Inflammaging is the term used to describe chronic, low-grade inflammation that accelerates skin ageing.
Unlike acute inflammation (which is your body’s short-term defence response to injury or infection), inflammaging is long-lasting and often silent; meaning you won’t always see visible signs until damage has already begun.
Over time, this persistent inflammation compromises your skin’s structure and function, contributing to:
- Collagen breakdown
- Skin thinning
- Uneven tone & texture
- Weakened barrier
- Premature fine lines and wrinkles
What Causes Inflammaging?
Inflammaging is triggered by both internal and external stressors, often things we face daily:
- UV radiation (photoaging)
- Pollution & environmental toxins
- Oxidative stress (free radical overload)
- Glycation (sugar binding to collagen & elastin, making them stiff)
- Over-exfoliation or harsh products
- Chemical irritants & allergens
- Cellular senescence (ageing cells that refuse to die but cause inflammation)
In short, anything that chronically irritates or stresses your skin can contribute to inflammaging.
Inflammation isn’t all bad, it’s essential.
It’s how your body protects and heals itself. But when this system goes into overdrive, like a fire alarm that won’t shut off; it becomes destructive instead of helpful.
How to Prevent Inflammaging
The goal is to calm chronic inflammation, restore skin function, and strengthen your barrier. Here’s how –
Daily Sunscreen Use – Your first line of defence
Antioxidants – Neutralise free radicals that fuel inflammation
Retinoids – Support healthy skin cell turnover and repair
Antioxidants – Neutralise free radicals that fuel inflammation
Retinoids – Support healthy skin cell turnover and repair
Barrier Repair Moisturisers – Rebuild and reinforce your skin’s defences with fatty acids, ceramides, cholesterol, and humectants.
Think of inflammaging as the silent stressor behind many visible skin concerns.
While you can’t avoid all triggers, you can manage and minimise their effects with a science-based routine designed to calm, protect, and restore.
At 1611 LABS, we don’t just treat symptoms, we address root causes. Every formula we create supports long-term skin health backed by biotech, barrier health, and clinically proven science.