Understanding your skin

Dermatologists believe that up to 90% of skin ageing is caused by external factors - environment, lifestyle and UV damage. Stress, smoking, alcohol and UV light all produce free radicals, which are the skin's main enemy.

The body has its own anti-oxidant defence system that helps neutralise free radical damage, but as we age, this system starts to decline and our need for additional anti-oxidants increases.

Over time the skin's essential supportive structure starts to break down. Collagen fibres bundle together, elastin begins to lose its spring and this causes fine lines and wrinkles to appear on the skin's surface. The layer under the surface of your skin gradually loses density and blood capillaries become visible as the skin becomes more transparent.

In short, the older we get and the more exposed our skin has been, the more we need extra help to keep our skin supple and smooth and keep the ravages of time at bay.

Find out more about the skin's 7 deadly sins.