Why do some biohackers look much older for their age?
They should look younger if they were doing everything to “optimize their health,” right?
I think that there are a couple of reasons behind this, and I don’t entirely agree with their views on skin health.
Why Biohackers Look Older
First, some biohackers focus more on making sure their body is functioning properly, and they don’t focus on their skin health – minimizing its importance as just “outer beauty.”
I think the skin is a reflection of your overall health, plus our skin is our biggest organ and its exposure to the environment makes it extremely important.
It serves as a protective barrier for diseases and infections, helps regulate body temperature, improves metabolic function, helps maintain hydration, and so much more.
So optimizing your skin health is a key component in optimizing your overall health (more on how to do that later 😉).
But the issue also stems from 2 complementary ideas that accelerate aging for biohackers:
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- Sun exposure is beneficial for your health – it’s the best way to get Vitamin D, which helps with bone health, immune system, mood, and so much more.
- Sunscreen is detrimental to your health – you’re putting toxic products on your body and that’s hurting your overall health.
While both of these points have truth to them, it’s important to find balance and not take each statement to the extreme.
Sun exposure definitely has its benefits, but it doesn’t need to be concentrated on the face all the time.
I still get plenty of sun exposure on my body while protecting myself from premature aging.
On top of that, biohackers avoid all sunscreen because of assumptions that they’re toxic, but that’s not always the case.
I recently posted a reel on my Instagram explaining a part of skincare routine, which includes applying a zinc oxide based sunscreen – which does not contain toxic ingredients – when I know that I’m going to be exposed to the sun for a long period of time.
Sun exposure and protection are just part of the equation, but how can you optimize your skin health even further?
Skin Health Is Genetic
Our genetics play a crucial role in determining our skin’s needs.
When building my skincare routine, I initially looked at my Skin & Beauty Summary Report to see what skin issues I’m genetically predisposed to.
Here are a few of my risks:
My polygenic risk scores – which are determined by adding up the “scores” for all the individual genes to get a total that helps predict your risk for a particular health issue – show that I don’t have a high risk for any premature aging.
But that doesn’t mean that I should completely disregard my skin health.
With SelfDecode, even if you don’t carry many of the genes that increase your risk, you still get personalized recommendations that help you take preventative actions on the genes that may increase your risk.
In my case, one of my top recommendations is Topical Niacinamide, and not just because it helps with Skin Hydration for premature aging, but also for preventing skin conditions!
Skin health is extremely important, and not just because of appearances.
It reflects your inner health and can contribute to optimizing your overall wellness.
Your genetic predispositions can affect whether you are more prone to dry skin, wrinkles, psoriasis, and more.
Understanding these factors can help you navigate the unending sea of skin products, discover the best products that work well for YOUR body, and get you started on the journey to better health.
