In an effort to keep your skin wrinkle-free, you may have unknowingly adopted a few skincare and beauty habits that do more damage than good. This can span the range of applying topical products that work initially, but damage skin over the long term. Or misusing topical products and skincare treatments in a way that accelerates aging. Inflammaging is a side effect of these habits.
Let’s explore if you’ve accidentally adopted inflammaging skincare or beauty habits and how to heal your skin.
What is inflammaging?
A combination of the words “inflammation” and “aging,” inflammaging refers to chronic low-grade inflammation that can occur internally or externally. Externally, swelling, redness, and irritation are 2 of the first things that come to mind when we think of skin inflammation, but chronic inflammation isn’t always red or visible.
The inflammation we’re referring to degrades the skin barrier. Your skin barrier is a protective lipid layer. This layer helps your skin retain moisture and minimizes the environmental toxins that penetrate your skin. Many things can damage the skin barrier. The longer it’s damaged and the more frequently it’s damaged, the greater your risk of inflammaging.
What damages your skin barrier?
Your skin is resilient. If quickly resolved, it will heal from most of the skin-barrier-damaging factors below. For example, you may transition to a lighter-weight skin moisturizer in the summer. But if your office has low humidity, you may continue to use thicker moisturizing cream on workdays. Thicker creams lock in moisture, reducing your risk for skin dehydration caused by dry air. Or maybe you use barrier cream and a light moisturizer. You might also use a desk humidifier.
Other causes of temporary skin barrier damage include:
- Extreme heat, humidity, and dry heat.
- Exposure to allergens and pollutants.
- Sunburn or too much sun exposure.
- Exposure to harsh or alkaline chemicals.
- Irritation from a harsh or new skincare product.
- Applying expired makeup or skincare products.
How do I know if my skin is inflammaging?
The inflammatory causes above are typically easy to resolve. If you’ve used inflammaging skincare products long-term or have adopted an inflammatory habit or two, restoring your skin barrier takes time. The longer your skin barrier is damaged, the more challenging it is to restore your lipid layer and rejuvenate your skin.
Signs your skin is inflammaging
Chronic low-grade inflammation may present the symptoms below:
- Premature fine lines, wrinkles, skin laxity, and volume loss.
- Skin that is leathery, alligator-like, textured, or hardened.
- Dull, lackluster, uneven, or dehydrated skin for no clear reason.
- Increased acne, eczema, and rosacea with slower healing times.
- Your skin stops responding to topicals and anti-aging skincare treatments.
3 Ways you may be inflammaging your skin
#1 Using harsh anti-aging skincare products
Even if you don’t have sensitive skin, you’ve likely purchased an irritating skincare product. In most cases, you discontinue use, but in some cases, you expect irritation and continue use. For example, some prescription acne treatments cause short-term stinging and sensitivity. And retinol and vitamin C oils can irritate your skin, but many keep using them for their anti-aging potential. However, retinols and vitamin C can be gentle.
- Vitamin C oil formulated from tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate is unlikely to irritate your skin. However, most vitamin C oils are formulated from ascorbic acid. Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate better penetrates your pores. Being oil-soluble, it doesn’t evaporate over time like ascorbic acid.
- Retinol is an anti-aging topical with a frequent side effect of irritation. This makes retinol use challenging for those with sensitive skin. Retinol also increases sun sensitivity. However, encapsulated and plant-derived sources of retinol are far less likely to irritate.
So, instead of taking the “no pain, no gain” approach to skincare, identify a dermatologist or esthetician to help you select gentle and effective anti-aging products.
#2 Misusing skincare products
Some skincare products are only inflammaging if you don’t use them as directed. The top 3 culprits are below.
Over-exfoliating
When it comes to exfoliating, more isn’t better. Use all exfoliators as directed. For example, scrubbing too hard with granular exfoliators or silicone brushes weakens your skin. Whether granular or chemical, most exfoliating products are used between 1 and 3 days a week.
Mature skin requires deeper exfoliation. This typically entails using granular exfoliators less, and chemical exfoliators more. The 2 most common mistakes when using chemical exfoliators are using chemical exfoliators daily instead of as directed or layering and acid exfoliators over or under enzyme exfoliators.
Even if a topical exfoliator can be used daily, use it as directed and only apply one topical exfoliator per day. Pay attention to how your skin responds, and scale back use if your skin is irritated. With some products, you can use an enzyme or acid exfoliator in the morning, and the opposite in the evening.
Improper product layering
Topical exfoliators aren’t the only skincare products you must layer properly. With the rise in multi-step skincare products comes a lot of confusion as to how to layer. For example, skincare oil is increasingly popular, but layering oil under or over your UV protection degrades the UV protection. So, apply most oils at night after cleansing, toning, serum, and moisturizer.
In addition to working with a skincare professional to learn how to layer your products to prevent inflammaging, you must give products time to absorb between layers. Most products must sit on your skin for 1 to 5 minutes before adding the next layer. If you layer too quickly, your skincare products can lose efficacy, cancel one another out, or cause skin pilling. Or they may clog your pores, even if they’re noncomedogenic. The stickier a topical, such as snail mucus serum, the longer it should sit before applying the next layer.
What is skin pilling?
Skin pilling is often mistaken for dry or flaky skin. It looks like tiny white balls or flakes. However, it’s a side effect of improper product layering or not giving products time to dry between layers.
#3 Misusing at-home skincare devices
Using professional-grade skincare devices at home is on the rise. For most, the priority is to maintain the rejuvenating results of med spa treatments. However, not all devices are created equally. If you invest in a professional device, invest in a reputable brand-name product—not a knock off. Knock offs may not be effective, and the technology may damage your skin.
When an at-home skincare device works well, you may be tempted to use it more often. Just like with exfoliators, more is not better. Use as directed.
Anti-aging devices are likely to be safe when used as directed:
- Facial rollers
- Gua sha tools
- Silicone cleansing brushes
- Facial steamers
- LED masks
- Cooling rollers and masks
Anti-aging treatments that should be administered at a med spa:
- Microneedling
- Derma rolling
- Microdermabrasion
- Laser therapy
- Microplanning
- Microcurrent devices
- Biomechanical vibrations
Do med spa treatments cause inflammaging?
When used properly, med spa treatments don’t contribute to inflammation. This is one of many reasons to prioritize a tenured med spa. At Valley Medical Weight Loss and Med Spa, we complete a comprehensive skin exam and advise on the treatments and treatment schedule that’s right for you. We know you don’t want to hear “no”, but if we believe a treatment will damage your skin or isn’t right for any reason—we’ll advise on an alternate option.
When you book your appointment, we provide pre-treatment and post-treatment care. For best results, and a decreased likelihood of inflammaging, follow your treatment schedule and care plan precisely—and contact us with any questions or concerns.
How to treat skin inflammaging?
If your skin is inflammaging, transition to antioxidant-rich products and treatments designed to calm, soothe, and heal your skin. This might mean adjusting your skincare routine short-term or long-term with restorative topicals infused with exosomes, stem cells, or PLLA. You can also consider PRP or PRF therapy.
PRP and PRF are restorative therapies that utilize the growth factors in blood platelets. We draw a small vial of your blood and place it into a centrifuge machine. This isolates plasma, creating a concentrated mix of restorative platelets and growth factors.
Platelet rich plasma (PRP)
For PRP, your plasma is strategically injected to stimulate rejuvenation. Plasma contains 2 to 5 times the platelet concentration in your body.
Platelet rich fibrin (PRF)
For PRF, your blood is spun a bit slower in the centrifuge machine. This creates a fibrin-rich matrix. This matrix contains a higher percentage of growth factors and stem cells. The plasma concentration contains up to 10 times more plasma than found in your body.
These therapies:
- Soothe inflammation
- Help regenerate collagen
- Correct lines, wrinkles, and creases
- Smooth superficial scarring
- Improve skin tone and texture
- Combat enlarged pores
- Allergy-free alternative to dermal fillers
- Help replace youthful facial volume
- Restore the hair follicles
Schedule your inflammaging med spa treatment today!
If your skin is inflammaging, continue using antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammaging skincare products, but also consider restorative med spa treatments. We have a range of treatments that boost collagen production and activate your body’s natural healing response.
Schedule a consultation in Phoenix, Glendale, or Tempe to learn more!
