Aging: Causes of Wrinkles and Treatment

Wrinkles, also known as aging changes on the skin, thinning of skin or
creases on the surface of the skin, are the result of aging, so is whitening
or graying of the hair. They are common visible signs and conditions that
inevitably develop as people grow older. Sometimes it surprises me that
people should be fussy about these conditions. There should be
a cause for concern only when these conditions develop in the wrong
individual, at the wrong time and in the wrong place.

INFORMATION

This brings us back to functions of skin, which we saw when we were
dealing with skin diseases and skin care basics. There, we noted that skin
protects from the environment, helps control body temperature and fluid and
electrolyte balance, and because it houses nerve receptors, it allows the
feeling of sensations, namely, touch, pain, and pressure.

We noted that skin is divided into three parts: epidermis, dermis, the
subcutaneous layer.

The epidermis contains pigment, skin cells, and proteins.
The dermis contains blood vessels, hair follicles, oil glands, and nerves, and
supplies nutrients to the epidermis.
The subcutaneous layer contains sweat glands, fat, hair follicles,
blood vessels. At this stage, it's important to note that each of these
layers mentioned above contains connective tissue, collagen and elastin fibers.
Whilst collagen fibers give support, elastin fibers provide flexibility and
strength.

Environment, genetic makeup, nutrition, and others factor in to change
the skin, but the greatest single factor remains exposure to sun.

THE VISIBLE CHANGES

When aging commences, epidermis, that is, the outermost layer of the
skin starts to thin out, even though the number of cell layers does not change.

The number of melanocytes, that is, pigment-containing cells decreases.
As this happens,the remaining ones increase in size, thus making the skin
appear thinner, more pale, and clearer. Large pigmented spots called
lentigos appear in sun-bathed areas.

Changes in the connective tissue reduce the skin's strength and elasticity.
This condition called elastosis produces the leathery, weather-beaten look
common to farmers, sailors, and others whose jobs expose them to sunlight
for a long time.

Bruising and bleeding under the skin start to occur as the blood vessels of
the dermis become more fragile. This is a condition of senile purpura.

Dryness and itchiness develop as sebaceous glands produce less oil, making
it harder to keep moist. As the subcutaneous fat layer thins out, its capacity to
insulate and pad reduces, increasing the risk of skin injury and reducing the
ability to maintain body temperature. Because the natural insulation has reduced,
the person involved can get hypothermia in cold weather.

Some medications are absorbed by the fat layer, and loss of this layer
changes the way that these medications work.

The sweat glands produce less sweat, making it harder to keep cool,
and there'sincreased risk of becoming overheated or developing heat stroke.
Growths such as skin tags, warts, and other blemishes are more common
in older people.

COMMON PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH AGING

Skin disorders are so common among older people
Skin disorders can be caused by many conditions, including:

Blood vessel diseases such as arteriosclerosis
Diabetes
Liver disease
Nutritional deficiencies
Reactions to medications
Stress Heart disease
Obesity

Sunlight can cause:

Noncancerous skin growths (keratoacanthomas)
Loss of elasticity (elastosis)
Pigment changes such as liver spotsThickening of the skin

Exposure to sun has been linked to skin cancers, including basal cell
epithelioma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.

Other causes of skin changes:

Allergies to plants and other substances
Clothing
Climate
Exposures to industrial and household chemicals
Indoor heating
Tobacco smoke


PREVENTION

Prevent sunburn as much as possible.
Use good quality sunscreens when outdoors, and wear protective
clothing and hats
when necessary.Good nutrition and adequate fluids are also usesful. Dehydration
increases the risk of skin injury. Keep skin moist with lotions and moisturizers.
Do not use soaps that are heavily perfumed. Moist skin is more comfortable and
will heal more quickly.


Prevent and Treat Wrinkles

Some people argue that wrinkles aren’t really caused by aging, but by sunlight.
What happens is that UV rays from the sun enter the skin and damage the
fibers in the skin called elastin. As the elastin weakens, the skin becomes
less elastic and loses it’s ability to draw back after being stretched.

Viewed from this angle, anti aging skin care products that focus on wrinkles
aren’t anti aging at all, they are anti sun damage products.

Anti Aging and Anti Wrinkle Skin Care Products
Lots of products are out there that claim to reduce and prevent
wrinkles. Most of them don’t work and most of the claims haven’t been
scientifically proved. Of course, the labels on the products will incorporate some
complex false jargon about antioxidants, vitamins and other puffs that supposedly
make your skin lookyounger. Most of these claims are scientifically unverifiable,
and at best, an exercise in deception

The NIH (National Institutes of Health) and the American Academy
of Dermatology has said that most over-the-counter anti aging skin care
products that target wrinkles merely soothe dry skin and do not reduce
those wrinkles at all.

Tretinoin cream (Renova) is an anti aging skin care product created from
vitamin A and available with a prescription to treat sun damage and wrinkles as
well as age spotsand roughness by stimulating the skin to produce collagen.
This cream is usually prescribed for people who have sun damage even after
taking normal precautions to limit their exposure to UV rays.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids for Wrinkle and Sun Damage Removal
Some studies hint that alpha hydroxyl acids can help eliminate the signs
of aging such as wrinkles, age spots and sun damage. The trick is that when
a person uses alpha hydroxyl acids, they become more sensitive to UV light
and risk even more sun damage. People using alpha hydroxyl acid are told to
minimize their exposure to sunlight through using sunscreen and avoiding the sun.

Beta Hydroxy Acid
Treating Wrinkles With Beta Hydroxy Acid - Salicylic Acid
With increasing research into what causes wrinkles and the effects
of photoaging, the use of hydroxy acids has increased greatly in
popularity.

How Beta Hydroxy Acid Works
Beta hydroxy acid works mainly as an exfoliant. It causes the cells of the
epidermis to become unattached, allowing the dead skin cells to slough off,
making room for regrowth of new skin. Beta hydroxy acid is reported to
improve wrinkling, roughness, and mottled pigmentation of photodamaged skin
after at least 6 months of daily application. Beta hydroxy acid found in
skin-care products works best in a concentration of 1% to 2% and
at a pH of 3 to 4.

The Difference Between Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids
The main difference between alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acid is their
oil solubility. Alpha hydroxy acids are water soluble only, while beta hydroxy
acid is oil soluble. This means that beta hydroxy acid is able to penetrate into
the pore which contains sebum and exfoliate the dead skin cells that are built up
inside the pore. Because of this difference in properties, beta hydroxy acid is
better used on oily skin with blackheads and whiteheads. Alpha hydroxy acids
are better used on thickened, sun-damaged skin where breakouts are not a problem.