Take a look in the mirror. If you are lucky, you may see mostly even-toned, soft, smooth, and taut skin. If you’re like most of us, however, you’ll probably see some uneven pigmentation, a few age spots, redness, acne scars, fine lines and wrinkles, and sagging.
Many of these so-called “flaws” are evidence of damaged skin. Just like a brand new car gradually loses that shiny sheen and becomes etched, dulled, rusted, scratched, and marked, our skin gets worn by exposure to the sun and environmental elements, and because of the changes that occur inside us as we age.
So, can we repair any of this damage?
… With the right ingredients and care, yes!
What Creates Damaged Skin?
When we’re young, our skin is much better able to heal itself. Remember how when you were ten years old, a scrape or scratch would nearly disappear by the next day? As we get older, however, the time it takes skin to heal gradually stretches out, which means that damage can show on our skin for months at a time.
Meanwhile, skin continues to face damaging elements, so it’s in a constant cycle of trying to heal itself—and may be less able to keep up with the demands.
Factors That Cause Damage
As we go about our daily lives, there are several things that can damage the skin. These include:
- Excessive sun exposure—this is by far the #1 damaging element
- Harsh weather elements (wind, rain, cold, heat)
- Environmental pollution
- Dehydration
- Cigarette smoke
- Exposure to harsh and drying chemicals in personal care products
- Poor diet
- Lack of exercise
- Excessive use of alcohol and drugs
- Stress
- Chlorine in swimming pools
- Bacteria, infections, and medical trauma
All of these factors and more can lead to a breakdown in skin cells, which weakens the outer, protective layer, called the “epidermis.” Once this layer is weakened, cracked, and damaged, the skin becomes even more vulnerable to attack from bacteria, UV rays, pollution, and more. It also becomes less efficient at holding onto hydration and nutrients.
The immune system comes into play here, as well. Just like your body needs nutrients, sleep, and stress relief to maintain a strong immune system, your skin requires the same tools to keep up with repair and protect itself from other damaging elements. The more damaged it is, however, the less able the immune system is able to keep up. In fact, the skin’s ability to self-repair can decline by more than 50% by middle age.
Signs of Damaged Skin
This difficult cycle means that skin damage shows up in your mirror. You’re likely to see these signs:
- Dryness, flakiness, dullness
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Hyperpigmentation, acne scars, sun spots
- Moles and freckles
- Sagging, bagging, loss of elasticity and firmness
- Redness, swelling, and inflammation
- Rashes and allergic reactions
- Visible blood vessels
Fortunately, there are ways to help repair and even reverse skin damage. The key is to take steps both internally and externally to support the skin’s own reparative systems. A few things you can do in your diet and lifestyle include:
Eat Vitamin-C Rich Foods
…like citrus fruits, mustard greens, spinach, and peppers. Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen, which shores up skin structure and increases firmness.
Eat More Protein
Protein is key for rebuilding cells. Try fish, lean meats, eggs, tofu, beans, and nuts.
Turn Up the Zinc
Zinc aids the body in synthesizing protein helps generate collagen for skin-tissue repair and supports the immune system. Try fish, soybeans, whole-grain kinds of pasta, mushrooms, and egg yolks.
You can also use clean skin care products since sensitivity and irritation that comes hand in hand with synthetically derived ingredients. Plus, who really wants their body to absorb toxins and chemicals? By using a product with organic plant derivatives, you are also going to see far more vitamins, minerals, and beneficial compounds than what you would find in synthetically derived ingredients.
I find that pure coconut oil works great for every part of me, from face to limbs. I have a 60 year old friend who swears by pure olive oil and has the face of a teenager.
What kind of coconut oil?. I have the cooking kind from Costco and also one for the hair. They’re not in liquid form.
That is what you use. Organic, of course. Rub it into your skin – don’t overdue it, a little goes a long way. It melts when it touches your skin. I am 70 and look 50, with beautiful young looking skin, thanks to regular daily use of coconut oil. I swim three hours a day in a pool, and still have beautiful skin. Many of the ladies at the pool have begun to use it at my suggestion and they love it. You will notice a significant difference in a few weeks of regular use. You can also mix it with organic shea butter.
coconut oil becomes liquid at 76 degrees and warmer. virgin (which smells coconutty) is the best, but I think even the refined is good. I use the same coconut oil for eating/cooking as I do for face/lotion/etc.
you can also swish and spit a tablespoon, at first its like.. 8 < P ….then it turns to water it seems.
; ) kills bacteria, freshens breath and whitens your' teeth. thanks for all the info..
huggzzz.. chatty cathy
what olive oil do you use? There are many that are considered fake.
For some skin coconut oil does the opposite. Organic Olice Oil is a perfect all rounded skin food
I use coconut oil as my make-up remover.
Since looking at your videos I decided to make my own skincare products using natural ingredients. My skin has always been dry and fairly sensitive. I have used a recipe adapted from wellness mama which consists of 1/2 cup organic Shea butter, 1/2 cup mango butter, 1/2 cup organic coconut oil and 1/2 cup of carrier oil eg. sweet almond. Once all ingredients fully blended together over a gentle heat in a double boiler or basin over a saucepan, allow to cool slightly and then add 15 – 30 drops of essential oils of your own choosing. Put in fridge to set (1 – 2 hours) and then whisk until fluffy, if using electric mixer should only take a few minutes. Put into jars and return to fridge to reset for approximately 15 minutes. It will keep for up to 6 months.
A year ago I did an Ayurvedic cleanse at Shankara Ayurveda Spa and also adopted the diet and lifestyle they recommended. I saw sun damaged spots on the backs of my hands that had been there for years heal very quickly after that.
I use Sukin super greens detoxifying facial scrub and Sukin super greens nutrient rich facial moisturizer. They are by far the best facial products I have ever found. Made in Australia.
would following this regimen reverse melasma as well?
hi,
went to the site and they charging $9.99 whereas your site says $7.
pls advise what is the cost then, $9 or $7..
thanks
Hi Rosemary, this promotion is $9.99! We’ve updated the button on the site to the reflect that. Thank you!
Hi what is the name of skin care products that Charlene Bollinger and Linda (diamond sponsor)
call. Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Eric
ericlim_2000@yahoo.com
Hi Eric!
Charlene’s new skincare line is called Charlís, and you can browse her new toxic-free skincare products here: https://shop.charlis.beauty/pages/products Thank you for supporting TTAC and Charlene!
Best,
TTAC team
Do essential oil products work? I use young living essential oil products?
Hi i use their lavandel oil on my skin it really works
this came up on my FB feed today?* thought Id reply. I have YEARS of damage from sun-even a melanoma a few years back on upper arm. i just want to slow damage down/reduce or repair. But Im not able to afford the resurfacing guns docs use – so I am using organic pure oils: Frankincense (Frereana type), with Organic Rosehip seed oil, or Organic Tamanu oil, sometimes organic calendula oil… ALL skin products are Free of dangerous chemicals/toxins – even my makeup. why save your skin while killing endocrines? i eat ONLY organic. Soybean should be organic and FERMENTED. those gmo types are really, really bad for health!! Wild blueberry smoothies. Keto diet *sugar glycation of skin!! plant polyphenols. Red LED light. I do my own superficial chemical peels. SPF 46 tinted moisturizers. Lots of PURE Vit C in my water along with organic lemon juice. Raw local honey once in a great while *good for liver health 🙂 No more scrubbing. No harsh. no fillers anymore either! even botox has a bad rep for damaging facial muscles-if you can afford lifts – no worries. I cannot. Your health is vital – to everything! I am working on regenerating a healthier liver. Without that – nothing is in good shape! <3
I am 79 and had pimples and oily skin since 13. However, I prayed to GOD and he healed me of pimples last year and now none. My oily skin continues and seems to cause with thin skin. About 3 years ago I had operations on my face to remove cancer spots. Now my biggest problem is thin skin and at night my face is irritated to the point of actual blood coming to surface and healing is slow and constantly needed to clear…however, I cannot seem to keep from the continuing the problem…when my face turns on sides at night the pillow case causes the irritations. Please give me your best way to avoid and heal this problem…thanks and GOD bless each.
Hi John –
We appreciate you reaching out to us about this.
Unfortunately, we are unable to give any kind of medical advice. Perhaps in the meantime, you can search online for some solutions or you can purchase a pillowcase with softer material (like silk). The best advice we can give you is to consult with one of the doctors we interviewed in the Global series.
Please note that we are not able to select an expert for you.
We’ve created a page with the experts’ contact info as it was available to us.
Here’s the link to the actual webpage:
http://thetruthaboutcancer.com/experts-info-sheet/
We do have one more resource you may be interested in. During our Live Event 2017 series, Dr. Patrick Quillin suggested contacting The Institute of Functional Medicine to locate a practitioner in your area.
If you are interested, here is the link to search for a Functional Medicine Practitioner in your area: https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner/
Hope these resources are helpful to you. Wishing you the very best always!
Hi John,
I used to have terrible oily skin until I started using essential oils, yes oils. Hard to believe that an oil can clear up facial oiliness but it does.
You may wish to try a carrier oil like Jojoba mixed with one drop of each, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender and Carrot seed essential oils.
They are all terrific healing oils and for me they corrected the excess oiliness, zits and broken blood vessels. I use this mixture twice a day.
Give it try? I get these essential oils from Edens Garden online. The are top quality oils fairly priced.
Wishing you well. God bless you.
Hi John, if you haven’t already, I would encourage you to eliminate dryer sheets, fabric softener laden with chemicals, and use the “cleanest” laundry detergent you can find. Blessings.
John, Perhaps you could try Organic Tamanu Oil and Black Seed Oil, mixed together and then applied to face before bed. I have used this combination with powerful results. Even though these are rich oils it never clogged my pores. Depending on where you live, you might need to order online.
I recently had a Naturopathic doctor that also does Ayurvedic medicine, recommend Sesame oil over coconut for dry skin!
I mix organic coconut oil, baking soda and several essential oils like frankincense, geranium rose, lavender, carrot seed, put in a glass mason jar and use it on my face. Just scoop a tablespoon out, and gently rub all over wet face, rinse with warm water. My skin is left soft as silk and hydrated!
I’ve been Biohacking my skin with NRF2 AND NRF1 technology. Inside out/outside in approach. Topically is goes five layers deep. All natural!
I was in Zambia the first 3 weeks of January 2019 teaching Biblical agricultural principles in rural villages. As I went from one rural village to another I noticed remarkable differences in the skin quality. Where a diversity of crops grew in the village, the deep black skin glowed and glistened with health. The body did not seem to be fat, but the skin was fat and rich with beauty. Other villages only grew corn with a minimum of vegetables to eat. The black saggy skin was often with a grayish tone, often with leaky eyes, dull hair, and skin. What you teach here is so needed among the men and women there.
I wish I could take the two of you to Zambia to teach and train in your strengths in the villages and churches of the Southern Province. Drought and starvation now stalk that place.
I will return in March 2020. This is an invitation. If you would like to know more you have my info. I am a retired Baptist Pastor now farming for my own health and that of others.
While in Zambia we formed a new company, Save the Creation Zambia to enable a willing Chief to make land available to build the Abundance Training Center. I am the Emeritus Director who is given the task of enabling Americans to join the efforts in Zambia. The Executive Director is a pastor I have known and supported for many years. He teaches literacy and trains pastors and others to teach literacy in the rural villages where adult literacy is about 20%. Our Project Manager is Dr. Christopher Kapembwa Pennet who holds PHD in Agriculture and in Project Management, and is the founder/president of the Zambian Institute of Agriculture. We are in high hopes and prayers that we by the grace of God will raise up abundances so life in the villages is wonderful. Thank you folks for all you do and why. Your teaching has benefited my health and wellness, and that of thousands. God has raised us up for a time like this!
Thanks for sharing, Pastor Kline!
We’ll be sure to pass this on to Ty and the team. 🙂
Has anyone had any success getting rid of Keratosis Pilaris? I had lovely skin on my arms until just 2 years ago, when I suffered from a very bad respiratory illness. After the illness subsided, the skin on my upper arms and also on my left forearm broke out in little red bumps, and the skin itself feels “thicker”. The rash is not itchy at all. (I am 55 years old)
I don’t really want to try the over the counter lotions, as they are loaded with some pretty harsh ingredients, but I have tried several natural topical mixtures of creams and oils, switched to using an all natural oatmeal and honey goatsmilk soap in the shower, and also use Charlies’ natural laundry detergent, but the rash has never gone completely away, and now it seems more prolific than ever.
Just would love to hear some input from anyone who has had success in this area. My arms used to be so smooth and lovely.
Hi Rita & Levy,
Thanks for inquiring about Keratosis Pilaris. As mentioned in the article, Annmarie Skin Care, is one of Charlene’s favorite skincare lines. You can check more out about them here: https://www.annmariegianni.com/ttac/springlaunch for more information on their site that may help you. Our good friend, Dr. Axe, also has a great article that may help: https://draxe.com/keratosis-pilaris/ All the best on finding a regimen that works for you.
I have that same problem too, I hope I would be able to follow their reply to you…
Turmeric in my coffee every morning has healed my chronic cracked knuckles and hands! Turmeric in my coffee has also healed my ever cracking lips.
The Turmeric also fixed a serious problem that that my Dr. had not diagnosed yet. My fingers one by one had started turning purple and swelling up. Two weeks after drinking coffee with Turmeric my fingers turned back to normal color and the swelling went away.
God bless all natural cures!
Hi do you also deliver in the Netherlands.
Hi Patricia –
It would be best if you contacted the support team at Annmarie with any questions you may have about their product and delivery times. 🙂
Here’s how you can reach them:
Email: https://support.annmariegianni.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
Phone: 1-866-729-9434
Or you can visit their website to start a chat session.
Hope this is helpful to you. Blessings and love!
I always had great skin. I got sick with MS & rosesea & sores around mouth. A “tea” with lemon balm worked around mouth. Then since I do oil pulling with COSTCO’s organic coconut oil I decided to do head to toe. All cleared up & @ 77 look 50. On feet I learned to use Japanese Camilia oil (ELEMIS). Disappears immediately & is also anti fungal. Also another trick I have been doing on advice of my Korean DR.friend I use all the ends of lemons, oranges & grapefruit rubbed over face every morn & also for back of hands. (Vit C). The Vit C, A, zinc & brief outing in Sun helps. Exercise brings color to face. Cheap methods that work.
Hi! I have been diagnosed with a skin cancer spot. The doctor gave two options, remove and leave a scar or apply chemotherapy cream. I would like to avoid both those options and wanted to know if anyone had ideas on a natural option. Maybe a topical solution I could use on the cancer spot. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!