Left: Sheetal Rawal, scientist (human genetics) & founder of Apsara Skin Care
By: Marty S.
Achieving flawless, youthful skin and hair is not an easy challenge to conquer. Not only are there things that you must do regularly, but there are also some things that you absolutely must avoid. These could be regular habits that you might not be aware of until now. One tiny mistake could set your skin and hair back immensely. Too many mistakes could make you even more prone to early aging than ever before.
Does that sound stressful? Well, it doesn’t have to be! While there are some early aging habits that are fairly common, they are also easy to address once you have the right knowledge and strategy. Therefore, achieving flawless, youthful skin and hair may not be as difficult as you think. Below you will find 5 lifestyle habits that will definitely result in early aging. (If you would like more tips to improve the health, well-being, and youthfulness of your skin and hair, click here and here.)
1. Getting Too Much Sun Exposure
While some amount of sunlight every day is good for you (due to its Vitamin D benefits), you should be vigilant with how much sun exposure you’re getting. Too much sun 
exposure can cause “photoaging,” which is another term for early aging.
There are two reasons why a lot of sunlight can be harmful to youthful skin. First, because UVA rays deeply penetrate the skin, they can break down collagen and elastin fibers. Collagen and elastin are two proteins that are essential for youthful skin; they are what keep your skin tight and supple. Thus, without these proteins, your skin is far more likely to develop lines, wrinkles, and other signs of early aging.
Second, UVB rays (and, to a lesser extent, UVA rays) can damage your skin cells’ DNA. Too much disruption with your skin cells may cause skin cancer to form, which is never a good sign for the health of your skin. Moreover, UVB rays are responsible for sunburns, which is caused by an overproduction of melanin. When your body produces too much melanin, you might start to develop skin issues like hyperpigmentation or age spots.
The easiest way to control your sun exposure is to stay out of sunlight whenever possible, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (when sunlight is the strongest). If you have to go out into the sun, make sure to bring a hat and some sunglasses to protect your eyes too! Another way is to use skin care products with antioxidants such as turmeric and sandalwood. While these products are not SPFs, they can help you and your skin because of their ability to mitigate free radical damage and keep your skin healthy.
2. Using Products with Environmental Toxins
Our environment can pose a significant threat to the health of our body, skin, and hair. By now, you should be well aware of how things like cigarette smoke, pollution, and pesticides can negatively impact your health and cause early aging. However, many people do not know that there could very well be environmental toxins inside your home too. For some, these toxins exist in the form of detergents, household cleaners, and air fresheners. Even though these products help you clean your home and make it smell much nicer, they are filled with harsh chemicals like phthalates and phenols. If you are exposed to environmental toxins regularly, you are increasing your toxic load, which, in turn, may accelerate the rate at which we age. These environmental toxins are also known as “gerontogens.”
If you want to reduce your exposure to environmental toxins, take a close look at your everyday household products. Opt for organic products or instead use natural ingredients like vinegar and baking soda; these can be just as effective without the use of harsh chemicals.
“This [product] is really natural...I use all natural products; that is something I so appreciate about this line...If you are anybody with any kind of skin type, I really feel like this is for you.”
3. Experiencing Negative Emotions Regularly
We’ve discussed previously how powerful stress is to the health of your skin and hair. To summarize, if you are stressed regularly, you are placing a lot of pressure on your skin 
and hair cells. For example, stress can cause your body to produce cortisol, and it can also disrupt your hair’s natural growth cycle. This could result in issues like acne, early graying of hair, and hair fall.
Building on that point, we would like to say that experiencing negative emotions regularly is a detriment to youthful skin as well. Emotions like fear, guilt, and resentment are all various forms of stress on your body, so allowing these emotions to linger can take a toll on your skin and hair cells and lead to early aging.
4. Not Taking Enough Time to Rest & Reflect
This brings us to our next point. If you are letting those negative emotions build up inside of you, they can lead to early aging and ruin your outlook on life. Therefore, it is important to take some time to rest and reflect, both for your sake and for your skin and hair. By giving yourself time to relax, you are reducing your stress levels, letting go of negative emotions, recharging your mental “battery,” and learning how to better appreciate life.
Many people think that this period of time is all about meditating and centering yourself. While this could work for some, all that matters is doing something that makes you happy and calm. This could be reading, going for a walk, listening to the radio, et cetera. Your relaxation time does not even have to be alone time. If it is easier for you to rest and reflect in the company of others, then we say, “Go for it!”
Finally, relaxation time should become a proper appointment in your schedule; if you are only taking time for yourself once in a blue moon, you aren’t doing it enough. Planning your relaxation time sounds counterintuitive, but it will help keep you accountable. Some people might need a daily appointment while others may only have time to relax once a week. Whatever works best for you and your schedule will be key.
If you are feeling even just a little bit more relaxed than when you started, that could only mean good things for your skin and hair.
If you would like tips to eliminate hair issues like early graying and hair fall, make sure to watch this video where Sheetal will share with you her personal lifestyle tips. Enjoy and don’t forget to subscribe to my channel!
5. Using Too Many Medications for Minor Illnesses
Thanks to modern medicine, we now have access to countless drugs and medications to alleviate illnesses that would not have been possible decades and centuries ago. However, because of this abundance of medicine, there is a tendency to personally overdiagnose a small problem with medications. For example, rather than go to the doctor or allow our body’s immune system to kick in, some people use over-the-counter medicine to treat a small cold or flu. While it may be more convenient, taking medicine when it is not really necessary can have a huge impact on your health. Not only can drugs and antibiotics affect the state of your gut, but they can also put a lot of stress on your liver.
Your skin and hair are often the first signs that something in your body is not functioning properly. When your liver is damaged, its ability to eliminate toxins from your body is reduced. That is very problematic for your whole body, but as for your skin and hair, they become more prone to early aging. Thus, issues like lines, wrinkles, and early graying of hair are more likely to occur. In extreme cases like liver disease or cirrhosis, common symptoms include itchy skin and skin discoloration.
To avoid potential liver damage, you should only continue taking medications that are vital to your health. For less serious illnesses (for example, a headache or a cold), you should consult a doctor before taking any medications to see what will be the most benefit to you.
If you would like more advice for your skin care or hair care routine, fill out this form and Sheetal will respond to you soon.
Go natural. It is good karma!