Simple steps to improve the elasticity of your skin

Are you embarrassed about your belly wrinkles? Or the flapping fat on the back of your arms? This could be a result of rapid weight loss, or post pregnancy. Generally it's due to skin losing elasticity, mainly due to ageing. There are other factors that contribute to the loss of skin elasticity… Too much time spent in the sun, smoking and poor diet. Whatever the reason, the good news is, there are vitamins and minerals which can help retain your skin's elasticity and help you preserve your youthful appearance. Read about them here.

The loss of skin elasticity due to the ageing cannot be avoided. However, there are simple steps you can take to prolong the imminent loss of skin elasticity.

Exercise, stop smoking and avoid excessive sunlight

Before I go into the vitamins and minerals, consider this:

If you’re not exercising yet, improving the look of your skin could be a good reason to start. Regular exercise improves circulation, necessary for preventing loss of skin elasticity. An imbalance of hormones in the body can cause the skin to lose its elasticity too. Exercise regulates hormones and provides oxygen and nutrients to the body. The restoration and maintenance of skin elasticity also depends on muscle mass and exercise helps improve muscle mass.

Stop smoking. Cigarettes contain thousands of harmful, toxic chemicals that enter the body. This harms the skin and causes wrinkles and sagging. Smoking constricts blood vessels preventing the proper amount of oxygen and other nutrients from entering the body. This lack causes the skin to lose its elasticity.

Avoid excessive sunlight. UVA and UVB rays drain the moisture out of the skin and increases melanin levels. The results – old, leathery skin. Stay out of the sun between 12pm – 3pm, and always apply sunscreen.

Nourish your body with these vitamins for optimal improvement of skin elasticity

Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, helps to boost the production of collagen within your skin. Collagen helps to maintain your skin's strength and provides a supportive framework around which your skin cells can grow. Loss of collagen in your skin can lead to wrinkling and tearing, whereas a strong network of collagen maintains your skin's elasticity. Eat fruits and vegetables such as oranges, pineapples and red peppers which are great sources of vitamin C.

Copper
Copper helps produce elastin, another protein within your skin. Elastin works with collagen to maintain the structure of your skin. Maintaining the level of elastin in your skin helps maintain your skin's elasticity. Include adequate copper in your everyday diet helps promote normal elastic production, and therefore benefits your skin. Seafood and nuts all serve as rich sources of this skin-friendly mineral.

Vitamin A
Another vitamin that can help keep the elasticity in your skin is vitamin A, or retinol. The vitamin A interacts with your skin cells and helps to regulate the production of natural oil within your skin. This oil helps moisturise your skin. Moisturised skin retains its elasticity better than dry skin. Therefore vitamin A helps keep the elasticity of your skin.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, also contributes to maintaining skin's elasticity and helps to prevent visible skin ageing. Vitamin E neutralises free radicals in your skin cells, improving the appearance of your skin. Applying vitamin E lotion to your skin may help improve the roughness and scaling that can occur in dry skin. Vitamin E can be found in almonds, avocados, cabbage, olive oil, spinach, pawpaw, tomatoes.

Vitamin K
Vitamin K ensures protection from a harmful condition which can lead to excessive wrinkly on the skin known as PXE (pseudoxanthoma elasticum). Rich sources of Vitamin K include green, leafy vegetables, turnips, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

Vitamin B Complex
Vitamin B assists in skin cell production and water retention. High sources of Vitamin B complex include barley, bananas, oats, lentils, potatoes and tuna.

Ensure you keep your skin looking younger, suppler and lasting longer with these simple steps.

Tags: vitamin b complex, vitamin k, vitamin e, vitamin a, copper, vitamin c, skin elasticity