What Are Normal Indicators Of Aging Skin?

Aging skin is a condition many women wish they could put in reverse, but according to Joel Gerson, author of "Milady's Standard Textbook for Professional Estheticians," improvement of aging skin is attainable, but you can never have the skin you had when you where a teenager. As you advance in years, your skin will start to show signs of aging. This is a normal process that comes with typical indicators.

Loss of Fat and Collagen

Look to see if your bones seem to be more prominent now that you are older. Fat that once plumped up your skin and made it feel soft commonly diminishes with age. Collagen, which is in the dermis, starts to break down as you get older. When this happens, the skin starts to sag and it will not be as supple as it used to be. It will also be thinner and more easily damaged.

Dryness

Dry skin is a normal part of aging. Run your hand over your skin to see if it feels coarse. Your skin will not feel smooth if it is dry. It may feel tight and appear to be thin.

Wrinkling

Deep lines in your skin are aging skin indicators. Soft lines are indicators of aging skin as well. Wrinkling occurs when collagen starts to break down and cannot hold moisture the way it once could. Moisture in the skin makes skin cells plump, which lessens the appearance of wrinkles. Wrinkles also appear when fat under the skin diminishes.

Light Brown Spots

Check your skin for spots that are light brown in color. These spots often appear on the skin after many years of being in the sun. They look like over sized freckles and often appear on various parts of the body. Light brown spots on the skin are also known as age spots and liver spots. Spots that are irregularly shaped, grow quickly or have a combination of colors should be reported to your doctor.

Flesh Tags

Run your hand down your neck and notice if you feel tiny pieces of flesh protruding out of your skin. Also look at your eyelids and in areas of your body where the skin folds. Flesh tags (also known as skin tags) appear flesh-toned, but are sometimes tan. Some skin types are more prone to these harmless protrusions.

Black and Blues

Keep an eye out for bruises. Aging skin bruises easily and does not heal as quickly as young skin does. A fresh bruise will be black and blue in color. One well on its way to healing will appear yellowish in color.