9 Ways to Support Healthy Skin Elasticity and Tighter Skin

9 Ways to Support Healthy Skin Elasticity and Tighter Skin

By: Samantha

Losing the elasticity and tightness of your skin is just part of the ageing process. While ageing is inevitable, your skin’s ageing process can be slowed down. 

Read on to learn more about your skin, your skin’s elasticity, and what steps you can take to support healthier, more youthful-looking skin.

About Skin Elasticity and Why is it Important?

Think of your skin as a rubber band—skin elasticity is what lets your skin bounce back to its original position when stretched. 

Skin elasticity starts in the dermal layer of your skin. Elastin—the fibrous protein found in the dermal layer—is what keeps your skin smooth, firm, and youthful. The dermal layer is then divided into the papillary dermis and the reticular layer. The reticular dermis contains elastin and collagen, which helps maintain elasticity.[1,2]

Lack of skin elasticity can lead to early signs of ageing, such as fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging of the skin.[2] 

What Causes Loss of Skin Elasticity?

When your skin loses elasticity, it’s called elastosis. Causes of loss of skin elasticity include[3,24]:

  • Ageing
  • Sun exposure
  • Smoking
  • Pollution and other environmental factors
  • Improper diet
  • Dehydration
  • Breakdown of collagen

How to Know if You Have Good Skin Elasticity

If you’re not sure if your skin could benefit from a little help to improve its elasticity, you can check with a simple test called the Snap Test. Just follow these steps:

  1. Take your forefinger and thumb and pinch your under-eye skin.
  2. If it snaps back quickly, your skin elasticity is good.
  3. If it takes time to get back to its original state, you have low elasticity.

How to Support Skin Elasticity

If you think your skin elasticity is lacking and could use a little help, no need to fret! There are steps you can take to help improve its elasticity. 

Here are 9 ways to support skin elasticity:

1. Protect Your Skin from the Elements

Environmental elements can play a role in your skin losing its elasticity. UV rays break down elastin, leading to early signs of ageing.[4] 

While sunscreen can’t turn back time, it can help protect your skin from further damage. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen in order.

2. Drink Plenty of Water

Hydration is vital for our health overall, but it could be additionally beneficial for your skin health, as well. Keeping hydrated from the inside out can help improve the softness and stretch of your skin. It also helps keep your skin looking youthful and plump, while also aiding in detoxification.[5]

While plenty of sources say to drink about 8 glasses of water a day, listen to your body. Drink when you’re thirsty, and stop drinking when you’re no longer thirsty. 

3. Proper Skin Care

Speaking of hydration from the inside out—be sure to moisturise your skin. It’s important in terms of preventing too much water loss from the surface of your skin.[6,7] Moisturising can also help with inflammation.[8] There are certain ingredients with hydrating properties you should look for in a quality moisturiser[9]:

  • Hyaluronic acid
  • Shea butter
  • Glycerin
  • Oils, such as argan, marula, and almond

Avoid drying ingredients, including:

  • Parabens
  • Fragrances
  • Alcohol
  • Talc
  • Phthalates

There are also additional skin care products or skin care services you can use to improve your skin. Including exfoliation in your skincare routine helps other products, like your moisturiser, to sink into the skin more effectively.[10,11] 

If you choose to incorporate exfoliation, follow these guidelines to prevent skin irritation:

  • Aim to exfoliate 1 to 2 times a week
  • Use a physical exfoliant (sugar or salt scrub) or a chemical exfoliant (alpha hydroxy acids)
  • Go slow and use gentle pressure
  • Always moisturise afterwards

Another thing you can do to help your skin is a facial massage. This help gets the circulation going in your skin and may help decrease puffiness and irritation.[12,13] Here are a few tips:

  • Make sure your hands are clean and use your fingertips
  • Use gentle pressure and circular motions
  • Focus on the areas around your eyes, cheekbones, and jaw

4. Get Plenty of Beauty Sleep

Sleep is your friend and can improve your overall health. When you’re sleeping, your body is going to work repairing itself, and that includes your epidermis. When you’re getting poor sleep, this can result in skin that ages faster.[14,15,16]

Try to get at least 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep every night.

5. Collagen Supplements

Collagen is a protein that is one of the main building blocks of our body’s connective tissue, including your skin. You can get collagen from traditional bone broth, but it’s not readily available in much else. Therefore, many people choose to go with collagen supplements in order to add more collagen to their regimen and give their body the amino acids it needs.[17]

Try HeyNutrition’s Collagen Complex delivers potent doses of nutrients to help promote your skin health, and much more. Our formula combines collagen with a superblend of ingredients to support your skin health and aid with skin elasticity, such as:

  • Hyaluronic Acid: An important molecule for skin hydration
  • Sea Kelp: Provides the body with a natural source of minerals, including iodine
  • Biotin: Helps nourish and support skin health
  • Vitamin C: Helps nourish skin and protect skin cells from oxidative stress 
  • Vitamin E: Contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress, and protects DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage

6. Vitamins for the Skin

Let’s expand a bit more on the vitamins that can benefit your skin health and elasticity. Some of the best vitamins for this include: 

Retinol and retinoids (vitamin A): These are important ingredients in anti-ageing products. They help boost collagen elastin levels, and help with skin turnover. You can usually find these as topical skincare products, such as creams and serums.[18]

Niacinamide (vitamin B3): Another important ingredient for anti-ageing, niacinamide has antioxidant capabilities and has been shown to help improve fine lines, wrinkles, and skin elasticity.[19]

Vitamin C: This vitamin is high in antioxidants and can boost your skin’s overall health. Typically, vitamin C levels are lower in aged and damaged skin.[20] Vitamin C supplements, like HeyNutrition’s Vitamin C Complex, can help enhance skin elasticity, reduce fine lines, and so much more. 

7. Foods Rich in Anti-inflammatories and Antioxidants 

Let’s continue on the antioxidant train. There are a handful of foods that are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Nutrient-rich plant foods can help promote healthy skin cells. So try incorporating foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, spices, herbs, teas, and algae into your diet.[21]

8. Moderate Exercise

Exercise does wonders for your health. One study found that moderate exercise could improve the appearance of your skin and reverse some of the skin cell changes that can lead to loss of elasticity. It can improve the metabolism of your skin cells, boost blood circulation, and helps keep the skin firm.[22]

9. Manage Stress Levels

Stress is inevitable and part of everyday life. Learning how to manage that stress, however, can lead to numerous benefits for your health and your skin’s appearance. 

When you’re stressed, the proteins in your skin change. Stress from your lifestyle or habits can further cause the skin to be damaged and show signs of ageing.[23] 

Try mindful practices to help reduce and manage your stress, such as yoga, meditation, journaling, exercising, or reading. 

Ready to transform your skin health, as well as your overall health? Check out HeyNutrition’s line of premium products by clicking here!

Consult with your physician before beginning any new dietary supplements.

Resources:

  1. Brown TM, Krishnamurthy K. Histology, Dermis. [Updated 2021 Nov 19]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535346/ 
  2. Ganceviciene, R., Liakou, A. I., Theodoridis, A., Makrantonaki, E., & Zouboulis, C. C. (2012). Skin anti-aging strategies. Dermato-endocrinology, 4(3), 308–319. https://doi.org/10.4161/derm.22804 
  3. Zhang, S., & Duan, E. (2018). Fighting against Skin Aging: The Way from Bench to Bedside. Cell transplantation, 27(5), 729–738. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963689717725755 
  4. Imokawa, G., & Ishida, K. (2015). Biological mechanisms underlying the ultraviolet radiation-induced formation of skin wrinkling and sagging I: reduced skin elasticity, highly associated with enhanced dermal elastase activity, triggers wrinkling and sagging. International journal of molecular sciences, 16(4), 7753–7775. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms16047753 
  5. Palma, L., Marques, L. T., Bujan, J., & Rodrigues, L. M. (2015). Dietary water affects human skin hydration and biomechanics. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 8, 413–421. https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S86822 
  6. Spada, F., Barnes, T. M., & Greive, K. A. (2018). Skin hydration is significantly increased by a cream formulated to mimic the skin's own natural moisturizing systems. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 11, 491–497. https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S177697 
  7. Harwood A, Nassereddin A, Krishnamurthy K. Moisturizers. [Updated 2022 Aug 21]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545171/ 
  8. Purnamawati, S., Indrastuti, N., Danarti, R., & Saefudin, T. (2017). The Role of Moisturizers in Addressing Various Kinds of Dermatitis: A Review. Clinical medicine & research, 15(3-4), 75–87. https://doi.org/10.3121/cmr.2017.1363 
  9. Fleck, C. A., & Newman, M. (2012). Advanced skin care – a novel ingredient. Journal of the American College of Clinical Wound Specialists, 4(4), 92–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jccw.2014.02.002 
  10. Santos-Longhurst, A. (2018, October 22). Meaning of exfoliating: What is it, why you should, and how to start. Healthline. Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/meaning-of-exfoliating 
  11. American Academy of Dermatology Association. (n.d.). How to safely exfoliate at home. American Academy of Dermatology. Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/safely-exfoliate-at-home 
  12. Miyaji, A., Sugimori, K., & Hayashi, N. (2018). Short- and long-term effects of using a facial massage roller on facial skin blood flow and vascular reactivity. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 41, 271–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2018.09.009
  13. Caberlotto, E., Ruiz, L., Miller, Z., Poletti, M., & Tadlock, L. (2017). Effects of a skin-massaging device on the ex-vivo expression of human dermis proteins and in-vivo facial wrinkles. PloS one, 12(3), e0172624. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172624 
  14. Oyetakin-White, P., Suggs, A., Koo, B., Matsui, M. S., Yarosh, D., Cooper, K. D., & Baron, E. D. (2015). Does poor sleep quality affect skin ageing?. Clinical and experimental dermatology, 40(1), 17–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/ced.12455 
  15. Tina Sundelin, MSc, Mats Lekander, PhD, Göran Kecklund, PhD, Eus J. W. Van Someren, PhD, Andreas Olsson, PhD, John Axelsson, PhD, Cues of Fatigue: Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Facial Appearance, Sleep, Volume 36, Issue 9, 1 September 2013, Pages 1355–1360, https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.2964 
  16. Oyetakin-White, P., Suggs, A., Koo, B., Matsui, M. S., Yarosh, D., Cooper, K. D., & Baron, E. D. (2015). Does poor sleep quality affect skin ageing?. Clinical and experimental dermatology, 40(1), 17–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/ced.12455 
  17. Proksch, E., Segger, D., Degwert, J., Schunck, M., Zague, V., & Oesser, S. (2014). Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin pharmacology and physiology, 27(1), 47–55. https://doi.org/10.1159/000351376 
  18. Mukherjee, S., Date, A., Patravale, V., Korting, H. C., Roeder, A., & Weindl, G. (2006). Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety. Clinical interventions in aging, 1(4), 327–348. https://doi.org/10.2147/ciia.2006.1.4.327 
  19. Levin, J., & Momin, S. B. (2010). How much do we really know about our favorite cosmeceutical ingredients?. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 3(2), 22–41. 
  20. Pullar, J. M., Carr, A. C., & Vissers, M. C. M. (2017). The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients, 9(8), 866. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080866
  21. Evans, J. A., & Johnson, E. J. (2010). The role of phytonutrients in skin health. Nutrients, 2(8), 903–928. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu2080903 
  22. Crane J, MacNeil L, Lally J, Ford R, Bujak A, Brar I, Kemp B, Raha S, Steinberg G, Tarnopolsky M (2015). Exercise-stimulated interleukin-15 is controlled by AMPK and regulates skin metabolism and aging, Aging Cell 
  23. Chen, Y., & Lyga, J. (2014). Brain-skin connection: stress, inflammation and skin aging. Inflammation & allergy drug targets, 13(3), 177–190. https://doi.org/10.2174/1871528113666140522104422 

Kim, S. H., Lee, S. J., Kim, H. J., Lee, J. H., Jeong, H. S., & Suh, I. S. (2019). Aging-related changes in the mid-face skin elasticity in East Asian women. Archives of craniofacial surgery, 20(3), 158–163. https://doi.org/10.7181/acfs.2019.00213

Samantha

Written by Samantha