All About Inflammaging

Premature skin aging is dependent on a variety of factors—genetics, diet, lifestyle and personal habits. There are also a variety of external factors that we can’t control that have a huge impact on your skin: environmental aggressors.

Things like sunlight, infrared rays, cigarette smoke and air pollution are considered environmental aggressors and they can contribute heavily to the detriment of your skin’s health by triggering a ‘silent killer’—chronic inflammation.

The Effects of Inflammation

Inflammation can be induced by many elements including disease, bacteria, irritants, even UV light and diet. Upon being exposed to these elements, acute inflammation is incited—beneficial in this stage as it triggers the body’s natural defenses that keep it healthy. Think about it like using a retinol-based product for the first time. You may experience anticipated reactions like redness, itching and peeling, which are actually a sign of good repair as your skin works to address the damage.

The issue presents itself when acute inflammation is not addressed and doesn’t go away. This persistent inflammation then becomes chronic and incredibly destructive to the skin. The constant, low-grade thrum of inflammation tires out your skin’s defenses, its ability to heal and renew itself. Over time, your skin’s appearance will begin to change as inflammation causes cell and tissue damage, also known as “inflammaging.” Signs of premature skin aging include an uneven skin tone, dehydration, dullness, and pronounced fine lines and wrinkles.

“The constant, low-grade thrum of inflammation tires out your skin’s defenses, its ability to heal and renew itself.”

Preventative Skincare

What is ZO’s solution to help protect the skin against signs of premature skin aging caused by inflammation?

Preventative skincare is the solution to preserving the skin’s natural reparative functions that help maintain, and extend, the skin’s youthful appearance. Using preventative skincare products along with corrective solutions helps ensure maximum results as the skin is not impeded by external factors from focusing on restoring the vital components need to optimize skin health.

Next-generation Daily Power Defense and new Illuminating AOX Serum, are specifically formulated to defend the skin against premature signs of aging by visibly addressing the effects of inflammation:

• Antioxidants – as the first line of defense against inflammation, they neutralize the effects of oxidative stress accumulated from internal and external aggressors. Read our post “The Importance of Antioxidants” to learn more about the role of antioxidants in skincare.

• ZO-RRS^2® – a plant stem cell complex, found exclusively in a number of ZO® products, helps to further neutralize free radicals while improving the appearance of skin redness.

• ZPOLY™ – a plant-derived polysaccharide complex, ZO’s newest exclusive technology infuses the skin with extended hydration while minimizing the signs of premature aging.