Inflammaging: What It Is and How It Affects Your Skin and Beauty Routine

Human written by Dr. Heather Smith. Links are non-affiliate.

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Inflammaging is a buzzword in skincare, but the concept behind it is rooted in solid science. It describes how chronic inflammation accelerates the aging process, both inside your body and on your skin. While the term is new, the connection between inflammation and aging has long been known—especially when it comes to wrinkles, dryness, and loss of elasticity.

At its core, inflammaging is about the damage caused by inflammatory molecules that increase as we age. Internally, this can affect organs and contribute to diseases like atherosclerosis. On the outside, it shows up as fine lines, sagging, and dark spots—especially when triggered by stressors like sun exposure, pollution, or smoking.

The good news? You can slow the signs of inflammaging with the right lifestyle habits and an anti-inflammatory skincare routine. In this article, we’ll explain what causes inflammaging, why it matters for your skin, and how to fight back with smart, science-backed choices.

What Is Inflammaging?

Inflammaging is a term used to describe the process of cellular aging due to inflammation. The word is a portmanteau of "inflammation" and "aging." We've seen it written inflammageing, inflamm aging, inflam-aging, and inflamed aging, but the meaning is the same regardless of how it's spelled.

The phenomenon, which accelerates when the immune system gets dysregulated, can have numerous implications for skincare and beauty.

It begins with cellular senescence (cells reaching their maximum lifespan); as they age, they become increasingly more prone to inflammation-induced damage caused by oxidative stress and other environmental factors. Over time, this damage leads to wrinkles, fine lines and other signs of aging skin.

Another phenomenon, called immunosenescence, is the development of immune dysfunction in the elderly, closely related to the development of infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. Though it may result in disease, these processes are a side effect of age that affect us all. The key is to minimize and slow the natural process of aging.

A study published in 2019 showed that cytokines (inflammatory molecules released from aged cells) contribute significantly to the weakening of collagen fibres, leading to an increased risk of developing deep wrinkles and sagging skin. Additionally, these inflammatory compounds were found to be associated with reduced elasticity – another key indicator of aging.

Causes Of Inflammaging

The primary cause is an imbalance between inflammatory chemicals such as cytokines and oxidative stress molecules like free radicals. This disturbance creates an environment that is detrimental to our skin's health over time, leading to accelerated signs of aging, including wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.

People who suffer from chronic inflammatory diseases will be more prone to developing accelerated cellular aging.

This is one of the reasons smoking is so awful for your body (and dramatically ages your facial appearance). 

There are several key contributors to this balance disruption:

• An unhealthy diet filled with processed foods increases oxidative stress levels while also creating an environment for pro-inflammatory bacteria to flourish. Remember, a healthy Gut microbiome is key to having a healthy skin microbiome.
• UV exposure from sunlight damages cells by triggering the production of free radicals, which directly damage the skin.
• Pollution has been shown to increase both free radical production and inflammation-inducing particles in the air we breathe on a daily basis.
• Stress levels have a correlation with inflammation, causing hormones such as cortisol to go into overdrive when under pressure or feeling anxious.
• Time

It is clear that no single factor alone is responsible for inflammaging; rather, it is a combination of multiple lifestyle choices that ultimately leads to changes in the cellular level within our bodies - resulting in increased vulnerability towards skin problems associated with aging prematurely.

This means there are many different ways we can combat the process ranging from lifestyle changes to topical skincare products with specific ingredients. 

Skin Inflammation Remedies to Prevent Premature Aging

Nutrition and Lifestyle to Fight Inflammaging

My doctor-brain will kick in here a little bit as I mention that your overall health is critically affected by your diet. I'm not referring to the cosmetic appearance of your skin. I'm talking about the function of your immune cells (ie. your body fighting off cancer cells) and other pathologic processes than can be altered based on your lifestyle.

The burden of health issues related to chronic inflammation is staggering - diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, etc.

Targeting healthy aging is also going to target youthful aging!

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

When it comes to skincare, you can influence your appearance based on how you eat and nourish your body. Eating nutrient-dense foods such as oily fish, legumes, nuts, seeds, and other fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants can help reduce systemic inflammation levels throughout the body. Additionally, consuming adequate amounts of Vitamin D3 may also be beneficial for reducing chronic inflammatory processes associated with aging.

Supplements

In addition to lifestyle modifications, certain supplements like omega 3 fatty acids (EPA & DHA), astaxanthin, curcumin/turmeric and resveratrol may also offer potential health benefits when used strategically according to individual needs and under medical supervision.

There is an entire supplement industry aimed at targeting inflammaging from within. The jury is out as to the exact effectiveness of supplements. Critics argue that the most they will do is drain your wallet.

I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Hydration

Doctor-brain will kick in here again and clarify that water doesn't flush toxins - your kidneys and liver do that. However, hydration is very important to overall cellular health and skin hydration too.

You can't have plump, elastic, firm skin if your cells are shrunken and dehydrated!

The Role of Exercise In Reducing Inflammaging

Exercise plays an important role in reducing inflammation and age-related degeneration. Exercise can be prescribed as a treatment component for some chronic inflammatory diseases and pain disorders.

The physiological effects of regular physical activity have a direct impact on the health of our skin. Exercise increases circulation and stimulates the immune system to help fight inflammation. Moreover, research has shown that regular physical activity reduces oxidative stress which contributes to aging and many other diseases including skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.

Regular physical activity also leads to healthy hormonal balance which is essential for maintaining youthful-looking skin since hormones are known regulators of collagen production and tissue regeneration.

Sleep and the Benefits on Skin Aging

Poor quality of sleep can lead to signs of premature ageing in the form of wrinkles, bags under the eyes, dark circles, and sagging skin.

Studies have shown that inadequate quality or quantity of sleep leads to higher levels of oxidative stress and systemic inflammation thus accelerating visible signs of premature ageing. Therefore getting adequate restful sleep should be seen not just as essential for maintaining good health overall but also potentially beneficial when it comes to looking young and radiant!

Best Skincare Ingredients for Inflammation

The term inflammaging makes it sound like there should be very special ingredients designed to combat the effects on your skin. I'm sure there is going to be a whole boom coming up of "anti-inflammaging skincare products". This will be grounded in marketing, which we've discussed extensively in other articles. Marketing is needed to match consumers with the products they are looking for; however, watch out for meaningless hype.

Pretty much any anti-aging skincare product will meet the same general description as one for anti-inflammaging. It's about the ingredients, not the product title. 

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant skincare ingredients include many nourishing options that reduce cell damage, fight free radicals, protect from environmental stress and pollution, and help heal damage that's already done,

When it comes to the two categories, antioxidant ingredients focus more on fighting free radicals, while anti-inflammatory ingredients focus more on calming, soothing, protecting, and healing. 

Like anti-aging skincare, anti-inflammaging skincare would be focused on two categories - prevention and/or reversal. Many ingredients would have overlapping effects, but prevention and minimization is always easier than trying to reverse damage that's already done.

How to Build an Anti-Inflammaging Skincare Routine

If you are going to design an anti-inflammaging skincare routine, it needs to be broken down into a few critical components. 

For anti-inflammaging skincare, the three functional categories you're going to want to target include:

• • Healing
  • Protection and Skin Barrier Strengthening
  • Damage Mitigation and Reversal

It's important to realize these are functional categories, not individual steps. It can all be happening at once. The one exception would be healing if you have a severely damaged skin barrier. In that case, we suggest taking a skincare holiday until your skin recovers and then rebuilding a new strategy afterwards. 

Otherwise, a single product might target all three areas of inflammaging treatments simultaneously. 

Healing

This is where anti-inflammatory skincare ingredients really shine. Look for ingredients like bisabolol, allantoin, colloidal oatmeal, panthenol, niacinamide, Centella Asiatica, aloe vera, honey, green tea, etc. Many of these ingredients will also have antioxidant properties, but the overlap is a great thing. 

Protection and Skin Barrier Strengthening

Protection is centred around SPF as well as avoiding the sun altogether. Some people believe they benefit greatly from anti-blue light and anti-pollution products and ingredients. However, avoiding UV radiation is by far the most important.

Think of skin barrier strengthening as a fortification of your defences. A healthy skin barrier means healthy immune cells, a functioning grouping of antioxidants, and a protective barrier against bacterial invasion and water loss. To fulfill these goals, focus on nourishing emollients, supporting your acid mantle with products that have a proper pH, and helping boost the health of your gut and skin barrier microbiome. Look for pH-balanced products, consider pre and post-biotic skincare ingredients, and use nourishing, antioxidant face oils as emollients as well. This is a list of what we feel are the best face oils for aging skin. 

Lots of options here; just focus on overall skin health!

Damage Mitigation and Reversal

This final category is where you will encounter a lot more of the active ingredients you think about when you discuss skin aging and the reversal of the effects of aging. It can be a bit tricky, however, because some ingredients, like retinol, will definitely work in the anti-aging category, but are still highly inflammatory in the beginning.

Here's a list of ingredients to consider if building an anti-inflammaging skincare routine:

• Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (Vitamin C oil): once converted to active Vitamin C, this is a powerful antioxidant that is more stable and less irritating than plain L-ascorbic acid. 

• Vitamin E (Tocopherol): Protects skin cells from oxidative stress, strengthens the skin's natural barrier, and has moisturizing properties.

• Bakuchiol: a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-aging effects. Unlike retinol, it does not increase inflammation at the beginning of using it. Because it's an oil, it can be incorporated easily into a nourishing, emollient facial oil.

• Green Tea Extract (Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract): Contains polyphenols and catechins that offer anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant benefits.

• Resveratrol: A potent antioxidant found in red wine and grapes, with anti-aging and skin-soothing properties.

• Pterocarpus Marsupium Bark Extract: another potent antioxidant that is extracted and purified from the bark of the Indian Kino tree. It contains pterostilbene, which is likely more powerful than resveratrol and less irritating than kojic acid.

• Coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinone): Energizes skin cells, stimulates collagen production, and neutralizes free radicals.

• Ferulic Acid: A plant-derived antioxidant that stabilizes and enhances the efficacy of other antioxidants.

• Glutathione: A powerful antioxidant that detoxifies the skin, reduces pigmentation, and protects against environmental damage.

• Alpha-Lipoic Acid: A versatile antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals, reduce inflammation, and improve skin texture.

• Astaxanthin: A potent carotenoid antioxidant with strong anti-inflammatory and UV-protective properties.

• Turmeric (Curcumin): A natural antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe and brighten the skin.

• Peptides have been shown to be effective at reducing inflammatory markers associated with age-related degenerative changes. Peptides act as signalling molecules between cells and their environment; they interact with receptors on cells' surfaces triggering responses that improve structure and function.

• Growth Factors: similar to peptides, growth factors are thought to work at the cellular level to stimulate specific areas of repair and rebuilding.

Conclusion

Inflammaging is a process that can be affected through proper nutrition, exercise, skincare products and stress management.

There's no magic bullet solution here; taking care of yourself holistically requires patience and commitment but can make all the difference when it comes to looking younger longer.

By taking care of your overall health with these strategies, you'll be able to age gracefully while maintaining beautiful, youthful skin for years to come.

By harnessing the power of nature, active botanicals, and active ingredients, you can easily develop an anti-inflammaging skincare routine to support your appearance as time marches on. 

FAQ

What is inflammaging?

Inflammaging is the slow, chronic inflammation that naturally develops as we age. It affects the entire body—including the skin—by contributing to cellular damage, weakened repair systems, and visible signs of aging like wrinkles, dryness, and loss of elasticity.

In skincare, inflammaging refers to increased skin inflammation with age, often made worse by environmental stressors like UV exposure, pollution, and lifestyle.

How do you get rid of inflammation on your face?

To quickly reduce facial inflammation like redness or puffiness, try applying a clean, cool cloth, soothing ingredients like aloe vera or green tea, and avoiding harsh products or sun exposure. These methods calm the skin in the short term.

Deeper, long-term inflammation—known as inflammaging—requires more than spot treatment. Reducing chronic skin inflammation involves gentle, anti-inflammatory skincare, a healthy diet, stress management, and consistent sun protection.

What causes skin inflammation?

Skin inflammation can be caused by both acute and chronic triggers. Acute inflammation may result from sunburn, over-exfoliation, acne, allergic reactions, or infections. These appear quickly and usually resolve with proper care. In contrast, chronic skin inflammation—like inflammaging—builds over time. It’s linked to factors such as pollution, smoking, poor diet, stress, and dehydration, which all contribute to long-term damage, sensitivity, and visible signs of aging.

How to treat skin inflammation naturally?

To treat skin inflammation naturally, focus on both skincare and lifestyle. Use a gentle skincare routine with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich ingredients like aloe vera, green tea, and niacinamide. Support your skin from the inside by staying hydrated, eating anti-inflammatory foods, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and avoiding triggers like smoking and excessive alcohol. Daily SPF is essential to protect against inflammation caused by sun exposure.

What are the best skincare products for inflammation?

The best skincare products for inflammation are gentle, non-irritating, and full of calming, hydrating ingredients. Look for products that contain anti-inflammatory ingredients like bakuchiol (a gentler alternative to retinol), niacinamide, green tea extract, aloe vera, and colloidal oatmeal. Choose moisturizers rich in humectants and skin-repairing lipids, and avoid over-exfoliating. And above all—wear SPF every day to prevent UV-triggered inflammation and protect your skin barrier.

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