How To Defy Aging Like A Celebrity - Part 2

With access to the most sought after skin and beauty experts (and endlessly deep pockets), it's no wonder that some celebrities look years younger than their real age. But we too can embrace some of their secrets to delay our own aging process.

When it comes to anti-aging, prevention is the key to younger looking skin. After identifying the causes of skin aging in the previous blog, simple lifestyle changes will be necessary to achieve anti-aging benefits.

1) Don't smoke

Smoking causes poor skin elasticity, stained teeth and smoker's lines around the mouth that can add years to our looks. It also affects fertility, increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers.

Image source : Bahman Guyuron, MD, Department of Plastic Surgery, University Hospitals Case Medical Center

 

Can you pick out the smoker ? Twin B smoked half a pack a day for 14 years, while her sister never smoked. Twin B also got more sun, damaging her skin from the outside, too. Eye bags, smoker's lines around the mouth and deeper wrinkles are more likely to develop in smokers.

 

2) Avoid sunlight exposure & always wear sunscreen

 

Years of getting too much sun can lead to early wrinkling and age spots, and makes us more likely to get skin cancer. For tips on how to properly apply sunscreen, do check out this previous article.

 

3) Exercise

 

More and more research shows that working out can help our brain, bones, heart, and skin look and act younger. Studies recommend moderate-intensity exercise such as brisk walking and cycling slower than 10 miles per hour three times a week for 45 minutes for anti-aging benefits. 

 

4) Good eating habits

 

Eating a well-balanced diet rich in antioxidants and low in simple sugars helps delay the aging process. Health guidelines recommend 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

 

5) Adequate rest

Penelope Cruz apparently gets anything up to 14 hours a night, while Catherine Zeta Jones and Renee Zelwegger swear it keeps them beautiful. Try going to bed early each night to optimize your natural secretion of human growth hormone, which promotes cell turnover. 

Having already practiced a healthy lifestyle, if more significant results are desired, there is always the option of seeking professional help from a licensed medical practitioner for cosmetic procedures. An important reason why some celebrities seem to defy aging is because they are proactive with cosmetic treatments. These celebrities usually come in at the first sign of a wrinkle to take care of it and never wait for serious damage to show up. In the last decade, there has been an introduction many non-invasive age-reversing treatments (Botox, dermal fillers and cosmetic lasers) that, when done in moderation, look extremely natural. Celebrities, predictably, were early adopters.

 

Photo credit : Michael Todaro/ Film Magic

Vanessa Williams admits to dabbling in Botox and schedules shots every three months. "I use it very sparingly," she says. "I want to look natural. I get it so I look serene." Yes, there's nothing so serene as a injecting diluted toxin into your forehead."