Natural Skin Care Products | Clinical Skincare

Ageing Skins

When a person is young, he or she does not have wrinkles or sagging skin because the skin does a great job of stretching and retaining moisture. The dermis layer of the skin has an elastic quality thanks to fibres called elastin that keep the skin looking and feeling young. A protein in the dermis called collagen is essential in preventing wrinkles.

However, over time, the dermis begins to lose both collagen and elastin, therefore reducing the skin’s ability to absorb, retain and transport moisture to the other layers of the skin. The ‘fat’ in the subcutaneous layer that gives the skin its plump appearance also begins to disappear. This causes the epidermis to sag and thus, wrinkles form.There's not a magic age (for example, 40) when everyone suddenly gets wrinkles. Some people in their 20s have little wrinkles around their eyes (called "crow's feet") from squinting or spending too much time in the sun.

Some people might not see wrinkles till they reach their 50s or 60s. This is usually because they have taken good care of their skin over the years and may have more sebum (say: see-bum), the skin's natural oil. They may also have "good genes" - which means their family members don't have many wrinkles. Eventually, however, everyone will have at least a few wrinkles. It's a natural part of the aging process.

The most unfortunate part of the ageing process is saggy skin! It may seem that there is no way to escape it, but a good skin care regime will give you the best chance of reducing the problem. As we age, the skin’s collagen molecules begin to break down and this results in a deepening of wrinkles and other lines. Unlike the facial skin, with the benefit of contact with the facial muscles, the skin of the body does not possess the same underlying skin infrastructure. No matter how much you tone your muscles, you might find it incredibly hard to tighten or lift the loose skin.

Fibroblast cells in the skin slow down collagen production. Elastin is broken over large areas of tissue. With minimal collagen being produced and mass amounts of elastin fibres irrevocably being broken, the skin loses turgidity and bounce. Likewise, dead cells build up upon the surface as a defence mechanism – an armour plate as it were, against the assaults of free radicals and sun damage.

These cells appear as crinkly or as “chicken” skin and are especially obvious when the legs are crossed or the skin is moved during certain body positions. It is during these positions when the skin looks the most crepe-like and geriatric.

Here are some useful tips people can observe to prevent reduce wrinkles at an early age:

Avoid spending too much time in the direct sun, especially during the hours when the sun's rays are harshest (between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM). Sunblock helps, but it doesn't block out all the damaging UV rays that cause the skins to wrinkle. Still, if you are outside a lot, be sure to wear a sunblock with sun protection factor (SPF) 15 or higher and reapply often (every 2 to 3 hours). Always reapply after swimming or playing sports that cause you to perspire!
Avoid Tanning Salons. The UV light from tanning booths is just as damaging as the sun's - and sometimes worse.
Do not smoke! Smoking robs your skin of precious moisture and causes premature (early) wrinkles. (Did you ever notice that most heavy smokers have wrinkles around their mouths?)
Drink plenty of water.
Regularly moisturize your skin, especially during colder months when the air is drier.