Beauty and Makeup Blog

Deep Wrinkles, Lines, discolorations, rough texture, dryness, slackness - if you haven’t already guessed, I’m describing the changes you may see as your skin ages. Why does skin change at all? As we mature, the cells that make up our bodies replace themselves more slowly. In skin’s case, epidermal cells that once took 28 days to replace themselves may now take 30 or 32 days, leaving skin with a dull finish and rough texture. The shape of these cells also changes, which makes them less able to form the flat, unbroken layer necessary to protect against water loss. This leads to the dryness associated with age. Furthermore, the epidermis grows thinner - in some people it may become almost transparent.

Your skin may appear more wrinkled when it is dehydrated, but you’ll be glad to know that dry skin does not lead to permanent wrinkles.

In our older years, sun exposure may manifest itself in surprising ways: as dark tan or brown age spots on the arms, hands, neck, or face. This is because the cells that create melanin do not function efficiently with age. In addition, older skin is more subject to allergic reactions and sensitivities than younger skin because it is less capable of defending itself against irritants, so pink blotches and  rashes may also appear.

Aging skin

Changes in skin’s dermis contribute to much of the slackness that accompanies our golden years. Collagen and elastin fibers - skin’s structural support ­ degenerate, leaving behind weakened reinforcement for skin’s upper layer. This is responsible for loose skin and those deep folds you may notice between your nose and mouth or mouth and chin. Even skin’s bottom layer, the subcutis, is at fault; it produces fewer fat cells, and it is fat cells that give younger skin its plumpness. And lastly, there’s gravity, which - let’s face it - can make a droopy situation even droopier.

Tagged under:aging skin brown age spots dry skin elastin fibers pink blotches skin ages wrinkles

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Filed under: Skin Care