These Are The True Causes Of Sallow Skin

Even the best skincare products and face-saving foundations cannot resurrect sallow skin. Unfamiliar with sallow skin? This condition, called glycosylation, causes the skin to appear yellow or brown, dull, flaky, and dry (per Women's Health Magazine).

Essentially, sallow skin is the result of aging skin, which can either occur in a healthy way or prematurely through the practice of harmful beauty regimens or lifestyle choices. "As we age, chains of sugar molecules attach to skin proteins and over time cause a yellowish hue," board-certified dermatologist Dendy Engleman, MD told Women's Health Magazine.

Aside from the typical aging process, there are many outside factors and lifestyle habits that can trigger the appearance of sallow or tired-looking skin. Perhaps the most harmful habit is smoking, an act that has been known to cause premature aging and wrinkling of the skin (per Sio Beauty). Other common causes of sallow skin include poor dietary choices, prolonged exposure to the sun, and skincare regimens that only speed up the aging process of the skin (via Women's Health Magazine).

The easiest way to bring back that glowy, youthful skin? Drink at least eight glasses of water. Dehydration decreases the blood flow to the skin, making it look pale and sallow, and in the long-term, can speed up the aging process of the skin, as well (via Good Housekeeping).

Other unfortunate factors, like stress and lack of sleep, can also affect blood flow to the skin, halting essential repair efforts made by the skin. Getting the proper amount of sleep ensures that your skin cells have time to regenerate. Thus, after a few nights spent tossing and turning, your skin might look a bit duller than usual (per Sio Beauty).

When it comes to your beauty regimen, failing to exfoliate and moisturize your skin on a regular basis deprives your skin of the regenerative and hydrating properties of these products (per Good Housekeeping). In fact, along with an retinoid treatment, this skincare regimen has the ability to be a quick fix for sallow or dull skin (via Sio Beauty).