How to Reverse the Biological Age of Your Skin—The Science-Backed Approach

You can change the Biological Age of your skin

Here's the only scientifically proven way

As a Nutritional Scientist it always amazes me how many false claims are made about how to keep our skin looking its best!

Let’s start by defining the term “biological age.” This refers to the age of your cells and is not to be confused with the term “chronological age,” which refers to the number of years you have been in existence. For example, one may be 45 years old chronologically but having taken great care to follow a healthy diet & lifestyle, their biological age may be as much as 10 years younger. How is this possible?  It all starts with understanding that our genetics are not our destiny!

We all come into this world with genes from each of our parents….and this is our genetics and our “book of life”. However our genetics do not control our health outcomes; we control which pages to read and this is called our epigenetics.

The way that we choose to live our lives can up-regulate good genes or bad genes depending on the choices we make.  When we up-regulate our good genes consistently we change and optimize the biological age of our cells.  No other organ in our body shows this more than our skin;  and this of course  is because our skin is the only organ we can see.

Now let’s get to how we change the biological age of our skin through optimizing our genetics. This is the part that gets confusing for a lot of people wanting to rejuvenate their skin and are reading  the latest “google” and “social media” trends. Most of what you read about skin rejuvenation on these platforms has no scientifically sound evidence which translates into a lot of products  and treatments  that do absolutely nothing to change the skin!

This honestly infuriates me as I hear of so many people  who feel so exasperated by their journey of trying to heal and rejuvenate their skin having spent hundreds, even thousands of dollars on products and treatments that don’t work.

I also want to comment on the effects of plastic surgery as well as botox & fillers.  These are  sought after treatments by men and women in order to gain a youthful appearance and while I have seen some great results with these treatments, remember that .....

Plastic surgery, neuro-modulators such as botox and facial fillers do nothing to change the quality and health of your skin!

Having said that; let's move on to what actually changes the biological age of our skin. Skin rejuvenation is not magic, it’s not even that complicated; it is based simply on science. When we first came into this world our skin was healthy and glowing. It is only with time and the effects of external factors (UV, pollution)  and internal factors (stress, poor nutrition) that our skin becomes depleted of essential vitamins and antioxidants.

All reactions in the body are nutraceutically driven. This means that all reactions require specific nutrients in order to proceed. Would it therefore not make sense that in order to slow down the aging of our skin and rejuvenate our skin (as with all other organs in the body) that all we need to do is replenish the key nutrients our skin has lost.  This is the science of skin rejuvenation.

In order to evoke change in any organ of the body, nutrients must be able to attach to our cells.  For our skin care, this means that the nutrient needs to be able to penetrate the skin and then  there needs to be what is called a receptor site on the cell wall for this nutrient to either act as a signalling molecule or directly absorb into the cell. This is really important, because some nutrients are essential for our skin but are unable to absorb into the skin.  Examples of this are zinc, manganese, and omega 3 & 6 fatty acids. We needs to ensure to optimize these nutrients in our diet. Conversely, there are many ingredients put into our skin care for which  there is no receptor site on the cell wall so they are unable to gain access into the skin cell and evoke change. Examples of this are chamomile, probiotics and essential oils.  

So what nutrients do attach to the cell wall and create changes in our skin cells? The most important nutrient for skin rejuvenation is Vitamin A. This essential vitamin binds to key receptors on the cell wall and has the direct ability to direct DNA repair (essential means that this nutrient is required by the body however the body cannot produce it). Right now there is a lot of talk about “natural retinol.” There is no such thing as natural retinol vs unnatural retinol. Retinol is a form of Vitamin A; that is about as natural as it gets. Again, very misleading and it makes no scientific sense to talk about “natural retinol.” Another mis-informing trend is plant-alternatives that claim to be "better than retinol".  If the molecule does not have the exact structure of Vitamin A it cannot bind to Vitamin A receptors on the cell wall. This means it will not have the ability to drive any reactions and create any rejuvenation within the skin cell.  

There are many other key nutrients the skin needs such as Vitamin E and Vitamin C. Given the amount of UV damage, pollution and other harmful chemicals we come in contact with I also recommend a high dose of antioxidants to protect and free radical damage. One of my favourite antioxidants is lutein (that beautiful red pigment in tomatoes) which is not only a powerful antioxidant but also increases the natural UV protection factor in the skin! When we supply the skin with these kinds of nutrients we up-regulate our good genes and optimize the health of our skin thereby affecting the biological age of our skin.

How much of these nutrients does my skin need?

That depends on several factors as everyone has different requirements for optimal skin health. The first factor is your individual genetics. This will tell us things such as how quickly your skin breaks down collagen, how efficient your skin is at DNA repair and how predisposed your skin is to UV damage.  

The second factor is the current health of your skin (the biological age of your skin compared to the chronological age of your skin). Your DNA test will tell you the amount of each nutrient your skin requires for optimal health.  Extra dosages may be stacked upon these levels based on the current health of your skin.  

So the next time you are in search of answers for healing & rejuvenating your skin remember that skin rejuvenation is possible because we can change the biological age of our skin.  The only scientifically proven way is to replenish  the nutrients required by your skin in order to optimize your skin health.  

Yours in optimal skin health,
Carmen Edwards,  BSc., FNP
Skin RNI Owner & Founder

Would you like to understand the custom dose of nutrients required to optimize the health of your skin? We now offer DNA Skin Analysis so you can discover how to slow down the biological aging of your skin.  

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): The Natural Solution for Youthful Skin & Thicker Hair

Platelet-Rich Plasma is a Natural Product for Revitalizing Skin & Hair

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) has received significant attention in therapeutic and cosmetic care. Commonly referred to as the “Vampire Facial,” PRP is a nonsurgical procedure that can help renew your skin.

This treatment is particularly effective for revitalizing a dull complexion, restoring lost elasticity, improving skin laxity, and smoothing fine wrinkles. By utilizing the natural growth factors in your platelets, PRP facials promote skin healing and regeneration from within. This process brightens and revitalizes a tired complexion and enhances the skin's firmness and texture, resulting in a more youthful and radiant appearance. It's an ideal solution for those seeking a natural yet powerful way to combat the signs of aging.

This innovative treatment uses your own blood platelets, which are prepared in a centrifuge to deliver growth factors in a concentrated form. Upon injection, these concentrated growth factors and proteins (cytokines) can promote healing.PRP is strategically injected into damaged tissue to help stimulate fresh cell growth, resulting in improved complexion, skin texture, and restoration of lost volume.

Benefits of PRP

One of the main benefits of PRP is that it's autologous, meaning it's derived directly from your own body;  this significantly lowers the risk of allergic reactions. Plus, there's minimal downtime,  making it an appealing option for those looking for effective and safe solutions with quick recovery periods.  

PRP can help deliver transformative results including:

• Enhanced Skin Texture: PRP Facial Treatments significantly improve skin texture, resulting in a smoother, more refined complexion.  This is achieved by stimulating the skin's natural  healing process, which repairs and revitalizes the skin's surface 

• Improved appearance of under-eye dark circles

• Reduction in Fine Lines and Wrinkles: The growth factors in PRP help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This process aids in restoring a more youthful appearance as the skin regains elasticity and firmness.

• Improved Skin Hydration and Tone: PRP Facials promote better hydration and balance, leading to a more even skin tone. This benefit is beneficial for addressing issues like dullness and uneven pigmentation.

• Natural Collagen Production: One of the most significant benefits of PRP is its ability to stimulate collagen production naturally. Increased collagen leads to firmer, more resilient skin, enhancing overall facial aesthetics.

As a Hair Loss Treatment

PRP as a hair loss treatment, works  to prevent further loss while promoting new growth whether it’s a receding hairline, postpartum hair thinning, or even male-pattern baldness.

What to expect during your treatment:

Your PRP Treatment begins with a simple blood draw performed by our experienced nursing staff. The blood sample is then processed in a centrifuge, which separates it into different components. The key element for the treatment is the \platelet-rich serum, a golden fluid rich in growth factors and cytokines. These naturally occurring substances in your blood stimulate skin rejuvenation and healing. This potent serum is then strategically injected into the skin and/or hair. Your results,  renewed healthier skin,  renewed hair growth.  

Find out more about how PRP can benefit you by booking a complimentary consultation with our team.

Monitoring Your Skin’s Health: A Window Into Your Overall Well-Being

Monitoring the health of your skin can give you many insights into the health of your bod.

"We may have heard that from a holistic approach that the health of the body affects the health of the skin; however of even greater significance is the scientifically proven fact that the health of your skin affects the health of the rest of your body!"

The skin is full of what are called senescence cells; these are “zombie like” cells that are dysregulated and no longer able to divide. These cells are created over time by damaging effects to the skin mostly externally from UV and pollutants, and also from internal effects of lifestyle habits such as poor diet, medications, stress, smoking and lack of exercise.

Some of these senescence cells get cleared out of our body (in a healthy individual with healthy skin this works really well). Many of these senescence cells stay in the skin  and they emit free radicals and cytokines (inflammatory markers).  

Note that the highest concentration of senescence cells is in the skin! This makes sense since the skin is the largest organ in the body and on a daily basis is the only organ exposed to the environment.

This means that in unhealthy skin there is a large influx of free radicals being released into the rest of the body and this dramatically influences our overall health! So if you can lower the biological age of your skin cells,  you are lowering the biological age of the rest of the body. Lowering the burden of senescence cells lowers the burden of the body. This is a proven Scientific Fact.  

(Highly accurate skin specific methylome analysis algorithm as a platform to screen and validate therapeutics for healthy aging.  M. Boroni, 2020). 

The good news is that the Science of skin rejuvenation is promising. Our skin can be rejuvenated, it can be healthier and younger looking. The Scientific approach to take to heal the skin involves key strategic interventions that directly impact the expression of our DNA. 

We have covered the topic of Epigenetics in past newsletters; recall that your health destiny is not your genetics but rather the expression of your genetics. What you do everyday from what you eat, how you think, if and how you move your body for example will determine which genes you ultimately express. When we create behaviours that stimulate (up regulate) our "good" genes we see rejuvenation in our cells and a lowering of our biological age. When we create behaviour that are deleterious to our cells, we up regulate the gene expression of our "bad" genes that leads to increasing the rate at which our cells age and this  predisposes us to disease.  

Here is a list of a few of my top recommendations to up regulate our longevity genes and optimize the health of our skin.

1. The biggest external factor affecting the health of our skin is exposure to UV rays. Wearing sunscreen daily is non-negotiable. Remember that the majority of UV rays penetrate glass so even sitting by a window or driving your vehicle adds up to time in the sun. Choose a mineral sunscreen preferably with a mineral concentration of 12% or greater.

2. Topically applied  Vitamin A has been proven over and over to rejuvenate the skin by acting to recycle old proteins in the cell (known as Autophagy). Vitamin A must be properly dosed in order to ensure efficacy and avoid “retinoid reactions.” Vitamin A is proven to repair a compromised skin barrier and increase the growth of the epidermis. Vitamin A also down regulates that erratic behaviour of your skin's pigment producing cells, so this is a great molecule for targeting sun damage.  Vitamin A also stimulates collagen and lowers the rate of collagen loss in the skin.

3. Follow a mediterranean diet low in sugars. This stimulates the longevity genes which helps repair broken DNA as well as clears out old DNA (the clearing out of senescence cells).

4. Exercise also stimulates out longevity genes; we need to exercise everyday!

These are recommendations that apply to everyone. However, there is no one size fits all approach to optimizing skin health. Above and beyond these recommendations, everyone’s treatment plan will vary since everyone will start with their own unique journey with skin health. Remember that your skin health is a cumulative journey, meaning that everything you have done in your life is remembered by your skin cells and ultimately has impacted your skin. This includes your healthy habits and your not so healthy habits.  

If you want to learn more about the rate at which your skin is aging and what you can do to optimize the health of your skin book a complimentary functional health & wellness consultation using the link below. 

Skin Rejuvenation is not about beauty.  The skin does not function as an organ in and of itself.  Rather skin rejuvenation is critical to optimizing overall health and wellness.

PS:  Healthy skin is always beautiful!

Carmen Edwards,  BSc, FNP Skin RNI 

Factors that affect how your skin ages and how it's well within your control!

The most important factor affecting how your skin ages and it’s well within your control!

Many of us believe that how our body ages, and specifically how our skin ages is based on genetics. In fact, Scientific research tells us that this is mostly incorrect!!! And this is great news!

Of course I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that genetics plays a factor in how our bodies age. We all start with a genome, thanks fifty percent to our mother and fifty percent to our father. From there; we journeythrough life making choices on a daily basis about what we eat, our activity level, our sleep routine, stress level,hydration and many other factors. Each of these choices sends communication signals to our genes.

If we make healthy choices we turn on strong genes and turn off weak genes.

Similarly, if we make unhealthy choices we turn on weak genes and turn off strong genes. If we consume artificial food additives, come into regular contact with harsh chemicals, use air fresheners, ignore our body’s need foradequate sleep etc. we are sending signals to our body that turns on weak genes.

Our genes are like a book with many pages. We can choose what pages to open. Therein, our daily choices either lead us further to health, or further to disease.

Our genes are not our destiny!
I have to admit I truly dislike the word anti-age and prefer to replace this with the words “optimizing health”. When it comes to optimizing the health of our skin there is no factor as important as the status of our overall health. If you regularly read my blogs and follow me on instagram you know I am a big proponent of using high quality medical-grade skin care, having monthly medical facials, and being diligent with yearly microneedling treatments to stimulate collagen synthesis. But, if you don't optimize your health & wellness you are paddling upstream.

Your skin cannot and will not hide poor health!
When we make poor daily health choices the outcome is always some sort of vitamin and mineral deficiency in thebody. In fact, in the early stages of poor health your blood tests may be normal. This is because the blood must maintain itself in a very narrow ph level of 7.35 - 7.45, so if there is a vitamin and mineral deficiency the body will pull what it needs from its tissues to maintain this narrow ph level. So while the blood tests are normal, the body is already in a nutrient deficit.

This shows up very quickly in the most magnificent organ called our skin.

Acne, Dermatitis, Rosacea, Keratosis Pilaris and many other skin conditions are linked to specific nutrientdeficiencies. When these nutrients are replenished in the body, inflammatory skin conditions improve dramatically. And then (and only then), in conjunction with specific nutrient-dense topical skin care and in-clinic skin rejuvenation treatments, the results for skin health are truly remarkable. Start your journey with an Advanced Skin Care Analysis Consultation to discover what your skin truly needs.

You can start on the road to optimizing your skin health today by incorporating my top five suggestions into your daily routine:

1. Eat whole foods only and avoid processed foods. Most people tell me that they eat a “healthy diet” and avoid processed food. Yet when I ask my clients to keep track of everything they eat and drink for 5 days ,including how many times they open a package or open a can to prepare a meal they are most oftensurprised at how much processed foods dominate their daily intake of food.

2. Drink 2 Liters of water per day. Every single reaction in the body (and there are billions a day) requires water. So just do it!

3. You must prioritize sleep - and the magic number is eight! You may not get eight hours every night but you should be getting close to this most nights. Did you know that our brains have a separate lymphatic system from the body and scientific studies have shown that this works only at night while you sleep. No wonder when we are sleep deprived we cannot think straight.

4. Think about everything you come into contact with every day and try to avoid as many chemicals aspossible. This is a tough one as there have been over 80,000 chemicals invented in the last one hundredyears. Think about what you put on your body, in your body, what is in the air where you spend most of your time.

5. Finally, try and spend as much of your day in the present moment. It is my number one mental health tip and is truly beneficial for “slowing down time” and bringing one peace and happiness. When you are out of theconstant “flight or fight mode” that is continually stimulating our adrenal glands our body’s can finally enjoy “rest and digest”.

Yours in great skin health!
Carmen Edwards, BSc, FNP
Skin RNI Owner & Founder