Skin ages--there's just no getting around it. Some people have good genes and others have a lot of money, two factors that may delay the inevitable. But wrinkles, lines, discoloration and other signs of aging skin will come to everyone eventually, as both biology and the environment take their toll.
Types
Two types of aging plague human skin, according to Aging Skin Net, a website developed by the American Academy of Dermatology. Intrinsic aging involves bodily processes that happen at different times for different people according to their genetic makeup, but usually start in the third decade. The body begins producing less collagen, which weakens the skin's structure, and changes in the elastin cause skin not to spring back as readily as it once did. The skin becomes dryer as it ages, and new skin cells are slower to replace dead ones. Science has not discovered a way to stop these processes. With extrinsic aging, however, humans do have some control.
Considerations
Extrinsic factors can speed up the normal aging process and cause premature problems with the skin. Chief among these is exposure to the sun, says Aging Skin Net. Skin damage from sunlight, called photoaging, can happen in only a few minutes a day and accumulates over time. Long-term smoking has a detrimental effect on the skin. Sleeping habits, especially for side sleepers, and oft-repeated facial expressions affect the skin's appearance as well. Penn State's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center adds these extrinsic factors to the list: alcohol or drug abuse, excessive stress, poor diet and pollution.
Effects
The body's aging process leads to sagging, thinner skin and fine wrinkles. Sun damage may add a leathery texture, blotches or mottling, scaly patches and actinic keratoses, which are small, scaly growths that can be a precursor to skin cancer, according to the Hershey Medical Center. Longtime smokers risk deep wrinkles and a yellowed complexion. Aging Skin Net says research has shown that smokers as young as 20 have wrinkles that, though invisible to the eye, can be detected with a microscope.
Prevention
Protecting skin from the sun will go a long way toward arresting premature aging. Aging Skin Net recommends not saving sunscreen for the beach, but rather wearing it year-round. It should have a sun protection factor, or SPF, of at least 30. Hats, scarves and long-sleeved shirts provide further protection outdoors. Hershey Medical Center recommends staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., but Aging Skin Net extends its warning until 4 p.m. Purposeful tanning, particularly with an indoor device, increases damaging exposure. Smokers who quit the habit, even if they've been doing it for a long time, can reverse some of its effects.
Treatment
Once the wrinkles and other effects of aging are present, various treatments can diminish them. Products containing antioxidants, alpha hydroxy acids or vitamin A derivatives may help protect and smooth the skin, says Hershey Medical Center. Age spots can be treated with lasers or bleaching. Face lifts and other surgical procedures can help turn back the clock, but for those who want something less invasive, options include chemical peels, dermabrasion, laser resurfacing and injections of botulinum toxin or wrinkle fillers.
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