(NAPSA)—Take a close look in the mirror. Do you seefine lines, wrinkles and age spots on your forehead, cheeks and around the eyes and mouth? They maybe the result of all those hours spent in the sun. In fact, some believe that up to 90 percent of skin aging can be attributed to the sun. But it’s not the only culprit. Recently, scientists at Olay teamed up with the Women’s Dermatologic Panel on Aging Skin to find out what other factors play a role in skin aging. According to cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Maritza Perez, a member of this panel, “visible signs of aging are often evidence of ‘skin sins’— activities that may age skin prematurely. While we know about the damaging effects of the sun, there are other factors we haven't previously considered.” So, what are some of the other factors? Smoking: It’s the second biggest skin aging offender. Smokers are more likely to have wrinkles around the eyes and mouth, damaged cells and reduced blood flow. Skin can take longerto heal, which increases the risk of complications during surgery. Nutrition: Don’t panic about having a candy barhereor there; it won’t age your skin. However, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables filled with essential vitamins like A, B38, C and E mayhelp keep wrinkles away. Sleep: Getting ample shuteye affects skin’s appearance, right? Wrong! It’s not how many hours you get, rather the position you sleep in that’s more important. If you sleep in the fetal position every night, you may begin seeing creases on your face and chest. Over time, those temporary creases can turn into wrinkles. Certain “skin sins” may affect the way people age. Osteoporosis: Did you know there’s an association between having osteoporosis and sagging facial skin? The loss of bone density occurs in facial bone structure too. As the facial bones become smaller, skin drapes differently. So, what can you do if you’re beginning to see signs of aging? Consider using Olay Total Effects Intensive Restoration Treatment, designed to fight past damage in age-prone zones most visible on the face: the forehead, cheeks and around the eyes and mouth. This treatment, a combina- tion of skin-enhancing ProRetinol, (Retinyl Propinate) and Olay’s exclusive VitaNiacin (formula (Vitamin B3, E and Pro- Vitamin B5), works deep within the skin’s surface to reduce the appearance of age spots and diminish fine lines and wrin- kles—which can result from these “skin sins.” For more information and to evaluate your skin’s condition with the Olay Skin Aging Analyzer, an interactive personalized profiler designed to help assess “skin sins,” visit www.olay.com.
