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About Wrinkles — Understanding Aging of the Skin
Why does your skin age?
There are two factors that affect the skin: extrinsic and intrinsic factors.
Intrinsic or internal aging is biological aging that occurs with the passing of time. Extrinsic or external aging is the natural process of biological aging complied with exterior causes such as sun exposure, air pollution, smoking, alcohol, lifestyle, cosmetics and other allergens and lack of care. It is extrinsic aging that affects the appearance of the skin. The most damaging of all of these is sunlight. In fact, it has been said that ninety percent of the aging of your skin is due totally to sun damage. If this is true, think of the control one has to how much the skin actually ages.
Why is it that as we chronologically age, our ability to repair and recover from damage is much less? The primary reason is the damage caused to cells by free radicals. (sun, pollution, smoking, alcohol, etc) Free radicals are unstable molecules that electrons from healthy molecules. This creates a cycle of more free radicals and more damaged cells.
What causes free radical damage?
Internal activity of free radicals is a natural process and the body will normally adjust to this. However, there are many outside factors that increases free radical damage — number one is the sun and many others include air pollution, smoking, foods, chemicals in everyday products, and the air we breath. So you can see that there is a constant barrage of intruders on our skin.
How does this age our skin?
It is collagen that gives our skin its youthful appearance but unfortunately it is also a primary target for free radicals. Collagen is a protein that forms a grid that holds other skin structures. Collagen fiber, when healthy keeps the skin smooth and resilient, but becomes very stiff and brittle when damaged. This begins to give the skin a more aged appearance. Combined with free radical damage are various triggers, such as UVA rays from the sun, which creates inflammation within the cells and collagen digesting enzymes. This process starts the formation of wrinkles.
Elastin is a protein and is a key molecule that affects the aging of the skin. It is more stretchable than collagen and also adds to resilience and elasticity of the skin.
Besides the influence of free radical damage, physiological & disease per individual, and external abuses, an area that must not be ignored pertaining to health and aging of the skin.
What can you do to reverse the damage and prevent further deterioration?
Changing how you eat or adding vitamin & mineral supplements to your diet is not going to erase wrinkles and stop aging. On the other hand, a diet of junk food or no food will eventually affect your skin as well as many other organs of the body. Nutrition from within will encourage healthy cells but not protect the skin from outside damage. That is why skin must have correct topical skin nutrition. Deficiencies of certain nutrients- Vitamin A, B complex, and essential fatty acids are known to cause various forms of dermatitis and other skin conditions. Mild deficiencies may not directly affect the skin but may slow down the skin's ability to heal itself.
The most important anti- wrinkle cream you can use is a sun block. The best protection is a cream that gives a physical block (protects from both UVA and UVB) that is natural, such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and iron oxides. Avoid the chemical sunscreen ingredient octyl methooxycinnamate (OCM)
Equally valuable is the use of nutrients that will actually absorb into the tissue and support healthy cell development. Antioxidants are an answer to a healthier skin (they do help fight free radicals) but a key consideration as to the effects of a topical antioxidant is its ability to penetrate. Important antioxidants are super oxide dismutase, plant derived antioxidants, resveratrol (wine extracts), D-alpha tocopherol (Vitamin E). L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), and beta-carotene (carrot juice and other orange-yellow vegetables).
Skin Preparation is essential
This is achieved with the appropriate treatment programs and a home care selection of effective daily skin care. The first step to rebuilding the skin is breaking it down This is achieved by proper exfoliation. Microdermabrasion and peeling are very good ways to break the skin down. Once the skin has been peeled and healed, it is time to build it up with skin nutrition.
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