The Doctor Weighs In: The Science Behind Ageing and Anti-Ageing

As we age, our body changes and the most visible change is in our skin. When we age, our skin’s outermost layer thins out, and skin loses its strength and elasticity. This makes your skin look more delicate and paler. You may notice more dryness, wrinkles, and spots on your skin. These are all effects of skin ageing. Anti-ageing treatments today aim to reverse or lessen these very effects. 

Some of the most critical factors that contribute to skin ageing are:

• Loss of fat below the skin over the cheeks, chin, nose, and eyes regions
• Bone and cartilage loss due to old age
• Overexposure to sunlight 
• Smoking majorly contributes to the development of wrinkles. The number of wrinkles on your skin depends a lot on the duration and amount of cigarette smoking.

What Causes Ageing? 

The production of collagen, which is a major protein involved in building our skin, decreases during our mid-20s. Collagen levels may also reduce due to environmental and lifestyle habits. To delay the ageing process or experience the benefits of anti-ageing therapy, focus on using products that can help restore this lost collagen to the skin. 

Thus, collagen and collagen-based supplements are an extremely crucial part of anti-ageing, and plant-based ingredients can be a huge help in reversing the signs of ageing. 

Major Signs of Skin Ageing 

As we grow older, we start to show visible signs of ageing, such as our skin:

• Becoming slack. This happens because of the loss of elastic tissue from the skin. You begin to notice wrinkles as your skin begins to hang loose or increased lines and folds on your forehead and around the mouth 
• Becoming rough
• Becoming dry and itchy
• Fragility increasing. This happens because of the flattening of the epidermis (topmost layer of skin) and dermis layer of the skin (the layer below the epidermis)
• Getting easily hurt and taking longer to heal. This is because of the thinner walls of the blood vessels
• Becoming more transparent. This effect occurs due to the thinning of the uppermost layer of the skin.
• Becoming more susceptible to medical conditions such as non-cancerous masses

What is Anti-Aging Treatment?

We all desire to look beautiful and retain our youthful skin and faces. We sure would like to slow down the changes that occur on our faces as we age. That’s where the concept of anti-ageing comes in! 

Importance of Collagen for Youthful Skin

A protein called collagen naturally occurs in all of us. It is essential for building skin, hair, bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons. Unfortunately, by the time we reach our mid-20s, collagen production in our body begins to slow down. How fast or slow your skin loses collagen also depends on other factors that we discussed earlier. 

In women who recently reached menopause, nearly 30% of the body’s collagen gets lost within the first five years itself. As our skin loses more and more collagen, it appears to be more wrinkly and dry. Thus, retaining the existing collagen and increasing its production somehow are the key areas where anti-ageing treatments must work.

Skincare from the Inside Out 

Aside from approaching skin health through application, also look at ways to nourish your skin from the inside out. Caring for your skin through inner nourishment will help give it a smooth texture and avoid common problems like dull, tired skin, or dryness. As a first step, drinking plenty of water will help hydrate your skin consistently. Eating antioxidant foods that contain Vitamin C will also help with your glow. 

For holistic skin health, the best results come from the right nutrition and application products which contain plant-based extracts and wholefoods to help build collagen naturally in your body and work to reduce the ageing signs on your face. Let’s understand more on the vital nutrients for anti-ageing.

How can Consuming Collagen-Based Supplements Help Slow Down Skin Ageing?

Collagen adds structure to the skin and prevents it from sagging. Because our body loses too much collagen too quickly, it is an essential ingredient of anti-ageing cosmetics and supplements for the skin. Such products are designed to improve your skin health and improve skin elasticity, blood flow and decrease wrinkles. 

Degradation of collagen results in the collapse of the skin layers, which in turn causes the skin to sag inward and form wrinkles. This degradation process is supported by enzymes called matrix melanoproteins or MMPs. Levels of these enzymes rise when your skin is exposed to excess sunlight. Hence, collagen blocks the actions of MMPs and your skin can experience anti-ageing benefits.

Collagen-based supplements block the action of these MMPs, showing an anti-ageing effect and giving you youthful, radiant skin!

How Plant-based Ingredients Help with Anti-Ageing

Plant-based whole foods contribute to building collagen in the skin. Some well-known plant-based ingredients that work as amazing anti-ageing therapies are:

• Rose Oil

Rose oil is loaded with essential vitamins and fatty acids. It helps build collagen in the following ways:

• It is packed with vitamin C and vitamin A, both essential vitamins for skin health and to build collagen
• It inhibits the MMP enzymes that break down collagen 
• It helps increase skin elasticity

Besides collagen production, vitamins A, E, and C present in rose oil show additive effects in reducing visible sun damage. This helps to minimise photo ageing or premature ageing due to repeated exposure to UV light.

Phyto Retinol

Retinol, also known as vitamin A, is well-known for delivering excellent results to the body. Retinol has multiple benefits for the skin, such as:

• It promotes the shedding of dead skin cells and rapidly replaces them with younger skin cells
• It stimulates the production of proteins in the skin
• It stops collagen breakdown by inhibiting the MMP enzyme and thickens skin layers.

However, retinol may be harsh on the skin and show side effects such as redness, dryness, and flaking. The plant-based alternative, called Phyto retinol, is an answer to prevent such side effects. 

The benefits of this plant-based alternative to working as an anti-ageing component are:

• It improves skin texture
• It boosts skin radiance
• It reduces fine lines
• It reduces dullness
• It also hydrates your skin, and the effects of this are long-term.

• Safflower Seed Oil:

Safflower seed oil is loaded with unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic and linoleic acid. Another component of safflower oil, called acacetin, is a molecule most commonly seen in the leaves and seeds of the safflower plant. Acacetin is extremely skin-friendly as it:

• Prevents inflammation
• Prevents peroxidation
• Prevents skin tumours and cancer
• It may work as an anti-wrinkle agent
• Inhibits the expression of MMP enzymes due to exposure to UV light. This activity due to acacetin helps in anti-ageing.

• Tiare Flower extract:

Along with the delightful delicate fragrance of Tiara flower extract, the plant shows many anti-ageing benefits for the skin. Tiare flower extract is obtained by soaking its petals in coconut oil. This extract is loaded with fatty acids, which contain antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. The plant extract also contains methyl salicylate and vitamin E, which shows tonic effects on the skin.

The effects of Tiare flower extract as anti-ageing are as follows:

• It neutralises free radicals, thereby acting as an antioxidant
• It reduces the appearance of wrinkles
• It improves the feel of the skin
• It lowers the risk of skin cancer
• It retains skin moisture even when you expose your skin to harsh climatic conditions, thereby allowing your skin to remain nourished and soft.

Lifestyle Changes – Essential With Collagen Builders!

Along with using collagen supplements, you should also focus on preventive lifestyle changes that can help with anti-ageing. We believe in beauty inside and out and want to share these easy tips that will help you get back the young, plump skin as earlier:

• Use sunscreen regularly to prevent collagen breakdown due to ultraviolet rays
• Apply a light moisturiser every day, as it helps to trap water in the skin
• Avoid skincare products that cause a burning sensation
• Wash your face regularly, especially after too much sweating or after wearing a helmet or hat
• Stop smoking as it is a significant contributor to the ageing process
• Limit drinking as alcohol causes dehydration
• Avoid repetitive facial expressions. This is because when you constantly make the same expressions, those skin lines later become permanent
• Have a diet packed with fruits and vegetables as they are rich in antioxidants, a vital component that prevents collagen breakdown
• Exercise regularly to improve blood circulation and immunity.

Key Takeaway

Now that you know the causes of skin ageing and ways to improve it, it is easier for you to choose a collagen builder based on their ingredients. Opt for products that are plant-based and are free from gluten, soy protein, additives, and preservatives. You can try OZiva Collagen Builder and  OZiva Youth Elixir Serum for their amazing anti-ageing effects. 

In addition, the OZiva Daily Anti-Ageing Routine provides a complete collagen boost to make your skin look younger and healthier from the inside out. Start this routine off by consuming the Plant Based Collagen Builder, and then apply Youth Elixir Face Serum. Give yourself or a loved one the gift of anti-ageing with this 3-6 months routine for the best results! 

Even if you have already experienced skin ageing, you can use OZiva products and slow down ageing. For more clarity, visit the OZiva website to see collections for youthful skin, where nutrition experts have shared the benefits of OZiva products in detail.

Doctor Biography

Dr. Arti Priya R is a Dermatologist, Aesthetic Dermatologist and Trichologist. Holding experience of 6 years, she practices at CI Cosmetic Clinic in HSR Layout, Bangalore. She completed her MBBS from The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University (TNMGRMU) in 2015, DDVL from Madras Medical College, Chennai in 2017 and Fellowship Programme in Aesthetic Dermatology from CUTIS ACADEMY OF CUTANEOUS SCIENCES in 2017.

She is a member of Life Member NGC and Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL). She is passionate about spreading awareness about various skin diseases to patients.