The skin has a life. Throughout her life, she is the victim of different attacks : sun , pollution , smoking , etc. This personal baggage that is heavy to carry, coupled with age , leaves the mark forever: it sags , wrinkles and hollows out. small furrows which streak it. The famous wrinkles. Observing the skin is like reading a book that has printed the effects of time passing. Let's comb through the culprits of your wrinkled skin to better understand this multifactorial phenomenon of aging .
Culprit #1: Age
Natural aging is the most common cause of wrinkles. It is a complex process which itself depends on many factors such as heredity , sun exposure and lifestyle habits . In particular, it gives rise to several phenomena:
- Skin refinement due to slowing down of cell renewal
Over time, the skin decreases in thickness . Indeed, the epidermis , the superficial layer of the skin , is covered with dead cells which constitute the stratum corneum . These protect us from external attacks . They are constantly detached to be immediately renewed and replaced by other cells. However, as we age , our skin produces fewer and fewer cells and those that shed are not necessarily replaced. The skin then decreases in thickness .
- Loss of elasticity, firmness and tone of the skin due to the gradual decrease in the production of collagen and elastin
Age has a deeper impact, at the level of the dermis , which is made up of 2 protein fibers : collagen and elastin . These give elasticity , firmness and tone to the skin . They constitute its support mattress. Aging is accompanied by a loss of quality of these proteins as well as a reduction in their natural production by skin cells, from the age of 25. The skin loosens and sags under the influence of gravity . It becomes more and more difficult to restore its natural position and smooth appearance after the folds caused by facial expressions.
- Loss of hydration
The skin contains a āspongeā molecule, hyaluronic acid , capable of retaining a thousand times its weight in water. Unfortunately, the aging body struggles to synthesize it and its quality diminishes. The cells gradually disgorge the water they contained and the mattress which maintained the volume of the skin sags.
To summarize, with age , the dermis reabsorbs and the epidermis which rests on it tends to wrinkle to follow the evolution of its support. This can lead to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles .
Culprit #2: Facial Expressions
We invite you to count the countless times during a day when you wrinkle your forehead, raise your eyebrows, smile, etc. Your skin reacts to the first surprise, to the slightest astonishment, when you concentrate intensely, as you blink, etc. Psychological stress also hollows your face. Your skin is imprinted with your emotions which it transcribes visually thanks to the contraction of subcutaneous muscles. As long as your skin is young and elastic , everything is fine! After each expression , the folds relax and the skin becomes smooth again . However, as previously mentioned, age makes your skin less elastic and little by little, facial expressions become permanently hollow.
Culprit #3: The sun
The sun is also an important factor in the appearance of wrinkles . Prolonged sun exposure weakens the skin and accelerates its aging .
UV rays penetrate deep into the dermis . The cells then activate their defense mechanisms by increasing the production of free radicals . This causes cells to oxidize and age prematurely . In particular, the degeneration of fibroblasts , collagen-producing cells , affects the loss of flexibility and elasticity of the skin , which causes wrinkles .
Obviously, people who spend a lot of time in the sun without sun protection are more likely to develop wrinkles prematurely.
It is possible in particular to cite the wrinkled neckline of Mediterranean women . By frequenting sunny beaches without protecting their skin, they have damaged the youthfulness of their epidermis and the effects become visible at an early age.
An extreme case clearly demonstrating the acceleration of aging by the sun was presented in the scientific journal New England Journal of Medicine. One photo shows a 69-year-old truck driver. Driving for around thirty years, he drove while exposing the left part of his face, close to the window, to the sun. The right side was less exposed, protected by the shadows in the passenger compartment. Result: only his left cheek has deep wrinkles and a serious risk of cancer.
Culprit #4: Pollution
Exposure to pollution can cause damage to the skin and accelerate its aging .
Air pollution may contain fine particles , gases or dust that can penetrate the skin. These molecules can cause the appearance of free radicals , which are unstable molecules that can damage skin cells and accelerate skin aging .
Pollution can also alter the skin's protective barrier , which is no longer impervious to water loss . This can lead to loss of hydration or even dehydration . The cells become disgorged with water , and the resulting loss of facial volume can be the cause of wrinkles and fine lines .
Culprit #5: Smoking
Smoking can cause wrinkles by damaging the blood vessels that supply the skin with blood and essential nutrients. Smoking can also narrow these blood vessels , which can lead to reduced blood supply to the skin . This can lead to saggy, wrinkled skin , as well as a loss of firmness and tone .
Smoking can also cause damage to collagen and elastin , two proteins that support the skin and give it firmness . Smoking can cause a reduction in the production of these proteins, which can lead to loss of skin firmness and the appearance of wrinkles .
Finally, smoking can cause the appearance of free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage skin cells and accelerate skin aging .
It is important to note that smoking can cause many other serious health problems in addition to causing wrinkles. It is strongly recommended to quit smoking to preserve your health and beauty .
Wrinkles are a reflection of everything your skin experiences on a daily basis: age, UV rays, pollution, smoking, emotional reactions. By countering each of the culprits one by one, it is possible to considerably delay the appearance of wrinkles for visibly younger skin. As specialists in preventive beauty, we offer natural health solutions to prevent the appearance of wrinkles:
- Absolu+ Young to preserve skin hydration, reduce water loss and reduce the volume and depth of wrinkles.
- Gold & Glow and Absolu Solar to protect your skin from the sun and pollution.
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