SKIN AGING

Skin is one of most important elements of our body – skin is responsible for several important body functions such as protections from the environment, body temperature control, regulation of fluid and electrolyte balance. Our skin contains millions of nerve receptors that let us feel sensations (touch, pain, pressure, temperature).

Skin is the most important visible part of our body and skin could be the indicator of our age. Every woman is trying to keep the skin younger and look younger.

To be able to properly take care of the skin, we need to know basics about skin aging and prevention of skin aging.

How actually skin aging happening

Body natural aging has huge influence at our skin. With body aging our skin appearance and skin main characteristics are changing. According to scientists the visible skin aging starts after 25-30 when natural skin regeneration (“refreshment”) slowing down – skin’s old cells’ replacement is happening more slowly; at the same time the turnover of the skin surface is slowing and skin healing processes are also happening not fast enough.

During perimenopause and menopause (45-50) women experience dramatic hormonal changes which is resulting in skin thinning. It is well known that thin skin is more fragile, more vulnerable, and more sensitive. This is why during that period of life women could experience often irritations, abrasion, allergic skin reactions, etc. Most of environmental factors and allergens could trigger different abnormal reactions on aging skin.

With aging our skin is looking elasticity and fat, becoming dry and vulnerable. With aging the number of skin feeding blood vessels is decreasing and the skin loses its youthful color and glow.

With aging the skin blood vessels becoming fragile which leads to bruising, bleeding under the skin, cherry angiomas and skin reddishness in certain zones.

Sebaceous glands produce less oil after menopause – this can make much more difficult to keep the skin moist, resulting in dryness and itchiness.

Skin aging symptoms include thinning skin, wrinkles, large pigmented spots (called “age spots” or “liver spots” or lentigos), dryness, reduced smoothness, sagging skin, slow skin healing and “refreshing”.

Skin aging factors and symptoms

Several factors have the influence at the speed of skin aging and skin aging changes:

• Genetic factors;
• Skin types;
• Environment (pollution, chemicals, unhealthy working environment, etc.);
• Sun exposure;
• Nutrition;
• Cosmetic interventions (beauty products, cosmetic procedures, surgical interventions);
• Skin diseases;
• Unhealthy habits (smoking, drinking, drug using);
• General and skin allergies.

Sun exposure is considered as the strongest factor for skin aging – the major cause of skin aging. You can easily check it – just compare different parts of your body skin – zones with regular sun exposure and zones that are protected from sunlight. For protection of fast skin aging you can regularly use sunscreen, wear protective clothing, avoid sunlamps and tanning beds.

It is also well knows that different types of skin have different speed of aging. Blue-eyed, fair-skinned women usually demonstrate more aging natural skin changes than women with darker and heavily pigmented skin.

Medical observations demonstrated that regular heavy cigarette smoking could trigger faster skin wrinkles development. It was noted that skin aging and skin wrinkles in women correlate with number of smoked cigarette per day and with duration of chronic smoking. More you smoke – faster your wrinkles will appear.

Market is full of skin products but the qualities of products are very different. Thousands of women noted skin aging and skin changes after using some bad quality skin creams and/or other skin products. Check always the quality of skin products.

Unfortunately some medical treatments for skin diseases also can trigger skin aging – making skin dry, less elastic and sometimes with spots. Before starting any treatment for skin diseases, it is recommended to check all side effects including skin aging.

Everybody knows that old people feel cold more often but not many people know that with aging our skin’s subcutaneous fat layer thins and it is reducing skin’s normal insulation and padding. As a result, during skin aging risks of skin injuries are increasing. At the same time, because of decreased levels of skin fat (actually because of less natural insulation) our body reduces the ability to maintain body temperature – as a result during aging we could get hypothermia in cold weather faster.

During aging the sweat glands produce less sweat (important for body temperature regulations!) – this is why aging skin could be a cause of increased risk for becoming overheated or developing heat stroke.

Unfortunately aging skin is slowly loosing the ability to sense touch, pressure, vibration, heat and cold which is increasing skin risks for different types of injury.

Fragile blood vessels are another consequence of skin aging – simple skin trauma or even rubbing could trigger damage of vessels (purpura, hematomas).

Usually young skin has very good healing ability but aging skin is losing this ability – actually the wound healing in aging skin could happen 3-4 times slower. Skin healing deficit could trigger skin ulcers, inflammations and infections.

Medical professional noted that about 85-90% old people have different types of skin disorders which are also consequences of aging skin.

How avoid fast skin aging

Many women even don’t know that certain lifestyle and certain habits can cause fast skin aging with all consequences. Not only age and external factors trigger skin aging but out every day routine activities also could play the important role in skin aging. Making unhealthy choices can cause prematurely skin aging skin and you could look older than your biological age.

Knowledge is a power – if you would know what you may be doing that is harming your skin and speeding up your skin’s aging process, for sure you would choose healthier choices. It is so pleasant having soft young beautiful skin!

Anti-aging skin care strategy usually recommends the following:

• AVOID cigarette smoking including social smoking and passive smoking;

• AVOID sun exposure which is the most dangerous factor for skin aging; make sure you use sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays;

• AVOID passive life – lack of physical exercises and muscles’ activities reduce skin blood circulation which could cause skin aging;

• AVOID cold weather and strong winds because they contribute to skin aging by making it dry;

• AVOID regular use of alcohol – it contributes to skin aging by dilating small skin blood vessels; in long term  that kind of changes in skin vessels could trigger permanent skin damages (reddish face, flushed appearance);

• AVOID stress – stressed face is very typical and negative; so called “stressed mask” on your face could damage skin appearance;

• SLEEP WELL – never miss your sleeping time (minimum 8-9 hours per day). During sleep your skin is replacing old cells and making your skin younger. Lack of sleep could speed up skin aging and could change your face (dark circles and bags under the eyes, sagging skin).

Follow healthy lifestyle, take care of yourself – this is the best skin anti-aging strategy.