LE PORTRAIT MAGAZINE 85 pages | Page 66

66 Education manager for the International Dermal Institute Emma Hobson has confirmed that sugar does, in fact, cause wrinkles, so it’s time to think twice about those sugary cheat-treats. Let us introduce you to a little thing called glycation. It’s an internal chemical reaction between sugar molecules in your blood and the collagen and elastin proteins in your skin, which are essential for a firm and youthful epidermis. Emma tells us that this process results in the formation of advanced glycation end, or AGEs. AGEs contribute to the stiffening and thickening of protein fibres, meaning the skin’s elasticity is degraded, causing sagging and giving the ageing process an untimely headstart. In short, AGEs cause wrinkles. They al