We know what you’re thinking - what exactly is responsible for wrinkles in the first place? Where do they actually come from? And why do some people seem to never age? Well, there are two important factors that come into play to answer the question of what causes skin ageing: extrinsic and intrinsic factors. But what on earth does that mean, and is there anything we can do about them? 

What Causes Skin Ageing?

When it comes to skin and ageing, the two most important factors that come into play are extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Extrinsic factors are ones in your external environment that impact your skin - they’re not just what your skin is exposed to, but also the habits that you might have that are linked to speeding up the skin ageing process. 

Intrinsic factors are the ones we don’t have much control over - and no matter what we try to do to reverse ageing skin linked to intrinsic factors, it just might not be possible! But that doesn't mean there’s nothing to be done - after going over exactly what these factors are, we’ll discuss some tips for how to reverse ageing skin. 

Skin and Ageing: Extrinsic Factors & Intrinsic Factors

So, what causes skin ageing, exactly? What are these factors that come into play? Common extrinsic factors include smoking, UV light exposure, stress, and even whether or not you have a skincare routine at all. The great thing about these factors is that we can directly take the reins and control how large or how little the impact of extrinsic factors have on our skin ageing process.

The effects of extrinsic factors were noticed by researchers when comparing how identical twins aged - especially if one smoked and spent a lot of time in the sun. In almost all cases, the twin who was exposed to more extrinsic factors of ageing, such as having a smoking habit and tanning frequently, looked older and had more damage to their skin!

How to avoid ageing of skin starts with being aware of just how to limit exposure of these extrinsic factors to your skin. For example, minimising UV exposure starts with wearing sunscreen regularly and avoiding spending too much time in the sun.

The next question is - what are intrinsic factors and what is their relationship to skin and ageing? Intrinsic factors are unfortunately, the factors that we don’t have a lot of control over. They’re factors like genetics and age that no matter how well we eat or how much sun we avoid, they’ll still impact how our skin looks over time. 

How to Reverse Ageing Skin

The million dollar question: how can I slow down the skin ageing process? There are two main solutions we’d suggest - professional level skincare treatments and targeted anti-ageing skincare. 

1) Professional Treatments

Professional skincare treatments to minimise or slow down the skin ageing process can vary from chemical peels, to microdermabrasion facials and ultrasound therapy to naturally stimulate the collagen levels in your skin to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

Ultrasound therapy is a favourite of many because you don’t have as much downtime compared to microdermabrasion and peels - immediately after both of these treatments, skin can be irritated and red and needs special care in the days afterwards. 

Because ultrasound therapy affects the skin below the surface to support collagen levels, it doesn’t irritate or sensitise your skin!

2) Targeted Skincare

Some skincare products can achieve similar results over a much longer period of time - ingredients that boost cellular renewal such as AHAs and Retinol smooth out skin texture, boosting collagen production for radiant, youthful skin. 

Antioxidants also undo a bit of skin damage - especially the kind caused by the sun - but they also do double-duty to neutralise free radicals that can kick start the premature skin ageing process in the first place. 

3) Anti-Wrinkle Injections

The phrase 'anti-wrinkle injections' covers quite a few different cosmetic injectables that reduce the look of wrinkles. First, there are dermal fillers, which like their name sounds, fills the appearance of deep wrinkles with a hyaluronic-acid based solution. There are also muscle-freezing injections such as botox, that paralyze the muscle underneath wrinkles to reduce their appearance. Cosmetic injectables in Sydney are now available at the Beauty Affairs Sydney CBD MediSpa location, and additionally these anti-wrinkle injections are also available at the Beauty Affairs Brookvale location. 

So, now that we know how the two different ageing factors can affect our skin and how to prevent them, try our luxury skincare treatment sessions - these target treatments are the best way to boost your skin's defences against the signs of ageing.