Effects of Aging on the skin and how to treat it

RESEARCH shows that there are two types of aging. Aging caused by the genes you are born with is called intrinsic (internal or chronological) aging, and aging caused by external factors, such as the environment, is referred to as extrinsic aging. Intrinsic aging is a natural process that involves, among other things, the shortening of the life span of your cells. By the time you are an adult, the life span of your cells is less than half of what it was when you were a child. For example, it takes you longer to heal from cuts and scrapes, you begin to bruise more easily, your circulation decreases, and toxins are eliminated at a slower rate. This is the normal aging process, and there’s not much we can do to stop it. The factors affecting extrinsic aging, however, can be controlled.

In your twenties, your skin appears firm and virtually wrinkle-free. However, within the skin, the production of both collagen and elastin—the substances that enable the skin to bounce back from sun exposure, wounds, acne, and the like—slows 4 down. This process is accelerated by repeated exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. This, along with a slight decrease in the ability of dead skin cells to shed, begins the signs of intrinsic aging. Failing to properly protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays at this age (as many people do), and other unhealthy lifestyle choices often made by the young and uninitiated, cause long-term damage and exacerbate the visible signs of aging. Although the signs might not become noticeable until you are well into your thirties, the inevitable process of aging has begun.

In your thirties, lines begin to form around the eyes, called crow’s feet, between the brows, called glabellar lines, and on the forehead, called transverse lines. Collagen and elastin production continues to slow down, and the skin becomes puffier, especially around the eye area. How you protect, treat, nourish, and strengthen your skin at this age can mean a great deal when it comes to your long-term health and beauty. As you grow older, it will make the difference between looking younger than you are, or, unfortunately, looking much older.

In your forties, you can expect to see an even greater loss of elasticity in the skin. The face also begins to lose volume as the skin’s fin and collagen begin to diminish. The skin becomes more transparent, the corners of the mouth start to turn down, and age spots may appear or darken. The skin may also become drier due to decreased levels of estrogen.
In your fifties, gravity starts to have an impact. It causes the rip of the nose to droop, the ears to elongate, the eyelids to fall, and the jowls to become more pronounced.

In your sixties and beyond, the impact of gravity that you began to see in your fifties becomes even more pronounced. Also, your face can appear to be puffy and tired all day. Inflammation and fluid build-up is more prevalent at this point, as are fatty deposits under the eyes and chin. Intrinsic aging is inevitable. However, there are ways to help slow the effects of this natural process. One of the most important ways to decelerate the aging clock is to make sure you are nourishing your body properly. Good nutrition is essential, but you have to eat what is right for you. Many people suffer from food intolerances and allergies and do not even know it. Often, unbeknownst to you, the food you most enjoy may be causing digestive problems and headaches, and sapping your energy. You may not see the correlation between what you’re eating and how you feel afterward. If you suffer from any of these symptoms, it’s not a bad idea to consult your physician, as well as a nutritionist, and adopt a diet plan that’s right for your body. In addition to proper nutrition, it is essential to get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water, preferably with lemon. As you may know, lemon contains lots of vitamin C and helps reduce inflammation. Try to minimize stress through exercise and massage, and of course, do not smoke!

One of the most important ways to decelerate the aging clock is to make sure you are nourishing your body properly.

Extrinsic aging is responsible for most of the visible signs of prematurely aged skin. One example of this type of aging is prolonged exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays, which is called photoaging. Although it may seem as if these signs appear out of nowhere (often in the form of wrinkles), they have been building up under the skin’s surface for years. With repeated exposure to the sun, the skin loses the ability to repair itself; thus the damage accumulates. Most skin cancer occurs in prematurely aged skin. Increasing numbers of cases of melanoma (skin cancer) have been well documented in the last few years, perhaps due to the depletion of the ozone. But one thing is for sure: permanent skin damage and disease occur because of accumulated destruction within the skin from previous years of prolonged sun exposure. That is why it is essential for you to take steps now to protect not only yourself but your children as well, from further damage that could lead to skin cancer. By educating your children and applying sunscreen to their skin whenever they are exposed to sunlight for extended amounts of time, you can help protect them from the harmful effects of the sun’s burning rays. After just a few instances of being sunburned as a child, a person is already at an increased risk of developing skin cancer later in life.

The scientific details of how and why the sun damages your skin are very technical but suffice it to say that it’s essential to protect your skin as much as possible if you want CO to avoid skin cancer and premature aging. A few ways to ensure that you are being protected from the sun’s harmful rays are to wear protective clothing, including a hat and sunglasses. and use sunscreen on a daily basis—no matter what time of year or in what climate. Many excellent skin-care lines now contain a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SIT (sun protection factor) of fifteen or higher in their day-dreams. so it is very simple to protect your skin as you moisturize. Make sure that the products you apply contain both UVA and UVB protection, and apply a moisturizer with sunblock liberally, letting it dry completely before applying your makeup or putting on clothing.

After just a few instances of being sunburned as a child, a person is already at an increased risk of developing skin cancer later in life.

In addition to the sun, the skin has many more enemies. Among them are smoking, excess alcohol consumption. crash dieting, dehydration, exposure to chemicals contained in some cosmetics and skin-care products, pollution, and stress, just to name a few.

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