How Does Aging Affect the Skin?
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Internal Aging Factors
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Internal aging is what we often think of as "natural aging," the normal aging process that begins in our twenties, but does not often appear noticeable until decades later. Internal aging brings obvious changes to the skin like wrinkles, dry and thin skin, as well as the breakdown in and reduced production of collagen and elastin in the body. Hormonal changes also affect the skin. Estrogen is partly responsible for the production of collagen and elastin, but the level of estrogen in the body decreases with aging, thus promoting the decline in the softness and suppleness of the skin. The sebaceous glands are responsible for oil production, which helps keep skin lubricated. As we age there is less oil in the sebaceous glands, which results in dryness of the skin.
External Aging Factors
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Alongside with internal factors, external factors promote the aging of the skin, accelerating the aging process. These include factors, such as gravity, sleep positions, repeated facial expressions, smoking and sun exposure.
Repeatedly sleeping in the same position for 30 years can produce wrinkles on the skin, especially if you sleep with your face scrunched into the pillow. This principle holds true for repeated facial expressions as well.
Smoking increases the signs of aging on the skin for many reasons. The "smoker's mouth" is a result of repeatedly holding the lips in a certain way year after year. The chemicals in smoke also cause the capillaries and blood vessels to restrict. This limits the supply of collagen to the elasticity of the skin as well as necessary vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C is responsible for collagen and elastin production, and smoking depletes the body of Vitamin C, causing the skin to appear aged.
The sun is the principal external factor that ages skin prematurely. Exposure to the sun's harmful rays, day after day and year after year, breaks down the elastin and collagen in the skin, and the skin loses its ability to repair and rebuild itself.
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Precautions to Fight the Effects of Aging
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The best way prevent the aging process in your skin from accelerating is to protect it from the inside, as well as the outside. Eat a diet rich in anti-aging and anti-oxidant vitamins, such as Vitamin C and E, both of which work together to rebuild the skin's collagen and elastin. Drink plenty of water, as this keeps your body hydrated and helps prevent dryness. Avoid extreme amounts of sun and, when in the sun, wear protection, such as a wide-brimmed hat to protect the face and sunblock with a minimum SPF of 15. If you smoke, the obvious thing to do is quit. This will protect not only your skin from the effects of aging, but your heart, lungs and the rest of your body.
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Resources
- Photo Credit www.reshade.com
