Coco Chanel once said: “Nature gives you the face you have at 20. Life shapes the face you have at 30. But at 50 you get the face you deserve.” – Implying that, as we age, how we live is the deciding factor in how we look. Well, that is only partly true. As the ongoing debate about nature vs. nurture suggests, both genetics and lifestyle choices contribute to our health and appearance.
Nature vs. Nurture
Most patients seeking Face Contouring refer to a concern emerging in their appearance that they’ve seen in their relatives. This is because our genetic inheritance plays the largest role in how we look as we grow older, dictating much of our appearance including our bone structure, skin quality, hair growth patterns, etc. It is the strength and structure of our facial muscles that determine where our wrinkle lines will occur. Strong muscles between the eyebrows cause the dreaded “11’s” and strong muscles around the mouth will pull the lips down at the corners creating a fixed frown and marionette lines.
What Coco Chanel was getting at is that we’re responsible for how we care for our appearance — how we play the hand so to speak. What we “deserve” are the effects of the factors we can control.
However, there are many factors we can control, with both protective and proactive measures.
Sun Exposure
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is the most damaging and dangerous factor that can affect our appearance. The sun’s rays break down the elastin and collagen that gives our skin strength and elasticity, causing hallowed features and lines and wrinkles. It also increases melatonin production, which causes discoloration and sometimes skin cancer. Protecting your skin from the sun is the single most important thing you can do to preserve and maintain your appearance as you age. This can be easily accomplished with the proper use of sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats. Well worth the effort folks!
Use sunscreen and take care of your skin!
Smoking
Smoking is a close second in causing the skin damage that can ruin your appearance as you age. Nicotine breaks down elastin and collagen and impairs blood flow to your skin, so it doesn’t get as much oxygen and other essential nutrients such as vitamin A. As a result, your skin will wrinkle and sag much earlier than it should. The signs of nicotine damage are so apparent that we can identify smokers at a glance. Again, if you smoke but care (even a little bit) about your appearance, it is well worth the tremendous effort to stop – today. Right this minute. We mean it. Stop smoking right now.
Poor Nutrition and Dramatic Weight Loss
Healthy eating ensures that all our bodily systems get the nutrients they need to thrive, including the skin. It also prevents obesity and the need for corrective dramatic weight loss. Facial fat is critical to a youthful appearance. While we all lose facial fat naturally as we age, major weight swings exacerbate it, resulting in an even more deflated, saggy, sunken look.
Skincare
Taking care of your skin with medical grade products and treatments can make a significant difference in preserving and restoring your skin’s condition. The exfoliating, hydrating and restorative properties of advanced skincare Facials, Chemical Peels, and Skincare Products can have a huge effect over time. Laser Treatments will correct the skins texture, tone and color and Injectables will reduce the appearance of unwanted lines and wrinkles.
So perhaps that is what Coco Chanel meant: we “deserve” the effects of the factors we control. While we can’t control what we inherit, we are responsible for how we care for our appearance — how we play the hand we’re dealt. A Belcara Health, we can help you optimize your hand. Call today to ask out skincare products, including sunscreens and anti-aging formulas, advanced skincare treatments, nutrition counseling, BHFit for medically supported dramatic weight loss, and so much more.
