Premature Aging?
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Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:09 pm

Alright, so I need some help. I am 22 years old and think I may be experiencing premature aging, but there are many factors and variables involved. Despite my username, I am female. C: I used to go out in the sun A LOT in my childhood and teens with no sun protection - family vacays, beach, hiking/playing, swimming at the pool, and cross country in the hot, hot sun, all four years of high school. I used sunscreen only when at the beach, and never wore hats or sunglasses. My skin was always perfect and clear, almost no breakouts, some freckling but nothing serious. At around 17, and 19, I suffered some depression. I am underweight and have been ever since college - 5'3" and hovering between 88 and 95 pounds. I have thin skin, which I know because I can see the veins through it. Since 21, my eyelid skin has been thinning. I can tell, as the undereye area is blueish, and when looking closely the veins seem to pop out. Although I didn't go out in the sun as much since 18, I have had to drive several hours to school during daylight hours as well as walk from building to building in the sunlight.
When looking carefully, I already have a few spider veins in my cheeks and probably permanent freckling on my nose. My midface already appears to be sagging slightly, as I have pretty extensive tear trough deformities as well as very slight naslobial "folds" (They're more like indents). I've had the naslobials since around 17-18, though they've become slightly more prominent now. (My cheeks will push upwards slightly if I turn my head upside down, and the folds will partially disappear) My skin always feels very "doughy," as if it can be molded easily, and there seems to be an excessive amount of tissue on my upper eyelids, as there are probably 3-4 folds. If you examine the area around my eyes in a magnifying mirror, you can see some very fine lines, as well as around my mouth when I smile. The mouth lines almost entirely go away after about 5 minutes, but there still seems to be a very small indent when looking up close.
I went to see both a doctor and a dermatologist. The derm was a cosmetic derm, she didn't examine very closely and told me that -most- of my sun damage would probably have been done in my 20s, and that my skin was nice and youthful, but she didn't look closely. She said my spider veins weren't a problem because they were very subtle, but it alarms me that I already have several on both cheeks, which are more noticeable if I puff them up.
I have never tanned nor have I smoked, though I have had poor dietary habits over the past 4 years (which is when my skin started going downhill, I believe). I drank a looot of soda and those horrible energy drinks, processed food, candy/sugar, coffee, etc. I also took a lot of hot showers and baths in my life and only cleansed with bar soap, all of which I hear are no-nos.
I went to the doctor and had a blood test done, and I have deficiency in both vitamin D and vitamin B12.
More information: The skin on my hands has always been very cross-hatched and dehydrated looking for as long as I can remember, even when I weighed more the skin looked like this.

I still get confused for being younger than I am, which I suspect is due to my facial structure in some part. People I know says that my skin looks fine, but it looks really bad when I look at it myself.

Since I have been using CeraVe foaming facial cleanser for normal to oily skin (I had a breakout of a few pimples on my forehead, despite the rest of my face feeling dry), As well as their PM moisturizing lotion, and Neutrogena with SPF 50 every day. I have used sunscreen for the past 1 month, every day, and recently started cleansing about 3 days ago. I was also instructed to use Atralin .025 gel, which I used 3 times in a row and then skipped a night, I heard somewhere that it shouldn't be used too much or it will cause problems. And I did notice some peeling and an increase in the crepeness under my eyes and cheeks (it looks as though I'm pulling on tissue paper). I don't have much fat in my face and the fat I -do- have feels very soft and squishy. I do not and never have worn makeup (tomboy, which explains why I thought I was above moisturizing D Smile

.
Does anyone have any additional advice? Am I doomed to look ancient before my time because of past mistakes, or do I still have a chance of repairing and keeping my skin in stasis? Any responses would be great, I'm kind of scared that I'm going to have to resort to cosmetic intervention before the age of 30, and it's depressing me. Sad

free skin care · Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:22 pm

Being underweight and not getting enough fat in your diet can cause many of the symptoms you are seeing. One of my employees had the identical symptoms (skin issues, underweight, etc.) and they all resolved after she began eating normally.

I would recommend focusing on resolving any issues with eating that you may have, ensure that you are eating the recommended nutrients/calories each day, and try to look for the positives instead of the negatives.

Good luck to you in this journey back to health.

Sat Aug 11, 2012 4:09 pm

Thank you! I have been trying to eat better for the past month or so - I've cut caffeine (almost) completely out of my diet, and started taking multi-vitamins about a week ago.

I have been trying to eat more, but it's a struggle eating more but cutting out a lot of the carbs. I learned my Vitamin B12 deficiency I need injections for, and can cause a loss of weight and appetite, which could account for why I never gained after 18, only lost. Although I didn't look as bad as when I first was too thin, if this is part of the problem than I assume it's finally catching up with me. Again, thank you for the advice!

I'm assuming I should keep up the skin care routine with trentinoin gel too, as a further preventative?

free skin care · Sat Aug 11, 2012 5:31 pm

I assume Atralin .025 gel is vitamin A? If so, I think you should stop using it if your skin is already thin and focus on nourishing it rather than subjecting it to harsh treatments.

As for sunscreen, Devita is a popular name on this forum. I see Neutrogena has 5 chemical sunscreens, one of which, oxybenzone, has been linked to increased risk of melanoma. Devita is being sold for almost 1/2 off on Vitacost if you want to try it out.

I was also diagnosed with a B12 deficiency about 3 years ago, (it's been remedied since) although I can't say that my skin improved. I think it would be helpful for you if you tracked your diet (you can use something like nutritionfact.self.com which lists the detailed vitamin/mineral/fat/carb/sugar stats of your diet) and see where you are deficient. Here is a link which talks about some foods that protect against sun damage/premature aging: http://www.foodproductdesign.com/articles/2010/07/nutrition-for-better-skin.aspx

free skin care · Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:13 pm

I'm now 57 and used to bake in the sun using baby oil and foil, there was no such thing as sunscreen back in those days. I recently had surgery and the nurse said I didn't look my age, to keep doing whatever I was doing skincare wise. So things can improve even if you feel discouraged. I think you need products to help your skin create more collagen. I've been using a serum from SkinActives called Let's Make Collagen. Here's a link:

http://www.skinactives.com/Collagen-Serum-Let-s-Make-Collagen.html

I'd suggest using a tiny bit night and day all over face, throat and around eyes. I also like SkinActive's Vitamin C serum, Bright eye cream, antiaging cream & ELS serum. I'd also suggest using Retin A at night. I also like Perricone products but I wouldn't know which would be the best products for your skin problem. You might want to talk to a rep at Sephora. Research and make sure you are using products with a high level of actives. There's a lot of information on the forum of Skinactive's website. Good quality skincare does make a difference in how your skin will look later in life. Even though I didn't use sunscreen, I've always used good quality skin care. I'm the oldest of 4 sisters and was recently told I looked younger than a sister who is 10 years younger than me. So start a good regimen now. I'd also suggest taking a collagen supplement to help make your skin stronger & thicker from the inside as your skin is thin and that is why you can see the veins so easily.

Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:17 pm

Thank you for the advice on the sunscreen, I saw Neutro had zinc oxides and figured it was a good choice, didn't know it had ingredients linked to melanoma.

Should I really just do nothing besides change diet and wear sunscreen? I feel like that might not be enough with how bad it looks....

Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:19 pm

I would start with the 3 Day Perricone Facelift Diet. You can Google this. It is said to be highly effective.

free skin care · Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:55 pm

Agree with Terraaus with the Perricone diet. He has many books on the subject but I have found this one the most informative:

http://www.amazon.com/Perricones-Secrets-Beauty-Health-Longevity/dp/0345492463/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

You may see some positive changes to your skin when you cut out the chemical sunscreens. My face looked gaunt when I used these. Physical SS for everyday, combined with antioxidant serums*, IMO, are the way to go. In addition to Devita, you may like to check out Invisible Zinc Environmental Skin Protector SPF 30 (I use this everyday)- for me its the best daily zinc lotion. There are also raves for Burnout SS.

* I apply C E Ferulic every morning to boost UV protection.

My skin also went through a prolonged state of being dry and dehydrated even though my diet was impeccable. The best products I know of for increasing skin hydration are:

-Nia24 Intensive Recovery Cream: Niacin has been reported one of the most effective ingredients to stop 'trans-epidermal water loss'.

- Squalane and Jojoba Oil. I spritz the face first with Rose water and then apply these two oils over.

All of the above keeps my challenged skin glowing in the dead of winter! Smile

HTH

free skin care · Sat Aug 11, 2012 7:22 pm

There's a very appropriate saying "You are what you eat"! The most important thing is to eat a healthy wholesome diet. If you are under-weight, forget about cutting out certain food groups like carbs. Eat everything, but eat all food groups in a balanced way. Make sure you have breakfast and have a main meal consisting of protein and a variety of vegetables. I don't believe in relying on vitamins and supplements for nutrition - proper nutrition requires eating healthy meals.

Nothing you apply to your skin is going to make a difference if you don't fuel your body properly. Good luck!!!

Sat Aug 11, 2012 8:16 pm

Thank you all very much for the advice! I may try the 3-day diet.

As for cutting out carbs - the only reason I've tried to do that is because I've heard eating too many carbs interferes with collagen synthesis, and I used to eat a ton of carbs. I'm a big fan of pasta and bread products, as well as things like chips and pretzels for (un)healthy snacks.

I guess it's a matter of balancing out how much of them I eat compared to everything else!

free skin care · Sat Aug 11, 2012 8:27 pm

MisterLurk wrote:

I guess it's a matter of balancing out how much of them I eat compared to everything else!

Yes, it's all about balance. Even too much of the good stuff can be bad!

free skin care · Sun Aug 12, 2012 1:53 pm

True: You are what you eat. Also remember this:
All carbs are not created equal. You need carbs but stick with high fiber types when going for pasta and breads. Vegetables and fruits are carbs also and are wonderful for feeding the skin.
Many of us are Green Smoothie fans - For example: A big handful of fresh organic spinach, one cup of blueberries and a banana plus spring water (maybe 1 cup) : Mix in a blender. You can substitute Kale or other greens (not iceberg). You can substitute apples, any berries, add in some citrus... Lots and lots of vatiations. I even put cucumber or celery and parsely in mine at times. I try to make my smoothie account for at least 4-5 servings of fruits and veggies. (I don't include sugar or anything in mine as I find the fruit keeps it sweet enough - and you can always change the veggie-fruit balance as needed. Some people use Stevia for extra sweetening).

High quality protein is necessary for structures. You cannot have good skin, hair etc if your protein sources are low quality or insufficient. Our body in a sense is a "protein bag" and we are made of the proteins we ingest. I would really start your quest at the nutritional level. It is every bit as important as skincare topicals. I
also recommend Hylaruonic acid - I love this for skin plumping ability... Lots of spring water too.

free skin care · Mon Aug 13, 2012 11:37 am

Debb3485 wrote:

I'm now 57 and used to bake in the sun using baby oil and foil, there was no such thing as sunscreen back in those days. I recently had surgery and the nurse said I didn't look my age, to keep doing whatever I was doing skincare wise. So things can improve even if you feel discouraged. I think you need products to help your skin create more collagen. I've been using a serum from SkinActives called Let's Make Collagen. Here's a link:

http://www.skinactives.com/Collagen-Serum-Let-s-Make-Collagen.html

I'd suggest using a tiny bit night and day all over face, throat and around eyes. I also like SkinActive's Vitamin C serum, Bright eye cream, antiaging cream & ELS serum. I'd also suggest using Retin A at night. I also like Perricone products but I wouldn't know which would be the best products for your skin problem. You might want to talk to a rep at Sephora. Research and make sure you are using products with a high level of actives. There's a lot of information on the forum of Skinactive's website. Good quality skincare does make a difference in how your skin will look later in life. Even though I didn't use sunscreen, I've always used good quality skin care. I'm the oldest of 4 sisters and was recently told I looked younger than a sister who is 10 years younger than me. So start a good regimen now. I'd also suggest taking a collagen supplement to help make your skin stronger & thicker from the inside as your skin is thin and that is why you can see the veins so easily.

How long have you been using SA Let's make Collagen Serum for? How long till you started seeing results?
Thank you!

Mon Aug 13, 2012 11:51 am

Your situation sounds alot like my own.

I am 21, between 85-95 pounds (have been this weight pretty much since I was 15). I have copper / appricot colored hair and very, very pale skin. I never wore sun protection, and knew very little about proper skincare.

My situation varies a little because I have mild - moderate acne, and 2 years ago I became very obsessed about it. I tried everything to get rid of it, diets, acne products, etc.

I used alot of benzoyl peroxide products which cause skin aging, but also make you sensitive to the sun, but I never wore sunscreen.

So, no I can see fine lines under my eyes, nasolabial lines starting, my undereye is blue colored, purple veins on my eyelids, obvious sun damage (freckles, pigmented spots)...along with acne/acne pigmentation/scars.

Lots of fun.

Anyways, I'm going to suggest not beating yourself up about things you cannot change, because it will make you depressed. For a long time I was very angry at myself for smoking / not wearing sunscreen / picking my skin....but eventually came to the conclusion maybe I needed to go through this processes to learn how to take better care of myself in the future.

Most people don't start to worry about proper skincare/diet until they get into their 30s...so we're in luck when it comes to taking better care now.

The best thing you can do now is wear sunscreen, drinks lots of water, eat well, and maybe eventually use vitamin c / retinoids etc.

Mon Aug 13, 2012 5:37 pm

Mikey - Wow, glad to see I'm not the only one in the same boat.

Since you started taking care of your skin, have you seen improvements? Or, if no improvements, has it gotten worse?

As I said, I'm afraid that I'll have to worry about looking old as sin by the time I'm 30-35.

free skin care · Thu Aug 30, 2012 10:52 am

It is never too late to clean your act together at 22years old. You have a lot of years to go.

Suggestions:
-eat more vegies and vegies.
-eat less meat,
-eat more fish,
-drink more water (avoid softdrinks and other sugared drinks which are not good for me),
-eat more "natural foods"
-use sunscreen of at least 30 SPF,
-use good eye/body cream.
-use a good concealer to hide the blemishes (if you have any).
-eat wholegrain foods,
-NO FRIED FOODS (OR PROCESSED FOODS)!

Your body has to heal first.
Since you are very young, you have all the time in the world.

There are a lot of threads on EDS on good skin care so make sure that you always check for info. EDS has a lot of feedback on skin care from people using the products.

MisterLurk wrote:

Alright, so I need some help. I am 22 years old and think I may be experiencing premature aging, but there are many factors and variables involved. Despite my username, I am female. C: I used to go out in the sun A LOT in my childhood and teens with no sun protection - family vacays, beach, hiking/playing, swimming at the pool, and cross country in the hot, hot sun, all four years of high school. I used sunscreen only when at the beach, and never wore hats or sunglasses. My skin was always perfect and clear, almost no breakouts, some freckling but nothing serious. At around 17, and 19, I suffered some depression. I am underweight and have been ever since college - 5'3" and hovering between 88 and 95 pounds. I have thin skin, which I know because I can see the veins through it. Since 21, my eyelid skin has been thinning. I can tell, as the undereye area is blueish, and when looking closely the veins seem to pop out. Although I didn't go out in the sun as much since 18, I have had to drive several hours to school during daylight hours as well as walk from building to building in the sunlight.
When looking carefully, I already have a few spider veins in my cheeks and probably permanent freckling on my nose. My midface already appears to be sagging slightly, as I have pretty extensive tear trough deformities as well as very slight naslobial "folds" (They're more like indents). I've had the naslobials since around 17-18, though they've become slightly more prominent now. (My cheeks will push upwards slightly if I turn my head upside down, and the folds will partially disappear) My skin always feels very "doughy," as if it can be molded easily, and there seems to be an excessive amount of tissue on my upper eyelids, as there are probably 3-4 folds. If you examine the area around my eyes in a magnifying mirror, you can see some very fine lines, as well as around my mouth when I smile. The mouth lines almost entirely go away after about 5 minutes, but there still seems to be a very small indent when looking up close.
I went to see both a doctor and a dermatologist. The derm was a cosmetic derm, she didn't examine very closely and told me that -most- of my sun damage would probably have been done in my 20s, and that my skin was nice and youthful, but she didn't look closely. She said my spider veins weren't a problem because they were very subtle, but it alarms me that I already have several on both cheeks, which are more noticeable if I puff them up.
I have never tanned nor have I smoked, though I have had poor dietary habits over the past 4 years (which is when my skin started going downhill, I believe). I drank a looot of soda and those horrible energy drinks, processed food, candy/sugar, coffee, etc. I also took a lot of hot showers and baths in my life and only cleansed with bar soap, all of which I hear are no-nos.
I went to the doctor and had a blood test done, and I have deficiency in both vitamin D and vitamin B12.
More information: The skin on my hands has always been very cross-hatched and dehydrated looking for as long as I can remember, even when I weighed more the skin looked like this.

I still get confused for being younger than I am, which I suspect is due to my facial structure in some part. People I know says that my skin looks fine, but it looks really bad when I look at it myself.

Since I have been using CeraVe foaming facial cleanser for normal to oily skin (I had a breakout of a few pimples on my forehead, despite the rest of my face feeling dry), As well as their PM moisturizing lotion, and Neutrogena with SPF 50 every day. I have used sunscreen for the past 1 month, every day, and recently started cleansing about 3 days ago. I was also instructed to use Atralin .025 gel, which I used 3 times in a row and then skipped a night, I heard somewhere that it shouldn't be used too much or it will cause problems. And I did notice some peeling and an increase in the crepeness under my eyes and cheeks (it looks as though I'm pulling on tissue paper). I don't have much fat in my face and the fat I -do- have feels very soft and squishy. I do not and never have worn makeup (tomboy, which explains why I thought I was above moisturizing D Smile

.
Does anyone have any additional advice? Am I doomed to look ancient before my time because of past mistakes, or do I still have a chance of repairing and keeping my skin in stasis? Any responses would be great, I'm kind of scared that I'm going to have to resort to cosmetic intervention before the age of 30, and it's depressing me. Sad

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