How to Care for Your Skin After 40 Read more at Suite101: How to Care for Your Skin After 40: Ways to Remain Beautiful at 40 and Beyond http://derma

When your 40th birthday comes along, the signs of aging begin becoming more pronounced. The little flaws and imperfections which were once only noticeable in glaring light are visible even in the evening or in candlelight. What are the tell-tale signs of aging that begin to appear when you enter your fifth decade, what causes them and, most importantly, what can be done to diminish the signs of the life experience which has given you your wisdom? The visible signs of aging which occur at this age are:

• More wrinkles appear and existing wrinkles deepen.
• Collagen production begins to decrease.
• Skin's resilience and elasticity decrease.
• Sun damage, primarily in the form of discoloration, becomes more pronounced.
• Fluctuations in hormone levels cause changes in the production of sebum.

Unfortunately, there is no way to stop time and maintain the same complexion you had in your 20s, but slowing the advance of time and further signs of aging is possible.

How Can You Make Sure Your 40something Skin Looks Great?

It is more than genetics which allows one woman in her 40s to still get carded and another to offered a seat on public transportation. Looking your best after 40 means focusing on health and maintenance, beginning with the following basics:

1. Get your beauty sleep. Lack of sleep takes a toll on your appearance, your health and your spirit.
2. Get regular exercise. This maintains your weight, your circulation and your mood.
3. Eat a balanced, healthy diet. This is not just about weight—all of the anti-oxidants and phyto-nutrients in a healthy diet will be reflected in the appearance of your skin.
4. Minimize stress in your life. The influence of stress on your appearance and health is insidious.
5. Always use sunscreen. Damage from the sun and discoloration will appear more quickly as you age.
6. Getting enough anti-oxidants. They are not just hype. They fight free radicals (essentially mercenary electrons) which cause damage in all cells of the body, including the skin.
7. Re-evaluate the products you are using. Choose an age appropriate cleanser, a mild toner and perhaps switch from your old skin moisturizer to a glycolic acid moisturizer.
8. Exfoliate regularly. Exfoliation becomes more important as you age because of the slow down in cell turnover rate.
9. Add trouble spot specific treatments. Your dermatologist can tell you what will work best: facial chemical peels, facial dermabrasion, hyaluronic acid etc.
10. When menopause begins make sure that you regular get your hormone levels checked. Severe fluctuations in hormonal levels can give you breakouts, excessive facial hair and of course, mood swings.

Vigilant maintenance and proper skin care can give you skin at 40 that will have people thinking you are 10 years younger. There is no reason you can not look absolutely gorgeous at 40 and beyond. Proper maintenance is more important than when you were in 20 or 30. But a few minutes of your time two times a day with the right products will keep you looking fabulous. Focus on the inside out, feed your body with all it needs for proper health and nutrition. Then add a great skin care regimen. Follow your daily maintenance with make-up made for your age range. Step out and show the world that the Cougar Town slogan is right, 40 really is the new 20.

reference : http://dermatological-treatments.suite101.com/article.cfm/how-to-care-for-your-skin-after-40