How sugar affects our skin and how we can treat it?
Added sugar is the single worst ingredient in the modern diet. Not only does is cause weight gain, and health issues it effects our skin as well!
Sugars are carbohydrates
Are like all carbohydrates they provide a source of energy for the body. During digestion, sugars such as lactose and sucrose are broken down into simple sugars. These simple sugars then travel through the blood stream to our cells. Here they provide energy to create proteins or get stored for later use. There is no nutritional difference between sugars, and your body will use all types of sugars in the same way. Sugar occurs naturally in all foods that contain carbs, including fruit! They are an essential source of energy.
Within our skin sugar is responsible for the process called Glycation. Glycation is the cross-linking of proteins and sugars to form non-functioning structures within the body.
Sugar increases blood insulin levels, which in turn triggers the process of enzymatic and hormonal reactions causing inflammation within the gut and skin. Glycation increases the number of inflammatory cells in our bodies, and this inflammation damages our skin. This creates the appearance of cross linked wrinkles, causes a loss of elasticity and the destruction of collagen due to glycated fibres that become less elastic with reduced regenerative abilities leading to skin damage.
Glycation also causes the formation of free radicals and oxidative stress which accelerate aging! The most affected proteins during Glycation is collagen (hence why the skin sags and becomes wrinkled). Its is also a powerful dehydrator. It affects our sebaceous flow and water levels in the skin. With a boost in oil production and a lack of water in the skin we not only have problems with a loss of elasticity, wrinkles, lackluster skin. May lead to increased possibility of breakouts!
So what can we do to prevent this?
It would be almost impossible to remove sugar 100% from our diets, but there are ways we can reduce our sugar intake and consume healthy amounts. Avoid processed sugars, opt for more nutritional options such as coconut or date sugar. Choose unsweetened almond milk instead of dairy, reduce your intake of fruit juices (they are high in sugar). Try and stay away from high sugar foods such as white bread, pastas and white flour, fruits like grapes, bananas and apples are high in sugar also. Opting for berries and green leafy vegetables will be more beneficial.
When it comes to treatments and Home Prescriptive products Sothys have numerous products that can help reverse the signs of Glycation and encourage the skin to function optimally. It is of course important to maintain a healthy balanced diet as well as have professional treatments to effectively treat Glycation, Acne, Rosacea, and Aging within the skin.
Exfoliation
twice a week, not only eliminates dead cells, helps brighten the skin, gets the blood flowing but it also allows the active ingridents of your serums and moisturises reach the lower levels of the skin. where they are most effective.
Sothys exfoliators, when exfoliating at home it’s great to spend at least 10 mins for the product to truly do its work.
Micro Gel Peel ,
Gentle grain peeling. A magical texture that transforms from a gel into an oil and then a milk. Leaving the skin feel as if you have had a mini facial at home.
DF Desquacrem Forte,
An original Sothys formula. This deep cleanser helps to remove stubborn impurities from the skin. Desquacrem has perfect affinity with the skin’s tissues. emulsifying biological waste accumulations excreted through the skin and environmental pollutants the skin would otherwise absorb.
Desquacrem, boosted with gypsophila root, digests fatty excretions, enzymatically emulsifying oily impurities, comedones (blackheads) and milia (hard waxy deposits).
Using a serum before your moisturiser gives you a really boost to re energisiging the skin. Try something new that packs a powerful punch. Sothys Youth serums, of which there are 7 to choose from, this way you can be sure to get the one that works for your specfic needs.
Full of peptides, antioxidants ,Hyluronic acid and AHA. This powerful detoxifying and energizing cocktail is an incredibly gentle and light-textured serum: the ideal boost to your skincare ritual. Skin regains its vitality and looks younger.
