Age-related changes in the skin: what factors accelerate aging, and how to influence them

Knowing the characteristic age-related changes that occur with the skin and the mechanisms of their development, allows the cosmetologist to take measures in advance to slow down the aging process, to develop a comprehensive program of procedures that have a rejuvenating effect. The main causes that accelerate skin aging, and some of the most striking changes characteristic of aging skin, will be considered from estet-portal.com.

Some Causes of Age-Related Skin Changes

Specialists identify several possible causes that trigger the start of processes that lead to age-related skin changes.

Chronoaging – genetically programmed irreversible process of natural aging, when the following changes become the result of lived years:

• the stratum corneum thickens against the background of thinning of its other layers;
• the production of hyaluronic acid in the skin decreases;
• capillary walls become thinner;
• gravitational ptosis develops – prolapse of the soft tissues of the face;
• skin loses its elasticity, deep wrinkles appear.

Skin aging due to intrinsic factors – the process associated with the negative impact of stress, disease, hormonal fluctuations, metabolic disorders, reduced immunity. Under the influence of internal factors, the following changes occur in the skin:

• the boundary between the epidermis and dermis is flattened;
• there is atrophy of the dermis and disappearance of the dermal papillae;
• the number of melanocytes in the epidermis decreases;
• the number of fibroblasts decreases;
• elastic fibers in the dermis are depleted and fragmented.

The result of internal destructive processes in the skin is a decrease in collagen production, a decrease in the activity of melanocytes and a slowdown in reparative processes.

Skin aging due to external factors – most often occurs under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, which causes the production of abnormal elastic fibers and the development of elastosis. Age-related changes in the skin under the influence of UV radiation are usually manifested by depletion of the basement membrane, dilation of blood vessels, and inflammatory processes in the skin. At the same time, some changes occur similarly to those caused by internal causes:

• collagen content decreases;
• melanocyte activity decreases;
• the ability of the skin to heal lesions is impaired.

How some age-related skin changes appear

With age, changes in the epidermis begin to appear in a person – the outer layer becomes thinner, the skin turns pale and acquires an apparent translucency due to a decrease in pigment in melanocytes, but on the open areas of the body pigment spots appear, various skin neoplasms are formed – warts, atheromas, other defects.

At the level of the dermis, age-related changes are expressed, first of all, by the gradual destruction of collagen and elastin fibers, a decrease in microcirculatory activity, and a decrease in the amount of intercellular fluid. The elasticity of the dermis is markedly reduced.

One of the most characteristic manifestations of age-related changes in the skin is an increase in the fragility of the walls of blood vessels, which causes subcutaneous hemorrhages, telangiectasia, the development of senile purpura or angioma.

Age-related thinning of the subcutaneous fat layer  increases the risk of skin damage and reduces the quality of thermoregulation, slows down the ability to heal and restore the skin. Gradually, the sebaceous glands begin to produce less secretion, which increases the dryness of the skin and in some cases causes itching.

Another important manifestation of age-related changes – redistribution of subcutaneous fat volumes.

Due to a decrease in bone density, including on the face, muscle tone decreases, ligaments weaken, fat packages are displaced – all this leads to a characteristic omission of soft tissues, "floating" oval of the face, deepening of wrinkles.

Knowing the characteristic age-related changes that occur with the skin, and the mechanisms of their development, will help the cosmetologist to take timely measures for their prevention.

Facial mesotherapy is an effective and painless method of rejuvenation and healing!