Lots of changes happen to us when we age, not least of all in our skin. Our first barrier against the environment, topical products, and our lifestyle, our skin really can tell the story of our lives. How our skin ages and develops depends on both our genetics and a variety of lifestyle factors that we can control. Ageing skin can be tackled by various treatments, which we’ll explore, but were you aware of why and how?
The science of ageing skin
Photoaging occurs when the ultraviolet in the sun’s light damages precious fibres within our skin. These fibres, known as elastin, contribute to skin elasticity and firmness, so when they break down our skin sags and grows loose. It loses its ability to bounce back after stretching, leading to unwanted folds. Photoaging through sun exposure also causes the skin to bruise and tear more easily, meaning it takes longer to heal too. Our skin tone also becomes damaged through photoaging, developing sun spots and hyperpigmentation. Sun damage is a classic example of our past coming back to haunt us in our skin when we age, so it’s always best to wear sun protection.
Subcutaneous (or ‘below the skin’) changes also feature prominently in the appearance of ageing skin. Part of the reason we lose facial volume and structure when we age is because of the loss of fat in areas like the cheeks, temples, and under-eyes. We lose fat and collagen volume sometimes rather quickly, producing an unwanted sunken or skeletal effect. The fat we have in the upper face tends to shrink and sag, while the fat we store in our lower face tends to bag around the chin and jowls. This loss of fat and collagen also causes the appearance of more wrinkles, because our over-expressive muscles crumple the skin over the top of them. Loss of fat and thinning skin leads to these becoming more prominent.
Skin sensitivity isn’t uncommon in ageing skin and is mostly attributed to thinning layers and weakening skin support. For example, our skin becomes more transparent as we age because of the thinning of the surface layer of skin called our epidermis. This fragility leads to impaired healing abilities caused by the epidermis and the layer beneath it, the dermis, coming closer together and sometimes fusing. Ageing skin is also more easily bruised because of our thinning blood vessel walls.
How to promote your skin’s health
Keeping your skin healthy and balanced is important all throughout your life, but your efforts truly show when you age. Luckily at Emma J Aesthetics in Inverness we offer incredible skin health solutions specifically formulated to promote healthy looking and healthy feeling skin. Our skin clinic treatments tackle both cosmetic and skin composition related complaints, and our use of the amazing ZO Skin Health range encourages the internal restructuring and refreshing of the skin.
Of course, we also offer methods of cosmetic rejuvenation. Dermal fillers restore lost volume in afflicted targeted and our skilled administration of anti-wrinkle injections will smooth unwanted expressive lines. We’d always recommend promoting your skin’s health first because you may be surprised at how well your skin bounces back, but of course we completely understand these non-surgical treatments too.
As for daily maintenance of your skin’s health, there are a few guide lines you should follow. Wearing sun protection when exposed to the sun is crucial when fighting the signs of premature ageing and the development of uneven skin pigment. Getting enough sleep, eating fresh, and drinking enough water also reflects in your skin’s overall appearance and complexion. You should try to cut back on certain harmful lifestyle habits like smoking, because this will prematurely age your skin from the inside-out as well as harm your body. Never sleep in makeup (we mean it, never!) and it may even be wise to wash your face as soon as you get home from work if you work in a city centre. Pollution and free radicals affect our skin’s health, so if you’re exposed to those regularly then even washing your face with cold water when you return home can hold skin improvement.
For any and all skin health questions, and how best to tackle ageing skin, Emma J Aesthetics in Inverness are happy to help. Speak to a friendly member of our booking team on 01463 830149 or enquire online today!
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