What Makes Skin Age?
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Introduction
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Aging is a natural process of the skin, but there are several lifestyle choices that age skin prematurely. Smoking and sunbathing are just two ways to damage the skin. Wrinkles, depressions, fine lines and age spots usually start in the 40s or 50s, but people in their 20s or 30s also have noticeable winkles. Aging is the result of the layers of the skin going through a series of chemical changes. While no one can stop the aging process, premature aging can be prevented. With a healthy lifestyle, good genes and a lifelong skincare regimen, some people can delay getting wrinkles and age spots until their 60s.
How the Skin Ages
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The three layers of the skin each plays a part in the aging process. The top layer of the skin is the epidermis, and this is the layer that is most exposed to the environment and which shows the signs of aging. As a person ages, the sebaceous glands on the skin produce less sebum, so the skin becomes drier. This makes a person more susceptible to wrinkling. The middle layer of the skin is the dermis. This is section where collagen and elastic are produced. Collagen is a protein that gives the skin strength. Elastin is the protein that gives skin its elasticity. As the body ages, the dermis produces far less collagen and elastin. This makes the skin thinner. With less elastin, the skin starts to sag. The dermis also provides the epidermis with nutrients, but the amount of nourishment reaching the top layer diminishes with age. The third skin layer is the subcutaneous tissues. This layer contains numerous fat cells that make skin look full and plump. As a person grows older, the fatty cells decrease in size, and this makes skin thinner. These chemical changes result in wrinkles and sagging skin.
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Causes of Premature Aging
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There are several ways to get wrinkles and aging skin while still under 30. Smoking, sun exposure and tanning result in premature wrinkles. Sun exposure is probably the biggest culprit in aging the skin. The UV rays dry out and damage the epidermis. In some cases, the ultraviolet light even burns the skin. While the skin cells can repair and renew themselves, as time passes, this process takes longer. And with long-term sun damage, the skin has a harder time healing itself. Too much sun exposure without sunblock also leads to age spots on the face and hands. These small, brown spots are harmless and usually appear around age 50. Tanning beds also harm the skin layers. The tanning process uses ultraviolet light to darken the skin, and this is just as harmful as sunbathing. Smoking causes wrinkles around the mouth from holding the cigarette in the lips. Lines around the eyes are the result of squinting because the smoke is irritating the eyes. By avoiding these activities, a person can delay the signs of aging.
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