As we age, our skin looks thinner, dryer and more fragile. It begins to sag, wrinkles and aging lines appear, and maybe age spots. There are many reasons for this, some intrinsic to the workings of our body, and some due to external factors.
Intrinsic reasons for skin aging
As we get older, we produce fewer new cells, and there is less fibroblast activity – these are the most common connective tissue cells. Reduced fibroblast activity means less collagen and elastin in the skin, generally meaning less elasticity. Decreasing hyaluronic acid levels also affect elasticity, and the skin’s ability to repair. Added to all this, the dermis naturally becomes thinner as we age, and the volume of subcutaneous tissue decreases.
All that happens as a matter of course in our body as we age. But what about factors outside of our body?
