When we think of home, we think “Home sweet home.” We think of our homes as a way to escape from the din of the world and relax and unwind after a long and stressful day. However, many may not know that there are some everyday things present in our homes that can cause us to age at a much more rapid rate than others. The sooner you learn to identify the problem, the faster you can address it and save your skin from looking droopy and tired. Discover which of these habits and items can cause you to age at a rapid rate:
1. Air Conditioners And Centralized Heating

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If the air is cooler outside, it can retain less moisture. On the other hand, when it gets cold on the inside, the air heats up, but the water vapor in the air does not increase (1). This causes the air inside the house to become dry and lack humidity. Due to this, our mucous membranes and skin are the first to suffer. Our bodies and faces become super sensitive, and you will start to notice itching and peeling of the skin. This, in turn, will lead you to suffer from wrinkles and dry skin.
2. Flax And Cotton Pillows

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Many folks opt to purchase flax linen and cotton as they are inexpensive and easy to wash. However, these types of pillows can pull and tug at your hair and cause hair fall. If you are already prone to hair fall, it’s recommended that you switch to using silk pillows instead.
3. Computers And Smartphones

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You probably already know that smartphones and computers emit blue light. Blues screens are all around us, and they are unavoidable at this point (2). Many of you may not know that bending your neck downward to send messages or browse aimlessly through social media can lead to you suffering from a double chin and “text neck”(3).
4. Sugar

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We all know that sugar can cause excess weight gain, but did you know that sugar can also cause skin inflammation and premature aging (4)? Once inside an organism, sugar produces molecules that attack elastin and collagen, which can significantly impact your skin and cause it to age faster.
5. Sunbathing

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As amazing as you may feel with the sun over your body, excessive sunbathing and tanning are two of the worst things you can do for your skin. Besides the risk of skin cancer, excessive exposure to the sun’s UV rays weaken your blood vessels and skin cells (5). This, in turn, causes leathery, tanned skin that is often seen on people who have spent their lives outdoors.
6. Processed Meat

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Processed meat products like hamburgers and sausages contain too much fat and different supplements like phosphorus and sulfates. These chemicals can worsen the condition of one’s skin and speed up the body’s aging process (6).
7. Soap

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While this product may come across as a surprise, you must know that using soaps that have harsh chemicals can dry your skin and thus cause it to age at a faster rate. Soaps have a high pH and can strip your skin of its natural lipids and proteins. This will leave our skin’s protective barrier dehydrated, compromised, and easily inflamed. Your skin will end up looking cracked, dry and you will be left with a lackluster appearance. So during your next shower, you should use a mild pH-neutral cleanser that isn’t too soapy (7).
8. Alcohol

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Alcohol is a diuretic, and hence the more you drink, the more you need to pass urine and the more dehydrated you become. Drinking excessively can sap moisture out of your skin and trigger rosacea outbreaks, acne, and cause wrinkles (8). All of these make you look older eventually, and while you don’t have to go the teetotaler route, you can reduce your intake of those delicious cocktails.
9. Inflammation Causing Foods

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What you put on your plate really matters, and there are plenty of foods out there that have inflammatory properties and can make your skin look pretty dull and dry. If you eat foods like margarine, white bread, processed meats, and vegetable oils, you need to stop doing so asap. These simple food items can cause inflammation in your body and may even accelerate the formation of wrinkles (9).
10. Smoking

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It should come as no surprise that smoking is a habit that causes premature aging. This bad habit can make you look older than your actual age and causes plenty of detrimental effects on your body. Some of the many premature aging effects caused by smoking include deep furrows around and near your lips due to the pursing required to hold your cigarette (9).
While some of the things we’ve mentioned on our list are unavoidable, it’s essential that you curb these habits or at least try to avoid them if you want to retain your youthful looks. Do let us know if any of the items mentioned on this list were of a surprise to you. Let us know all of your thoughts in the comments below.
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