There are many factors that contribute to the ageing process.

We are all aware that external influences can speed up ageing of the skin, such as: smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, stress, sun exposure and environmental toxins but the REAL cause of ageing is generally less known.

As we age, natural atrophy or ‘wastage’ occurs and all our body’s muscles weaken, so the signs of getting older become outwardly visible. Ageing is most noticeable on the facial area due to the fact that the face is the only area of the body where skin is directly attached to muscle.

Facial muscle is made up of 2 types:

1. White ‘fast twitch’ fibre (approximately 5% surface muscle) which we use whenever we cause facial movement. It produces no oxygen or nutrients and is ‘fed’ by the underlying postural muscle.

2. Red ‘slow twitch’ fibre (approximately 95% postural muscle) which is held in a permanently contracted state by brain to nerve signals, which also (through the blood stream) feed oxygen and other vital nutrients such as collagens, elastins, and essential vitamins to the epidermis keeping our skin soft, supple and firm.

During our teenage years, the brain signals that keep our muscles ‘tight’ gradually start to weaken, causing the red ‘slow twitch’ fibres to relax, become less contracted and lose firmness.

This ‘slowing’ down of postural muscle activity demands less blood flow, diminishing oxygen supply to the surface muscle, thus reducing the body’s capability to supply sufficient nutrients to the dermis and epidermis, therefore our skin becomes less nourished, our facial contours lose definition, our skin becomes duller, thinner, and eventually starts to sag……. All signs of ageing.