GLAMOUR: Inflammaging Skin: Causes, Effects, and How to Prevent It.1
What is inflammaging?
“Inflammaging is known as a chronic, low-grade inflammation that is a crucial contributing factor to various age-related pathologies and natural processes in aging tissues and skin,” says Dr. Hu. In simpler terms, inflammaging is a term used to describe aging induced by chronic inflammation. “In the dermis, which is the thickest layer of our skin, inflammaging will break down the architecture of the skin,” Hu explains. “[It can] lead to the loss of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and other glycosaminoglycans (antiaging molecules) including chondroitin, which causes wrinkles and loss of elasticity in the skin.”
What are signs of inflammaging?
Inflammaging can be silent but harmful. A 2019 study found that skin diseases were ranked as the fourth most common cause of human illness, but many affected people did not consult a physician. However, when left untreated, inflammaging can have more than just a physical effect, according to Dr. Hu. “With a weakened skin barrier, your body would not be able to retain any water and you would be in a constant state of dehydration,” Dr. Hu warns. “The existence of chronic inflammation in the epidermis, the outermost layer of your skin, will damage the skin barrier and induce redness, dryness, or irritation.”
How can I combat inflammaging?
Ideally, you want to prevent inflammaging from happening in the first place. “Prevention is always better than treatment, and oftentimes more effective,” Dr. Hu explains. “Use sunscreen or products that contain antioxidants in order to prevent your skin from UV radiation and blue light, which are two factors that generate inflammation in your skin. Diet and nutrition are also important—it is best to eat a low-sugar diet and sip anti-inflammatory drinks such as green tea, black tea, and coffee.”
Dr. Hu was able to create a product for Acaderma specifically designed to combat inflammaging with ethical and local sustainability in mind. “Our Oasis Barrier Booster is an anti-inflammaging and soothing serum that repairs skin barriers by eliminating inflammatory factors,” Dr. Hu explains. “It reduces irritation caused by harsh exfoliating acids, antioxidants, and other irritating chemicals. It contains kinkeliba, a plant found in the Saharas, that works to heal inflammation and damage to the skin barrier. Our partner, Agribusiness in Sustainable Natural African Plant Products, organizes local women to harvest kinkeliba leaves in the right season, and they are shipped to our labs for testing and extraction.”
