What Is Inflammaging And The Sudden Rapid Ageing of Skin?

Stress speeds up the skin ageing process; this is called ‘inflammaging’ – and it’s becoming more widespread. 

It’s inevitable – our skin ages. But when there’s the sudden rapid ageing of the skin, that’s a whole different story. Caused by stress, inflammaging involves skin inflammation and manifests in different ways. 

When there’s sudden ageing of the face, it can come as a shock. The good news? It’s possible to prevent this extreme type of inflammation. It involves leading a healthy lifestyle, slowing down a pace or two, taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture instead of stressing endlessly.

How are stress and ageing connected?

Indeed, both stress and ageing are natural parts of everyday life. The Orlando Clinical Research Centre explains how they are intrinsically linked. “When you’re physically or emotionally distressed, your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which help you deal with the stressful situation.” However, “stress accelerates ageing, and ageing causes stress—it’s a vicious cycle.”

What inflammaging means for your skin

Research has proven the link between stress and sudden rapid ageing of the skin. It’s described as “ageing induced by persistent, underlying inflammation that ultimately exhausts the skin’s defence system. This weakens skin structure, results in the degradation of collagen and elastin and impairs the skin’s barrier function.”

● Inflammation is the skin’s defence mechanism, a way the skin protects itself. It accelerates the ageing process when it’s affected by physical or emotional stress.

● Acute inflammation is your skin’s immediate response to stress – this often results in certain skin conditions. 

● Chronic inflammation is usually caused by external stressors (bad diet, lack of sleep, constant work deadlines). Inflammaging is a chronic inflammatory response – in this case, skin ageing.

Skin changes caused by inflammaging

Here are some of the main changes you may notice due to inflammaging:

● Dehydration: The natural hyaluronic acid in our bodies has one important task: hydrate the skin. But when stress-related ageing occurs , skin becomes dehydrated and fine lines and wrinkles appear.

● Damage to Fibroblasts: Fibroblasts are the skin cells that produce collagen and elastin. But when skin becomes chronically inflamed, collagen and elastin aren’t produced effectively, so skin loses elasticity and firmness.

● Wrinkles: Skin loses its plumpness, resulting in the formation of lines and wrinkles.

Sometimes damage can show up in a particular area – like a weak spot – so look for targeted treatments for wrinkles above the lip or specific remedies for hyperpigmentation. It’s about acknowledging these areas and tackling them accordingly.

Clarins Precious La Crème boasts pro-results, with 85% of testers agreeing that within one month their skin’s radiance improved, along with wrinkle reduction and after three months of use, skin can appear up to five years younger. Powered by 92% natural origin ingredients with pro-ageing peptides, antioxidants, and soothing molecules offer a visibly plumper, renewed skin that is flooded with hydration.

Combatting stress-induced ageing

Not only can you reduce ageing from stress, but you can also take preventative measures. Here’s how to age gracefully:

Diet: choose anti-inflammatory foods and supplements

Reduce rapid ageing by making healthy eating and drinking water as natural as breathing. Eating food that lacks nutritional value, like junk food, can cause inflammatory responses to other body parts, not only the skin (we’re talking insulin resistance, an impact on gut health and hormones).

Choose anti-inflammatory foods to help your skin combat stress ageing. A well-balanced diet does more than reduce the signs of ageing; it also boosts your health and mental wellbeing.

Exercise: whatever makes you feel good

Get that body moving to reduce rapid ageing. Less strenuous options include walking, swimming and cycling when the weather’s good or, when it’s cold, using one of the numerous exercise apps for yoga, barre, HIIT, Ring Fit, whatever floats your exercise boat.

Sleep: beauty sleep is real

We often forget how important sleep is to our health. Disrupted sleep plays havoc with your skin and causes even more stress. Research has proved the importance of good quality sleep. When you aren’t well-rested, this shows on your face.

The body needs seven to eight hours’ sleep. If you don’t get enough, this will affect your immune system and make it harder to cope with stress. It can also increase anxiety and depression and can lead you to fetch the biscuit tin – as you’ll crave sugar to keep you going.

Meditation and relaxation: take control

Train yourself to relax through meditation or breathing exercises or find a calming activity or hobby. Make this a routine first thing in the morning or before going to sleep – or anytime you start to feel the pressure build.

Spa sessions

A bit of pampering has a whole host of benefits. Whether that’s a home-spa session or booked with a pro – both will have you levitating in no time. Plus, getting the lymph system moving and the blood circulation going is beneficial in getting a good glow and radiant complexion.

How to slow ageing

One of the most effective methods of preventing inflammaging and treating it is using quality natural skincare products. This not only improves your skin’s appearance and minimises the signs of ageing; it also prevents inflammaging from reoccurring.

Skincare routine

If your skin is having an inflammaging moment, try not to stress the epidermis further. Take a calm and gentle approach. Avoid hot cloth cleansing regimens, granular scrubs, and super strong retinols. Also avoid hot water, hot steam and hot yoga.

Instead, reach for calming and nurturing products – we recommend the Calm Essentiel range. It’s not only superb for sensitive skin – the formulas have been specifically designed to combat skin dryness, irritation and redness. In addition, there are a minimum of 95% natural origin ingredients in each product plus the key ingredient, clary sage, which is a great anti-inflammatory.

The range includes the Soothing Emulsion, which hydrates and soothes skin and the Redness Corrective Gel, which protects, hydrates and reduces redness. Finally, for intense nourishment, there’s the Restoring Treatment Oil. 

Skincare products

“Sampling is a great way to test whether the skincare product will decrease inflammation,” says Charlotte McHale, Clarins Training Manager. “It’s the reason we offer samples so generously – we want people to make the right decisions about their skincare.”

To help fortify the skin and diminish the signs of ageing, Clarins Beauty Coaches recommends using the Cryo-Flash Cream Mask, a cooling crean face mask inspired by the latest cryotherapy techniques that transforms the skin in just 10 minutes. She calls this her “Friday night mask” because “it resets my face for the weekend and makes my skin more youthful and radiant.”

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