About Skin Aging
The process of getting older outwardly can be seen in the skin before any other organ of the body. Changes are visible to us and to those around us and growing old cannot be hidden, unlike many other medical issues. We are living longer than ever before and, for some people, the natural changes associated with skin aging can be seen as undesirable or even unhealthy. The anti-aging market continues to grow in lockstep with this, often in response to (but also frequently driving) exactly these kinds of concerns.
The science behind skin-aging
As skin ages, there is a reduction in both the number and size of skin cells. It functions less effectively as a protective barrier, temperature regulation is less efficient and there is a decline in the production of sweat, sebum (oil) and vitamin D. The skin itself becomes increasingly thin over time due to a steady reduction in collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid (it is commonly quoted that collagen production in the skin falls by 1 percent each year after the age of twenty). Cells turn over less quickly and wound healing is relatively impaired.
To the external observer, these changes become apparent as dry skin, fine lines, deep furrows and wrinkles. Skin starts to sag as it loses its support and textural changes appear. Broken blood vessels, thread veins and uneven skin pigmentation become more prominent. Frighteningly, some of these changes can set in as early as your late twenties or early thirties. Aesthetics aside, aging also affects the skin’s immune response and certain skin cancers become more common as we get older.