The presence of wrinkles, freckles, sagging, thin or loose skin typically increases as the years pass. Premature aging occurs when a person appears to age at an accelerated rate. Though the exact cause of premature aging varies from person to person, genetics and an increased exposure to environmental stressors such as the sun appear to play a significant role.
Sun Exposure
Most premature aging is caused by sun exposure, according to the website AgingSkinNet. Spending a few minutes a day in the sun over a few years can cause noticeable changes in the skin. Freckles, age spots, spider veins on the face, rough and leathery skin, a blotchy complexion, skin cancer and loose skin can be attributed to the sun's natural rays. Dermatologists refer to aging caused by sun exposure as "photoaging." The rate that a person photoages depends on her skin color and how long and frequently she has exposed herself to intense sun rays. This type of premature aging occurs over years. When the skin is repeatedly exposed to sun, the skin loses its ability to repair itself, damaging the skin. Repeated ultraviolet (UV) exposure breaks down collagen and prevents the body from producing new collagen. In addition, the sun damages the skin's elastin, a protein found in the skin that keeps it firm and tight. This alters the skin's ability to spring back into place after it has been pulled.
Facial Expressions
A person's facial expressions can contribute to premature aging. Repetitive facial movements can cause the development of fine lines and wrinkles, according to Richard A. Cirelli, M.D., a physician at the SunWest Dermatology and Skin Cancer Treatment Center in Prescott, Arizona. Every time people use their facial muscles, a groove beneath the skin surface forms, resulting in facial expressions. As the skin ages, it loses some of the elasticity that it needs to spring back into shape after someone laughs, frowns or smiles. A decline in elasticity can cause the skin to wrinkle prematurely.
Smoking
Long-term and consistent cigarette smoking can cause premature aging. Smoking destroys the ability of the skin to renew itself successfully, accelerating the aging process, according to BBC News. It causes the skin to form permanent wrinkles and thin lines. Damaging enzymes cause skin cells that are repeatedly exposed to smoke to prematurely break down. Cigarette smoking also causes a drop in the production of fresh collagen by up to 40 percent, BBC News says. Collagen, a fibrous protein, connects bodily tissues such as the skin, bone, tendons, muscles, and cartilage together. So a deficiency in collagen can result in looser skin and wrinkles.
Gravity
Gravity contributes to premature aging by slowing time and pulling the body downward, according to London's Wellington Hospital. The earth's gravitational pull causes a person's bones and soft tissue to droop, creating the appearance of loose, wrinkly or worn skin. The Acne Treatment Center says gravity causes the tip of the nose to sag, ears to lengthen, eyelids to droop, the upper lip to fade away and the lower lip to become more prominent.
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