Signs of Skin Aging (Aging Symptoms)

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The aging of our skin is due to two broad processes: chronological aging and photo aging.

Chronological aging is due to structural, functional and metabolic changes in the skin. Symptoms of chronological aging are:

• Dry and Thin Skin:  The top layers lose more moisture due to the aging process. Older skin renews itself every four to six weeks, while young skin renews every three to four weeks. The older skin has a dry and dehydrated appearance.
• Fine Wrinkles:  Iminished production of collagen leads to fine wrinkles around the eyes, forehead and other sun-exposed areas, facial expression lines and sagging folds over the eyelids, neck, jaw, and arms.
• Abnormal Blood Vessels:  Abnormalities develop within small blood vessels supplying nutrients to the skin, particularly over the nose and cheeks.
• Age Spots:  Is a result of a decrease in the number and function of pigment cells in sun-exposed areas.
• Benign and malignant skin tumors:  Due to the deterioration of the skin's immune system.

Photo aging involves damage to the collagen and elastic fibers in the skin. Overexposure to ultraviolet sunlight is responsible for tanning, wrinkling and sunburn. The ultraviolet light increases the production of proteolytic enzymes that break down collagen that may damage skin. The amount of wrinkles present is highly dependent on the amount of sun exposure, besides genetic factors.