According to experts, these 5 things will make your skin look older

Maturity is a basic, indisputable inescapable truth, and we are collectively meant to claim it. That being said, it is important to recognize the characteristic and unusual causes of aging. Internal things, like time and genetics, are beyond our control. However, extrinsic factors – a long list of external factors that directly affect our skin – are within our control. We're familiar with the well-known ones, like sun exposure, but there are many other seemingly harmless behaviors and activities that can age your skin. Seven of these surprising causes of skin aging are mentioned by our skincare experts.

Sleeping in Your Makeup

If you don't wash your face before bed, you're setting yourself up for breakouts and clogged pores. But did you know that doing so can also make your skin look older? Dr. Jessica Wright, a dermatologist and surgeon who runs Rejuvenate Austin, a med-spa in Austin, Texas, says these breakouts lead to skin inflammation, which makes aging worse.

Second, she adds, applying an antiaging serum or lotion at night won't work as well if you don't cleanse your skin thoroughly.

Overzealous Makeup Removal

Also, how you wash your face is important. It is important to understand your skin, especially the skin around your eyes, as a sensitive tissue. "Don't pull or stretch that skin," warns Dr. Wright, as doing so can ultimately increase the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

She recommends washing your face in the shower to avoid over-scrubbing. After keeping your skin very wet for about five minutes, do the following two steps: 1) remove your makeup with a mild micellar water, and 2) wash away any dirt or oil with a mild cleanser.

Snacking on Sugar

Do you remember how we talked about inflammation as a cause of aging? Sugar causes inflammation in the body, including in the skin. 1 "This inflammation causes collagen to break down in the skin, ultimately leading to the appearance of wrinkles and aging skin," says Devika Ice Creamwala, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Berkeley, California.

Advanced glycation end products, or AGEs for short, are produced when proteins or lipids are exposed to high blood sugar levels. This process starts with the use of sugar. Because your immune system doesn't recognize these molecules, inflammation occurs, causing all of your cells to age," continues Dr. Wright.

Although it's easier said than done, we'll say it anyway: limit your sugar consumption, opt for cell-boosting natural products when a sweet craving hits (or possibly, dairy). Choose dark chocolate over chocolate).

Sun Exposure, Even in Snippets

Well, we all know that being in the sun ages you, but do you know how quickly a few minutes spent in the sun without clothes adds up? Consider all quick trips to the supermarket. According to Brooke Greenery and Lauren Sudnick, fellow doctors of dermatology and the creators behind The Skin Sisters, “It adds a few minutes of sun exposure, while you're out, for a while, to mature UVA. Even beams that pass directly through it. Your car window glass."

Your best bet for checking accidental, surprise breakouts is to apply sunscreen regularly every day, even if you're not inside all day, the sisters say. For quick, on-the-go touch-ups, he also recommends keeping a powder sunscreen in your car.

Pursing your Lips

According to Dr. Wright, "About 90% of my patients have small vertical lines around the lips, smoke lines, even though they have never smoked." So what gives? Those Perma lines are formed from repeatedly teasing your lips, without even realizing it.

According to Dr. Wright, drinking from a straw also causes these lines. Since tightening your lips is often necessary, consider a neuromodulator infusion like Botox to loosen the muscle so the growth is less noticeable.