How does consuming too much sugar affect your skin?
According to Dr. Geetika, Dermatologist and Founder of Influennz Skin and Hair Clinic (India), consuming too much sugar affects your skin through a process called glycation, in which sugar molecules bind to proteins, lipids or nucleic acids, creating advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which can damage collagen and elastin fibers in the skin. Glycation interferes with collagen repair, a process that is important for maintaining elastic collagen fibers.
Can consuming too much sugar make you age faster?
Consuming too much sugar can accelerate the aging process in several ways, says Dr. Geetika.
A high-sugar diet also affects the type of collagen your body naturally produces. Your skin contains three main types of collagen (appropriately named types I, II, and III). Collagen stability and resilience are built in stages: type I is the weakest and type III is the strongest. Glycation degrades type III collagen into type I, thereby reducing the strength and structural stability of your skin.
Additionally, AGEs deactivate the body’s natural antioxidant enzymes. Without antioxidant protection, skin becomes susceptible to oxidative stress, which exacerbates aging symptoms such as dullness, uneven texture, and pigmentation issues.
Reducing sugar intake, staying hydrated, and focusing on a diet rich in antioxidants can help slow these effects.
Signs to watch out for
If you are someone who consumes too much sugar every day, here are some signs you should pay attention to on your skin:
- Acne flares up and appears more frequently.
- Shiny, hard leather surface.
- Wrinkles.
- Sagging skin, especially around the neck, chin and jawline.
- Loss of facial volume, leading to sunken or hollow cheeks and jawline.
