Like the rest of the human body, the skin is subject to changes caused by the natural aging process. Consider a grape. As it loses moisture, its appearance and skin become completely different. Unfortunately, as we age, similar structural and functional changes occur in our skin. The literature treats skin aging as two separate processes, distinguishing between natural, or “intrinsic,” aging and “extrinsic,” or environmental aging. The former is simply caused by the passage of time, while the latter is caused by lifestyle factors such as smoking and exposure to environmental pollutants or chronic ultraviolet radiation from sunlight.
Intrinsic aging is a slow process, and environmental aging In the absence of this, changes usually only appear at an advanced age, when smooth skin is combined with fine wrinkles and a pale skin tone. The skin loses its elasticity and expression lines become more intense. The thickness of the dermal layer decreases, and the skin can become visibly more translucent. At the same time, the number of fibroblasts and mast cells decreases, so collagen production also decreases. According to the literature, elastin fibers gradually break down, which results in a decrease in the elasticity and resilience of aging skin. One of the accompanying symptoms of aging is a decrease in the moisture content of the skin, and the flattening of individual layers reduces the transfer of nutrients between each layer. This reduces the skin's ability to regenerate, and the antioxidant capacity, immune function and melanin production may also be damaged.
The interior aging is largely inevitable and can also depend to a large extent on our genetic background. However, the internal aging process can be greatly influenced by external factors, so it is worth mitigating external influences that are harmful to our skin, avoiding smoking, poor nutrition and chronic sun exposure.
The improvement of the skin condition can also be achieved as a result of various cosmetic treatments. According to literature sources, external influences can be mitigated, skin damage can be reversed, substances that are depleted in the skin can be replenished to a certain level as a result of continuous treatments, and the regeneration of the elastic fiber system and collagen can be supported.
Source:
Zussman, J., Ahdout, J., & Kim, J. (2010). Vitamins and photoaging: is there scientific evidence to support their use? Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 63(3), 507-525.
Langton, A. K., Sherratt, M. J., Griffiths, C. E. M., & Watson, R. E. B. (2010). New wrinkles on old skin: the role of elastic fibers in skin aging. International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 32(5), 330-339.
Pinnell, S. R. (2003). Skin photodamage, oxidative stress and local antioxidant protection. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 48(1), 1-22.
Pihlajaniemi, T., Myllylä, R. and Kivirikko, KI (1991). Prolyl-4-hydroxylase and its role in collagen synthesis. Journal of Hepatology, 13, 2-7.
