A Younger You

Age Defying Options For Men

With the ubiquitous cosmetics designed for women, who says men
don’t need stuff like such? Covertly or not, men put some effort to
make them look good. And staying young, too!

As the common notion says, men become vainer as they get old. But a
lot are hiding this need as this is not too manly for a man. However,
the developments of this generation have helped lessen that
masculinity notion.

In 2005, more than a million American men underwent skin

treatments, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Adding to that is the 44% upsurge in the slightly invasive procedures
in which men underwent from 2000 to 2005. Vanity has indeed taken
its strike to more men.

But what are the exact things men should do and improve for the
vanity of looking young to take effect?

Age-defying Skin Treatments

While diet can be very helpful for men to look young and well-rested,
men can also do this by some skin treatments that do not require a
needle and a knife.

Men may try microdermabrasion. In this procedure, the surface of skin

that contains astounding number of dead skin cells are removed with a
vacuum suction device. Together with a mild chemical crystal
formulation, microdermabrasion aids in revitalizing the complexion,
lessen ultra-fine wrinkles, help cosmetics to be absorbed more, and
make skin glowing young. This 30-minute procedure results to a more
evenly textured skin.

Men may also use chemical peels. These topical products allow peeling
of damaged surface of skin. Chemical peels excite production of
collagen making the skin firmer with improved texture and with a
reduction of surface lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and sun damage. It
makes look more relaxed, energetic, and young. More men tend to
seek for light chemical peeling which is by the way one of the most
common skin treatments among men.

However, this light chemical peeling has to be redone for the effect to
last for more than a few months. A medium peel’s effects persist about
a year.

Another skin procedure men may choose is the light skin rejuvenation.
This procedure invigorates the face using light-based devices such as
noncutting laser beams that sendoff pulsed energy to the skin. Light or
laser skin rejuvenation also fuels the growth of collagen to give a
firmer skin.

While it does not use of any harsh chemicals, it can reduce lines and
help give men a revitalized aura. Despite the fact that it can redden
the skin for a little while after the procedure, this procedure requires
no extreme aftercare. Really good news for men.

Another manly option

For a man who is committed to delaying the course of aging, a regular

exercise is a must-do. According to the American Heart Association, for
a man to build endurance and strength, he should perform eight to 10
types of workouts to be repeated eight to 15 times, and to be done
thrice in a week.

An astounding number of studies have shown that a regular exercise

fights the thrashing of muscle strength, endurance, and the reduction
of muscular and bone density that tends to worsen as men age. In
addition to its health benefits, a regular exercise can also make a man
a magnet among girls, which quite explains why a lot have been going
to the gym.
Combat Aging Wisely
Suddenly, looking in the mirror is a burden. Suddenly, you don’t go
out that much. The sight of crow’s feet haunts you even if you don’t
have them. Face it, you’re aging.

Technically, aging means a process that includes changes in the

structure and elasticity of the skin over time. Usually, it starts as early
as your late teenage years and may start as late as in your late
twenties. Our skin does a lot of things.

It analyzes sensations such as pressure, pain and touch. It also

protects us from the environment, helps balance fluid and electrolytes
and most of all, helps in the regulation of our body temperature. With
that said, our skin is clearly overworked. The least we can do is protect
it from further harm.

Aging is majorly caused by either of these two: normal physiological

aging (no matter what we do, we will wrinkle in time) and UV exposure
(accounts for 95% of the wrinkles that you might have now). The
enemy that we have to combat is the UV exposure. How can we beat
it?

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

There are three kinds of UV rays: the UVA, UVB and UVC. These are
graded according to their wavelength. The longest wavelength rage
are UVA rays and the shortest, UVC rays.

UVA wavelengths are almost harmless. The hazard is not non-existing

but it’s highly negligible. Sunlight, when passing through ordinary
glass contains UVA wavelengths. Short UVA wavelengths are those
used for sun/UV tanning.
However, this form of tanning is not completely safe. It still exposes
your skin to UV rays and hastens its aging. Also, around 50% of skin
cancer is acquired through sun tanning.

UVA does not damage DNA directly, unlike UVB and UVC. It doesn’t
cause sunburn but it can penetrate deeply. UVA can produce reactive
chemical intermediates which can harm the DNA such as hydroxyl and
oxygen radicals. UVA rays damage the collagen fibers of your skin.

Next, let’s talk about UVB. Your skin can only take small amounts of
UVB rarely. Meaning, no matter how small the exposure is, it is
dangerous if it’s every day. UVB, like UVA, can deplete the Vitamin A
in your skin. Unlike UVA, UVB light causes DNA damage directly.

It awakens the DNA molecules in the skin cells, causing a modification

on the DNA’s growing strand. This is a mutation that is commonly
found in most skin cancer cases. UVB also causes collagen damage,
albeit slower than UVA.

UVC is the least penetrating since the outermost portion of your skin,
the epidermis, is made of dead cells. This portion protects you from
UVC. UVC is quite damaging to living cells and has burning effects.

ARM YOURSELF

The best that you can do to combat these culprits is to wear sun
block/sunscreen every day. The higher the SPF (Sun Protection
Factor), the better. Experts suggest wearing sun block/ sunscreen with
at least SPF 15 for everyday use.

However, if you are at the beach, or biking, or hiking, your sun block
should have a minimum of SPF 30. It’s like having 15 layers of skin
every day or 30 layers of skin when you are heavily exposed to the
sun.

Don’t think that if there’s no sun you can steer clear from UV damage.
Wear sunblock EVEN IF there is no sun. Remember that the stronger
UV rays can penetrate through the clouds and these can still damage
your skin. These are the rays that you should protect yourself from.
Also, some bulbs contain UV rays, albeit weaker. So even if you’re just
indoors, it’s still advised to wear sunblock.

There. That is just everything you need to fight aging. Remember to

keep the principles handy. First, learn about your enemy and then arm
yourself. It’s the “art of war”… of beauty war.

On Being YOUNG
One can never stop the passing of time. Hence, aging is inevitable. But
being and looking old now seems to be just an option. One can still
have the better option, and that is to feel and look young. But what
does this ideal really mean? Is it limited to a radiant skin and wrinkle-
free skin? Is it just the absence of the torment of arthritis?

Definitely not. Staying young encompasses a wide range of ideas and

includes more good conditions than the aforementioned. Being young
comes from the mind, body, and the heart.

Being sharp

As people age, they tend to be less smart, alert, and intelligent.

Compared to a young grade-schooler, an old person can hardly recite
the multiplication table with ease, speed, and accuracy. This is
because as they age, neurons weaken and lessens its ability to recall
facts and details. To avoid this and be young in the mental capacity,
people should do few good things.

Meditating, resting well, and getting enough sleep help brain to be at

ease. Playing board games like chess, scrabbles, and word factory can
help boost your brain. Eating a healthy diet with less cholesterol is
helpful.
Doing moderate aerobic exercises can produce Brain-Derived
Neurotrohic Factor (BDNF) that maintains a healthy neuron. BDNF is a
protein that acts on certain neurons of the central nervous system
(CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that aids in the
survival of existing neurons. Adding to that, BDNF encourages the
growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses.

Being Healthy

Being young is almost synonymous to being healthy. If one is at his

optimum health, he is sure to look and feel good, which is by the way,
how many define being young. As we all know, to be healthy is to
guard your own body. Eat more nutrient-packed greens, more Omega-
3 containing fish, and other healthy stuff like whole-grains, tomatoes,
milk, fruits, and water.

And of course, less foods containing tons of cholesterol (burger

patties, barbecues, fries) and sodium (chips, MSG, salt). Exercising for
at least ten minutes a day, avoiding stress, and a regular visit to a
doctor are of great help to staying healthy.

Being young wouldn’t be complete without a healthy skin. As the

body’s largest organ, it can tell how well your health is and how well
you are aging. Eating at least 5 serving of anti-oxidant rich fruits and
vegetables, sipping anti-oxidant rich green tea, and drinking at least 8
glasses of pure water a day are of prime necessity.

Not to mention, a smile can really deceive others of your age.

Being optimistic and vigorous

Having an encouraging, dynamic, and balanced approach or outlook

towards your individual and collective possibilities is a healthy
advantage. Not only does it provide you with better results in what you
seek, it also gives your youthful energy a boost.
Optimism and vigor shape a huge part in the expansion of your
emotional life. If you wish to live well and young, you will have to
remove the self-defeating pessimism from your mind, and replace with
a constructive attitude.

Being young is also being optimistic and vigorous, and that requires
more of us than exhibiting a compelled smile and telling yourself, “you
can do it.” Being young is living your life at full capacity, and we can
only go beyond what we think we can if we expand ourselves rather
than holding yourself back, and rather than putting you forward. After
all, who got blinded by looking at the brighter side of life?

Indeed, being young is also skin-deep. And because it is, you should
examine a little more within you to know whether you too can feel and
look young. And if you will, the inside will radiate a more beautiful
being.

Say Hello to A Forever Young You

As you grow older, your priorities become redirected. Before, the
greatest problem you could possibly have is what to wear on your
school/ office wash day. Fast forward, the hurdle you’re facing is a 2-
year old child. Fast forward again, you look in the mirror and realize
that all those worrying and “problematizing” finally took their toll on
your skin.

It’s about time that you know yourself more and pay less attention to
your outside appearance. After all, what really matters is how you feel
inside. A rich man can feel that he still needs to get richer; so in
principle, he is not rich at all.

However, a poor man can be more contented than a millionaire and at

the end of the day, the poor man becomes happier. Let’s cruise
through what keeps one young by not applying a wonder cream or
doing a wonder work-out.

MEDITATE

The day-in, day-out stress will make you feel like “slipping away” from
the things which used to make you happy and things which used to
make you feel like a child again. Rekindle these good memories by
meditating at least ten minutes a day.

Take some time to detach yourself from the world and think. You don’t
need to philosophize deeply or to draft your next blog entry. Just enjoy
some silence and a piece of world peace.

Choose a ten- to fifteen-minute break in your day. Just a short while.

You have twenty-four hours a day. Surely you can find or MAKE time
for some productive self-healing.

KEEP A DIARY

A diary is a very important tool for a writer. However, even if you’re

not a writer or even if you are not a grammar expert, it is also
advisable to keep a diary. A diary is an outlet. It is a friend which will
listen, will not judge and handy also. A diary is a tool of letting-go of
the bad things that have happened to you which pull you back from
moving forward.

You need to pass on some of your worries somewhere so you can

focus to more important things like the relationships around you and
the smallest get-happy detail of your everyday life. Keeping a diary
also is like keeping a record of your psychological states. There are
people who freak out when they realize that they’re starting to age
and surely you don’t want to be one of them.
Don’t look at it as a task. Just write whenever you want to. Even in the
middle of the night. Isn’t it just neat that someone will listen to every
detail of your nightmare and not brand you a lunatic?

HAVE A DATE WITH YOURSELF

The most important person in your life should still be yourself EVEN IF
you have aged. Remember when you were younger, when all you
wanted was the latest gadget and the in pair of jeans? That’s exactly
how you should still feel, albeit being more mature. Try not going into
the selfish path; that’s too much.

Watch a movie alone; save yourself from the pains of having to

explain to someone how the plot should have gone. Devour your
favorite cake alone, go shoe-shopping alone, brim in front of the
mirror and say “I’m the king/queen of the world”! Err, please
remember to do the last thing alone too. Please. It’s for your own
good.

When you were young, it was all about you. Now that you’re older, let
it still be all about you. The secret to staying young is all in the mind.
You don’t even need to get out of your home, right? There’s no use
studying what certain chemicals can do to save your skin while not
learning to know, love and embrace yourself. Your beautiful, ethereal
self.
Keeping Skin Youthful
The young rushing to grow old and the old doing all that it takes to
stay young is one of the most observable ironies in life. Well, blame
the latter to vanity, or, perhaps, let’s be thankful for it.

So that this time, it would be vanity’s chance to strike ‘coz staying

young is just a simple routine that would spell a huge difference. And
to boost this regimen, some experts share relevant tips for a younger-
looking skin.

Clean face properly

Remove all traces of cosmetics on your face by using cotton balls and
moisturizing cream. Using lukewarm water (that also opens pores for
deeper cleansing) and a soap-free, non-comedogenic, and mild
cleanser, gently rotate your middle and pinky fingers upwards avoiding
hard rubbing that could damage your skin. Make sure hands are clean
to prevent spreading bacteria and dirt which can worsen acne and
other skin problems.

Massage face wash on skin for about 60 seconds to wipe away dirt,
bacteria, pollutants, and product residue. Rinse at least three times to
remove residues that will clog our pores. After patting skin dry, use an
alcohol-free toner that preferably contains glycolic acid or alpha
hydroxy acid. These acids can reduce the size of you pores and can
give you instant results.

Use soap on select areas

To maintain the softness of skin, soap should be applied only on select

areas--your face, underarms, feet, groin, and buttocks. These are the
areas that need the cleansing effects of soap so other areas won’t be
unnecessarily stripped off of its natural skin oils. Some experts say
that rinsing other areas with water alone is enough to make them
clean.

Moisturize while you wash

Moisturizing after cleansing is absolutely necessary. Washing the face

can aggressively remove the natural oil of the skin. Moisturizing after
cleansing will replenish the necessary oil that was lost. Use products
which contain the number of harsh additives. Pure Vitamin E and aloe
Vera oil can be applied too for intensive moisture treatment. Just open
a capsule and apply directly on skin for that intense moisture you
need.

Let moisturizer be absorbed well

Set moisturizer for at least three minutes before applying makeup.

This will let your moisturizer to be completely absorbed and will help
our makeup to last all day.

Clean a damp face, not a dry one

Use cleansers on damp skin. According to Dr. Mary Lupo, a professor

of dermatology at Tulane University, cleansers are more likely to be
irritating if applied on dry skin. This will also lock in moisture.

Splash face with cold water before a makeup

This helps shrink pores and is a trick used by makeup artists to help
makeup glide on seamlessly. Moreover, smaller pores give little space
for pollutants and cosmetics to reside, hence, a more radiant skin.
Apply products properly

The effectiveness of products depends chiefly upon its penetration

unto the skin. For better absorption of ingredients, follow this
sequence: toner, serum or treatment products (like retinoids),
moisturizer, and sunscreen. This sequence will keep heavy formulas
from preventing lighter ones to be absorbed well.

Move your sun shade

Change the placement of your sunshade in your car. Move this to your
left to block UV rays while you are driving. If not, the left side of your
face would tend to look older than the other side because of the sun
damage. Nevertheless, place a shade wherever you are seated in your
car. It does not only protect your skin, but also that of your fellows.

Experts have done their share, so now it’s time to do yours.