Lucija Kračun, MD
Specialist of family practise
AAAMED diploma for aesthetic medicine
Why don’t we all age the same?
No, they are not vampires, although here and there they may be able to afford a “vampire lift”. And they haven’t contracted with the devil, they don’t necessarily befriend a world – renowned cosmetic surgeon or makeup artist from a prestigious cosmetic house. Some people just age so nicely that we attribute the status of superhuman beings to them. Do you know why?
Of course, it helps a lot if we take good care of our appearance. Avoid strong sunlight, apply sunscreen regularly and do not smoke. We have an effective daily and evening routine, with cleansing and moisturizing. Visits to beauty salons and science – proven treatments also make an important contribution to our youth entering late life. However, the last word in skin aging has been gained by genes.
To let you know how genetics and the inherited composition of your skin affect how well you hide or reveal your age, we tell you why we don’t all age the same. Above all, how to maintain your strengths and upgrade your weaknesses.
Aging is not just about wrinkles
What do most people think of the word ageing? Wrinkles. Or at best wrinkles and sagging skin. But we can tell you that years actually bring a combination of wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, loss of elasticity and volume. Nothing fun, right?
The texture and the color of the skin have a significant effect on how pronounced these changes will be. Although it is inevitable that over the years, elastin and collagen level, the proteins that give the skin elasticity, structure and support, diminish until their formation is almost completely stopped. In addition, there are fewer and fewer fat cells in the subcutaneous tissue, which form a protective barrier and bind moisture, and when they are lacking, the skin becomes dry and sometimes uncomfortably tense and rough.
So why are wrinkles more noticeable on the forehead, under the eyes, on the décolleté or on the back of the hands? Because the skin is the thinnest there! And the same “rule” applies in general – the signs of aging are less visible if you have thicker skin, as the cells of the dermis are denser together and more compact.
Then who are the lucky ones who are most often born with “thick skin”? Those who also have more melanin and consequently a darker complexion.
Yes, you read that right – a pigment called melanin that gives your skin, eyes and hair color, also slows down aging! How? We all know that the sun, more precisely its ultraviolet radiation, is the most powerful external factor that damages skin cells and breaks down collagen and elastin, causing the skin on the face to sag and show signs of aging. The more melanin that wraps around the cell nucleus as a protective coat, the higher your natural UV protection, so the damage from the sun is smaller, and more pronounced lines and wrinkles are rarer and less noticeable. Which, of course, doesn’t mean you don’t have to apply sunscreen regularly. Melanin in the skin offers us protection at best, comparable to SPF 13 and nothing more.
Valuable advice
As already mentioned, consistent sun protection is essential to prevent pigmentation disorders and age spots. Especially at a young age, it is important to take good care of your skin and protect it from UV rays and other harmful environmental influences. Therefore, even in the shade use sunscreen.
Because the skin can undergo a chemical reaction when UV rays come in contact with alcohol and fragrances contained in certain creams or perfumes, you need to choose cosmetics consciously and thoughtfully, without chemicals and synthetic ingredients.
[…] and irreparably change skin cells, dry out the skin and damage collagen fibers, which leads to premature aging, acne, allergies to the sun, pigmentation disorders and, last but not least, skin cancer. UVB rays also […]
[…] Read also BLOG about ATOPIC DERMATITIS and WISDOM SPOTS. […]