Three Kinds of Skin Aging

When you see a stranger or meet someone for the first time you unconsciously estimate his or her age by assessing skin characteristics for clues to age and general health.  Telltale drooping or sagging cheeks, spots on the backs of the hands, forehead creases, squint lines and wrinkles all indicate a certain passage of time. 
 
With the advent of better nutrition, improved medical care, and tremendous advances in research regarding disease and illness human beings are now living longer lives and staying active and vital well into advanced chronological age.  More and more frequently we meet people whose health, life style, and activity level are significantly “younger” than the appearance and condition of their skin would indicate.  

This contradiction has brought about an increased awareness of how skin, the human being’s largest organ, actually functions and why it shows symptoms of aging well before most other organs in the body.  An increased demand to slow down skin ageing or regain youthful skin tone and contour has sped up research and triggered new technology that has made skin care the multi-billion dollar industry it is today.

More and more people, men and women alike, are learning that skin care, whether it be a daily cleansing regime, non-surgical treatments, or a surgical facial restructuring, can dramatically improve their self image, add to their social and financial success and improve their quality of life. 

Most of us never gave a second thought to the appearance of our skin until we approached puberty and unattractive spots and eruptions began to appear.  Boys and girls alike suddenly become more conscious of their skin type, skin treatments, diets and food restrictions, and cosmetic cover up products.  Once they’re safely past the teen years most people, and especially men, go back to taking their skin for granted.

Finding out more about the physical process of skin aging can assist you in recognizing the changes that have occurred in your own skin and the underlying causes of those changes.  You will also find out how you can delay and minimize some of the natural skin aging processes as well as learn more about what treatments can dramatically improve the current condition of your skin. 

Many factors, both internal and external, cause skin aging.  These causes can be divided into three categories:  biological, environmental, and mechanical.

Biological aging is inevitable. Every human being has a biological clock determined by his or her genetic makeup. The gradual shift in the balance of certain hormones or messenger molecules excreted by glands and organs within the body are genetically determined and cannot be halted.

Serious health setbacks or chronic disease also contribute to biological aging.  If the body’s other organs are malfunctioning it will soon be reflected in the appearance and condition of the skin. 

However, some of the factors that contribute to biological aging can be controlled.  Recent research has led to a greater understand of how unstable molecules (called “free radicals”) damage proteins, lipids, and the DNA within cells, which accelerates the biological aging process.

Specialized diet, ingesting supplements, or topical application of antioxidants to the skin have been found in many cases to significantly slow the symptoms of the biological aging process.  Antioxidants are molecules with the ability to neutralize ”free radicals” in the skin.   

So, with treatments appropriate to the age and condition of the skin we are, to some degree, actually able to delay biological skin aging.

Environmental aging occurs as a result of daily exposure to harmful “free radicals” mainly from the sun's ultraviolet rays, pollution, smoking, extreme weather conditions, and external stress. The “free radicals” damage lipids, proteins, and DNA, which together limit the ability of cells to function and inhibit the skin’s ability to replace dead cells with new ones. Years of accumulated environmental stress factors cause what is, in fact, premature aging of the skin. 

Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays is by far the greatest factor in premature skin aging.   The sun damages collagen, elastin, melanocytes, and the moisture barrier, which results in wrinkles, sagging, uneven skin tone, dark spots, and a rough, dry skin texture.  Pollution often increases the UV effect, and cold, wind, and dry air depletes the skin of essential moisture. 

Cigarette smoking, because of its close proximity to facial skin especially, increases “free radical” production, may actually decrease collagen and elastin production, and also significantly decreases the supply of oxygen to skin cells.  The results, again, are premature aging of the skin. 

Environmental aging is perhaps the easiest to correct, either by limiting the skin’s exposure to the sun and extreme weather, or by replenishing lost collagen, elastin, or moisture, or by surgically removing and correcting damaged skin and encouraging the production of new skin cells.

Mechanical aging of the skin is causes by gravity, weight fluctuations, and repetitive movements of specific muscles.  As facial muscles become more lax and skin tone is lost, gravity pulls eyelids, cheeks, and even ears, lower as the years go by.

Occupational activities, such as squinting, pursing the lips, lifting, and repetitive movements contribute to creases, wrinkles and puffiness.  Changing the damaging activities or avoiding certain behavior patterns can dramatically improve the damage to skin caused by mechanical aging. 

No matter what the cause of skin aging, it helps to recognize symptoms and understand what is happening underneath the surface so we can better correct, slow down or prevent damage.

Dry skin

The skins moisture barrier, located in the dermis, is composed of keratinocytes (keratin-filled skin cells) surrounded by and sealed together with interspersed epidermal lipids (ceramides, lipids, and fatty acids).  Decreased hormone levels, sun, harsh weather and allergens cause a decline in production of epidermal lipids and breakdown in the moisture barrier.  

The use of moisturizers appropriate to your skin type can often alleviate this symptom.

Dull, rough, or bumpy skin

As the skin ages the cell renewal process slows due to weakening of blood vessels in the dermis and flattening of dermal cells decreases the area across which nutrients and oxygen can diffuse between the dermis and epidermis.  Dead and dying cells back up and accumulate on the epidermis causing an uneven and dull surface. 

Removing the dead cells regularly from the surface of the skin with physical and chemical exfoliates will smooth the skin and stimulate cell renewal and considerably lessen this symptom.

Lines, creases, and wrinkles

Collegan, a structural protein found in the dermis (the middle layer), provides a mesh-like frame and support for the epidermis (top layer) and overall strength of the skin.  As collegan production decreases and existing collegan degrades the areas with less support or more stress begin to cave in and wrinkles form. 

Avoiding UV exposure which leads to decreased collegan production by using sunscreen regularly slows this process.   There are also many very effective treatments to reinforce the dermis by injecting collegan or other dermal fillers.

Enlarged pores

Pores do not actually enlarge (pore size is a genetic feature) but appear larger as dead skin cells accumulate on the skin’s epidermis (outer layer) around the pores. 

Keeping the skin pores clear and clean, regular use of sunscreen, and regular exfoliation can greatly improve the appearance of enlarged pores.

Lax or sagging skin

Elastin, another structural protein found in the dermis, has the ability to snap back into place after stretching, giving the skin its elastic quality. With age, elastin fibers lose some of their resilience and elastin production decreases. This results in areas of decreased firmness, especially along the jaw line, neck, and around the eyes.  Thinning skin and slower cell renewal contributes to sagging and loss of skin tone. 

There are numerous cosmetic procedures to plump up or improve sagging skin, but the most effective is cosmetic plastic surgery.  Liposuction can also remove or reposition fatty deposits to give the skin a smoother, more elastic appearance.

Spots and discolorations

Melanin, which determines skin color, is produced in specialized melanocyte cells in the lowest layer of the epidermis (stratum basale). With age, melanocyte activity decreases, making the skin more susceptible to UV damage.  Also the cells tend to cluster, causing “age spots”.  Hormone fluctuations and imbalances can also trigger excess melanin production.  As skin cell renewal decreases wounds heal more slowly and skin thins, contributing to discolorations. 

Increased cleansing and specialized care of the skin can slow formation of spots, and surgical procedures can remove them permanently.  Exfoliation, chemical peels and dermabrasion can smooth and remove spots and discolorations.