As the cell size decreases, the layer gradually becomes thinner. The end result is a skin surface that is not only hard and rough, but also thinner and no longer soft.

SK-II Loss of skin elasticity
Ultraviolet (UV) rays that penetrate the dermis destroy collagen
Exposure to UV rays is responsible for 80% of aging and causes severe damage. UV-A waves that penetrate the deeper layers of the skin destroy collagen and elastin, and this cumulative effect can have a profoundly negative impact on skin health. UV care is something that most of us, especially younger people, may not realize or pay enough attention to.

Protect your skin from dehydration!
The contents of the human body consist of over 60% water, 15% of which is concentrated in the body’s largest organ, the skin. Therefore, if your body is dehydrated, you cannot effectively keep your skin firm and moisturized. Therefore, one of the most important skin care rules is to drink enough water throughout the day. In order to keep your skin hydrated from the inside, we recommend that you drink small amounts of water often, rather than too much at once. This will help keep your skin moisturized and firm!

SK-II Skin Dehydration
Have a sweet tooth? Understanding the effects of glycation
Since collagen and elastin are both proteins, they are susceptible to the effects of glycation, which can denature them. You may have heard comments such as “I’d rather skip dinner and eat dessert!” but such behavior increases the risk of glycation! Consuming large amounts of sweet foods and beverages containing protein and carbohydrates at mealtime can produce a glycation formula. The result is that the body’s collagen and elastin coagulate and harden, causing the skin to lose elasticity and leading to facial sagging. In vitro tests have also shown that glycation inhibits the body’s production of new collagen and elastin, meaning that a high sugar diet will not only hurt you, but your skin as well!

SK-II Glycation
Evidence shows that smartphone use affects skin health – 20-somethings are losing skin firmness!
We’ve discussed the loss of skin firmness in young adults, but there’s another problem plaguing this generation – facial muscle weakness. The reason for this is that the heavy use of digital devices such as smartphones and tablets on electronic communication platforms (email, social media, etc.) has replaced traditional face-to-face interactions. This has reduced the opportunity to use mouth movements and facial muscles to produce verbal and/or emotional expression. This is the reason for the deepening of the nasolabial folds (two folds of skin that extend from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth, also known as “laugh lines”), as their habits and lifestyles cause the nasolabial folds to loosen their facial skin. Long hours of telecommuting, wearing masks for safety, and using screen time on blue glowing devices similar to UV radiation – these are all factors that lead to dermal damage. As young adults, they may still be fairly slim and trim, but their facial contours lack the definition you would expect from someone in this age group. Given how common video conferencing and online video calling is today, the reality of being viewed by others in close proximity makes this self-awareness an issue that needs to be addressed and resolved.

4 skin care tips to prevent a sagging face
1. Hydrate your skin from the inside out
Remind yourself to drink the right amount of water often throughout the day, rather than drinking a lot at once. Drinking water in this way keeps your body well hydrated even before you feel thirsty, thus keeping your skin firm. To hydrate the outer skin layers, apply moisturizer regularly! Adequate hydration supports a healthy skin barrier and keeps the dermis renewed. This way, your skin will not only stay smooth and soft, but also firm and plump to the touch!

SK-II hydrates skin from the inside out
2. Choose skin care products and exercises that enhance skin firmness
We recommend that you use face-lifting skincare products developed specifically for skin firming and tightening, as these products also help promote softness and improve the overall tone of your skin. You should also exercise your facial muscles to keep your skin firm and tight. Simple gestures such as moving your mouth, making different facial expressions and using wider movements have a therapeutic effect as it improves blood circulation to the face. A gentle massage is also beneficial, but just keep a light touch by patting the face with your fingers to avoid sagging. Remember that friction or any strong abrasive movements can damage the collagen in the skin.

3. Protect your skin from UV radiation!
Since UV rays will be exposed regardless of weather conditions, whether you are indoors or outdoors, it is wise to apply sunscreen daily throughout the year. A sunscreen with SPF 30 PA+++ (or higher) is the minimum required to mitigate the damage UV-A waves can cause. Sunscreens not only protect your skin from dark spots, freckles and skin dullness caused by tanning, they also protect you from sagging skin and loss of skin firmness.

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4. Review your habits and lifestyle
Now that you know the effects of glycation on your skin, take a moment to review your eating habits. While you don’t have to take extreme measures to remove all sugars and carbohydrates from your diet, achieving a balanced diet that includes healthy proteins, grains, vegetables and fruits may help. Whenever you want to eat lightly, choose healthier snacks, such as nuts and fruit, over sweets. However, keep in mind that fruits may be rich in vitamins, but overconsumption can also increase the amount of sugar in your body. Another important habit to instill is regular and quality sleep. The amount of rest you get at night determines how well your skin recovers from the stress and UV damage it encounters during the day.