The Effects of Aging on Skin

©GinnyLynni

No body wants to look old. Unfortunately, your skin speaks all about your age if you do not take care of it. Your body starts showing all the signs of aging as soon as you cross the mid thirties. The most prominent of all signs on the body are the effects of aging on skin. Your skin shows wrinkles and dark spots and loses its turgidity, glow and tone. The lines on the forehead become more visible than ever and the skin becomes dehydrated and rough.

It is your skin that protects you from sunlight especially the UV rays and the rough and tough weather, regulates body temperature and gives you the sense of touch. It is not only the largest organ of the body but also reflects the status of your health and youthfulness. Following are the general effects of aging on the texture and appearance on the skin:

Formation of Wrinkles and lines

More and more wrinkles and lines appear on your skin as you get older. The skin loses its elasticity because of the fragmentation of the elastin fibers which are present in the subcutaneous layer of the skin. The level of Hyaluronic acid which is present in the dermis and is responsible for keeping the balance of water within the skin is also lowered. Both these processes are mainly due to aging. These changes cause the skin to lose its turgidity resulting in the formation of wrinkles and lines.

Dry and rough skin due to dehydration

Progressing age results in decreased secretion from the sweat and sebaceous glands. This consequently results in dryness of the skin. The skin becomes rough and itchy. This problem is usually solved by the use of moisturizing lotions and increased water intake to keep the skin hydrated and nourished.

Prolonged process of healing

One of the factors responsible for prolonged wound healing is aging. How? Well, the healing of a wound involves contraction of the wound, re-epithelialization and proliferation of the connective tissue. All these steps are diminished and thus the duration of the tissue repair becomes prolonged. The granulation tissue formation during the tissue repair process, i.e. the proliferation of fibroblasts to produce collagen fibers and new blood vessel formation is also affected.

The quality and quantity of the skin both are affected

Aging affects the layers, epidermis as well as dermis of the skin. The skin of an aged person becomes fragile and prone to injury. It not only becomes inelastic but also becomes malnourished due to the reduced production of new blood vessels, a phenomenon called angiogenesis. The elastin and collagen both are of low quality and this affects the resilience of the skin. Not only this, the sensory feelings are also altered. This results in decreased ability to recognize pain, heat or itching.

The overall effect

The skin is structurally as well as functionally affected by the process of aging. It is not only the skin that ages, but the appendages of the skin such as nails, hair and sebaceous glands also show remarkable signs of aging. All these effects of aging can be delayed by living a healthy lifestyle. There are many advanced treatments to minimize the skin aging such as use of dermal fillers, botulinum toxin and tretinoin etc. So, take care of your skin now so that your skin takes care of you when you get old!