Inflammageing is a major cause of visible signs of ageing, yet it’s often overlooked in traditional skincare approaches
Gone are the days when you could just pop a bit of cold cream on your face before bedtime and drift off, safe in the knowledge that you had done all you could to keep your skin feeling fresh.
Nowadays, we know there is much more at play from outside influences on how we look and feel. From overexposure to the sun, too much stress, alcohol consumption, excessive sugar, and lack of sleep, it can feel like an uphill battle when it comes to looking after our skin as we age.
And while it is every person’s right to age as naturally as they want, at a certain point, it becomes less about your aesthetic and more about how these things are ageing you from the inside out – via inflammation. This has become known as ‘inflammageing’.
What is Inflammageing?
As we age, our immune systems become less efficient and start reacting to normal, everyday things. Persistent inflammation (triggered by environmental stressors, our diet, lifestyle choices – and even our daily skincare routines) accelerates cellular damage and contributes to premature wrinkles, loss of elasticity and dullness. Anti-inflammageing treatments and skincare products are designed to calm the skin, protect it from further inflammation and restore youthful vitality.
Treatments and products targeting inflammation at its root may offer a groundbreaking way to maintain skin health, improve texture and slow down the ageing process. Visible signs of inflammageing usually start to show in your 40’s and 50’s but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take action earlier.
Here are some expert tips on how to manage and treat inflammageing as you get older:
Preventing and treating inflammageing at home
Dr Edel Woods – Founder of ORA Skin Clinic says: “While you can’t stop ageing, there are several steps you can take that will help to reduce inflammageing.
- Skincare products that include ingredients such as niacinamide (Vitamin B3), ceramides, peptides and antioxidants (Vitamin C, E) help reduce inflammation and prevent further instances of inflammageing.
- Eating an anti-inflammatory diet is also really important. Foods that are high in anti-oxidants like berries, leafy greens, nuts, and fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help lower inflammation.
- Spices like ginger, turmeric and garlic are all also known for their anti-inflammatory qualities and can easily be incorporated into your diet.
- Reducing alcohol and sugar intake is also really helpful, along with taking measures to reduce stress where possible.”
Preventing and treating inflammageing in a clinic
Emma Wedgwood – Founder of Emma Wedgwood Aesthetics says: “Again, in-clinic treatments to treat and prevent signs of inflammageing focus on treating its root cause – understanding what’s causing your inflammation and working to reduce that, whilst improving the overall health of your skin.
“Treatments such as LED light therapy, polynucleotides injections and medically-prescribed / devised reparative skincare regimens are fantastic in optimising skin health, treating inflammageing and preventing it occurring in your future years.
“For example, Red LED light penetrates into the skin to stimulate collagen production, reduce inflammation, and promote healing. It can be really beneficial for those dealing with skin conditions linked to inflammageing, such as rosacea or sun damage.”
Dr Sach Mohan – KOL for InMode says: “Morpheus8 is a popular InMode treatment that combines micro-needling with radiofrequency (RF) energy. It’s designed to target deeper layers of the skin with the needles to stimulate collagen production, tighten skin, and improve texture. This treatment helps reduce inflammageing at a cellular level while addressing other skin concerns.”
