The Truth About Inflammation

This chronic condition can have a not-so-great impact on your skin. Here's what you need to know about it.

- BETHANY HEITMAN

From turmeric to infrared spas, fighting inflammation has become the buzzy thing to do. And with good reason. Research has shown that chronic inflammation may lead to some pretty serious health conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and more.

But what exactly is inflammation? Simply put, it's the body's natural defense against tissue damage, potential toxins, bacteria, and viruses. When your body is faced with one of these things, it triggers your immune system to send inflammatory cells to start the healing process. This is good if you're injured or sick. But some things-like poor diet or environmental factors can cause inflammation when your body doesn't actually need it.

One of the nasty side effects of inflammation: accelerated aging of the skin a phenomenon that is known as inflammaging. Barbara Sturm, founder of the beloved skincare line Dr. Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics, has spent decades studying this very thing. Sturm started her career in orthopedics, helping to create cutting-edge treatments for inflammatory conditions like osteoarthritis. Inspired by her own skin issues, she began to focus on aesthetics-specifically how inflammation accelerates the process of aging.