We all have that craving for something sweet, but sometimes it can get out of hand. Some worse than others. Whether it’s refined or natural, having that sweet tooth can get us into trouble. As you can guess what the skin offense is. In the skincare world, sugar and its effect on the skin is a hot topic and it’s called Glycation. It is defined as:
…a natural process in which the sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins, forming harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products (ironically, AGEs for short). Researchers are currently trying to figure out just how glycation factors into the age equation; it’s not necessarily accurate to say “sugar causes wrinkles,” because there are some complex biological pathways happening that involve more than sugar alone. Too much glycation may affect what type of collagen you can build, which is a huge factor in determining how resistant your skin will be to wrinkling. The damaging effects sugar can have on your looks are clearly evident in diabetics who have a hard time controlling their blood-sugar levels. Diabetics often show the signs of premature aging because they can go for years with undetected high blood sugar, causing them to physically age quicker. From The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to Less Stress, Gorgeous Skin, and a Whole New You by Amy Wechslers
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This issue isn’t just for older generation, but the younger people as well. Think about our lifestyle – stress, excessive UV exposure, little to no exercise, smoke, drinking, and an unhealthy diet. All combined can wreck havoc on our skin (ex. acne and breakouts). Let’s look at the results of what too much unhealthy sugar can do to our skin.
Sugary foods like cake or a piece of candy can cause a spike in your sugar levels, when this spike occurs so does inflammation which can worsen and provoke skin condition sufferers to acne, psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea. Next, inflammation can also increase breakouts which will put your body in a mode of over producing stress hormones and suppressing the white blood cells to fight off bacteria. An increase in oil production improves the breeding ground for bacteria form and thrive. As mentioned above, the sugar attacks collagen production which lessens elasticity resulting in sagging, wrinkled skin. And finally, if you suffer from allergies or eczema you’ll notice flare-ups you get from eating or even drinking anything with sugar.
We can’t eliminate ALL sugars but we can avoid certain foods that contain the refined sugars found in white bread, simple carbs, and fructose corn syrup. We can manage this process by increasing our intake in antioxidants such as Vitamin A, C and E. Try drinking some Green Tea (read my blog about the benefits of tea here). Watch the fruits and veggies that are high in glycemic such as corn, potatoes, ripe bananas and pineapples. Instead opt for foods such as broccoli, cucumbers, cherries or an apple – heck try a nice dark piece of chocolate if anything!
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For your home products you’ll want to ensure you have products like serums that contain growth factors and various antioxidants. A product I’d recommend is Skin Script’s Vitamin C/Green Tea Serum or Ageless Hydrating Serum. Using these daily will help improve your skin as a result of glycation. If you are interested in either of these serums, just message me at skinbyregina@outlook.com.
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