By Katina Gilmore, RN, LE
Licensed Esthetician and Registered Nurse
When we talk about aging skin, the conversation often goes straight to products. What serum are you using? Do you need a retinoid? Should you add another treatment?
But some of the most important influences on how our skin ages have very little to do with what is sitting on our bathroom counter.
I like to remind people about four S’s that can contribute to premature skin aging: sun, sugar, smoking and stress.
They sound simple, but what they do to the skin over time is worth paying attention to.
Sun
Melanin gives Black skin some natural protection from ultraviolet radiation, but it does not make our skin immune to sun damage.
Repeated UV exposure contributes to photoaging, including changes in pigmentation, texture, elasticity and collagen. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends sun protection for people of every skin tone and identifies sun exposure as one of the major contributors to premature skin aging. (American Academy of Dermatology)
For melanated skin, the conversation around sun protection also needs to include concerns that matter specifically to us. Hyperpigmentation can become more persistent when skin is repeatedly exposed to UV radiation, which is one reason sun protection belongs in a well-rounded skin-health routine.
And sunscreen is not the only tool. Shade, hats, protective clothing and simply being mindful of prolonged exposure all count.
Sugar
Sugar is an interesting one because its effect on the skin is happening where you cannot necessarily see it.
A process called glycation occurs when sugars interact with proteins in the body. Over time, advanced glycation end products, often called AGEs, can affect proteins including collagen and elastin, the very structures that help give skin its strength and resilience. (PubMed)
That does not mean you can never enjoy dessert again.
It means skin health is connected to whole-body health. What we consistently eat matters, just as what we consistently apply to our skin matters. The American Academy of Dermatology also notes that diets containing large amounts of sugar or refined carbohydrates may accelerate skin aging. (American Academy of Dermatology)
As an Esthetician and registered nurse, this is where I believe the conversation about skin health can become much more comprehensive. Skin does not exist separately from the rest of the body.
Smoking
Smoking is one of the clearest lifestyle factors associated with accelerated skin aging.
Tobacco smoke contributes to oxidative stress and affects the collagen and connective-tissue systems that support the skin. Research has associated smoking with premature wrinkling and changes in skin quality, and dermatologists routinely include smoking cessation among their recommendations for reducing premature aging. (PubMed)
This is another reminder that healthy skin is not only cosmetic.
Sometimes what we see externally is giving us information about what is happening internally.
Stress
And then there is the S that many of us underestimate: stress.
The occasional stressful day is part of being human. Chronic stress is different.
Research examining lifestyle and skin aging suggests that chronic psychological stress can affect skin-barrier recovery, inflammatory signaling and other processes involved in healthy skin function. The evidence in this area is still developing, but there is enough to remind us that rest, sleep, emotional wellness and stress management deserve a place in conversations about skin health. (PubMed)
You cannot always eliminate the things that cause stress. But you can become more intentional about how your body recovers from them.
Skin Care Is Bigger Than Skin Care
One of the things I want people to understand is that beautiful, healthy skin is not created by products alone.
Products have their place. Professional treatments have their place. A knowledgeable Esthetician can absolutely help you understand and care for your skin.
But we should also be talking about what happens between appointments.
How much unprotected sun exposure are you getting? What does your nutrition look like most days? Do you smoke? Are you chronically stressed and sleeping four hours a night?
Sometimes the next step in a skincare routine is not another bottle.
It is looking at the whole person.
For Black consumers, that broader perspective matters. Melanated skin deserves care that takes our specific skin concerns into account while also recognizing that the skin is part of a living, functioning body.
That is where skin care becomes skin health.
Which of the four S’s do you think may be affecting your skin the most right now?
Has anyone ever explained to you how your everyday habits can show up in your skin?
About Katina Gilmore
Katina M. Gilmore, RN, LE, is a Licensed Esthetician, registered nurse and esthetics instructor with more than a decade of experience and a particular focus on Afro-ethnic skin.
Before becoming a licensed skincare professional, Katina began as a self-taught botanical cosmetic formulator. Building on her background in health education, she went on to earn her Esthetician license, registered nursing license and esthetics instructor license in Texas within a five-year period.
As a registered nurse, Katina has trained and worked in aesthetic dermatology services including medical laser hair removal, body contouring and cosmetic injectables, and has also completed training in electrolysis hair removal.
In 2016, she founded The Black Estheticians & Skin Therapists Association, or The B.E.S.T. Association, as a space for Black skincare professionals to connect, share their experiences and challenge one another to “level up.”
She is also the founder of The Skin Health Coach and The COCO Pod Skincare and has served as a faculty speaker at the Nuekie Skin of Color Conference.
Katina describes herself as a CEO: Confident Esthetics Operator.
