If you flip through any glossy high-fashion magazine, you will invariably come across photos of fashion models, actresses, or celebrities who appear to have glowing, fresh, radiant skin. Of course, some of that effect is due to makeup, digital processing, and camera effects. However, you may also wonder how much of that is due to those women having naturally good skin or very good cosmetic surgery to give it that full, firm appearance. The truth is probably a little bit of each. There are certainly some factors built into having skin that has naturally good elasticity, but also some things you can do in order to help your skin maintain good elasticity both before and after cosmetic surgery.

Skin's Natural Elasticity

Elasticity is your skin's ability to conform back to its original shape after having been stretched out. In very simple terms, if you pinch your cheek, stretch it out, and then let go, it should easily go back to its original state. This elasticity is due to a protein called collagen, which your body forms in order to fill itself out over the skeletal framework. In essence, it is what gives those models in glossy magazines full, firm, beautiful skin.

Changes to Skin Elasticity

There are a number of factors that can affect collagen, causing it to break down, which in turn, will cause skin to lose elasticity. First, the body will lose collagen just as a natural part of the aging process. This will lead to the development of lines and wrinkles around the face, as well as sunken or hollowed cheeks and thinning lips. Using a good moisturizer can help keep older skin supple, which may help slow down collagen loss.

Smoking can also cause the body to lose collagen, as the tobacco smoke will dry out delicate facial skin. This is most noticeable as fine lines around the mouth, often referred to as "smoker's mouth." Dr. Paul Pin recommends that patients look toward quitting smoking in order to prevent further damage to their skin, particularly if they are interested in undergoing any cosmetic facial rejuvenation procedures.

Finally, excessive exposure to the sun (in the form of ultraviolet rays) will also cause collagen to break down by prematurely aging the skin. Dr. Pin recommends wearing large sunglasses and using a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) whenever you are out in direct sunlight for more than 30 minutes in order to minimize skin damage as a result of excessive sun exposure. A moisturizer with a good SPF built in will provide an added layer of skin protection.

Cosmetic Procedures

There are several cosmetic procedures that Dr. Pin can perform to address lost collagen. These generally take the form of dermal fillers, which are injected just under the skin to add the volume that your body has lost over time. It can be used in a variety of areas, such as around the outer edges of the eyes, the lower nose, and lips.

Beautiful glowing skin does not need to be out of your reach. With some simple changes to your beauty routine (and possibly a bit of help from Dr. Pin), you can restore a youthful look to your face.