Change Your Skin's Destiny

For years we thought it was a given that we’d inherit the lines and creases of our parents. But new research suggests that while we can’t rewrite our DNA, we may be able to persuade our genes to shift ageing into slo-mo.

- Genevieve Monsma

Two influences come into play with skin ageing: extrinsic (outside) forces, like UV damage, and intrinsic causes, which are dictated by our DNA. We know we can control damage from factors like sun exposure (with sunscreen and other protection), but science is discovering that we also have power over internal triggers – much more than we realised. The food you eat, the supplements you take, the lifestyle you follow, and even some things you put on your skin can shift your genes to interpret (or “express”) the in formation coded in your DNA in a way that actually slows ageing. “It all comes down to communication,” says Dr Ellen Marmur, an associate clinical professor of dermatology and genetics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. “You can influence the way your body induces production of a protein or a gene product by affecting the communication among those genes. For example, after a day outdoors, the body may ask, How much protein should I make to counteract damaging UV exposure? We can sway the answer to that question.” These strategies do just that.

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