Aging

The Skin Aging Process

The skin is the largest organ of the body and is a highly communicative organ. How your skin behaves gives us an indication of the internal environment of the body and more so the external triggers one maybe prone to. 

Ageing leads to many changes in the skin and its appendages. These changes are broadly categorized as either Intrinsic (true) or Extrinsic (photoageing).

Intrinsic ageing results in subtle but important alterations of skin functions that are presumed to be due to time alone, whereas photo ageing is due to preventable chronic exposure to ultraviolet radiation superimposed on intrinsic ageing. Popular notions of old skin often correspond more closely to photo ageing than to intrinsic ageing. The major changes in the skin that occur with age are a loss of elasticity and a reduction in its protective function. Photo ageing leads to a rough, dry, leathery skin, a yellow dull complexion, lentigenes or actinic spots and wrinkles. These changes do not just affect the elderly; as they begin when people are younger than thirty.

The extent of change depends to a large degree on how much the skin is exposed to sunlight and how stressful is a person's lifestyle. Epidemiological and laboratory evidence indicates that sun exposure and other sources of UV radiation play the major role in causing the undesirable skin changes of fine and coarse wrinkles, roughness, laxity, mottled pigmentation, actinic lentigens, actinic keratoses, leathery texture/coarseness, scaling/xerosis, sallowness and telangiectasias. Cigarette smoking is the only other environmental factor that has been related to the development of changes in the skin like wrinkling associated with ageing. With advancing age it maybe difficult to truly delineate physiological changes of the skin and true pathological aging.

Skin care from an early age helps one in combating these changes and providing us with truly healthy skin.

As time's arrow flies forward:

1. There is decrease in the ceramides or skin surface lipids leading to a disrupted skin barrier function.
2. Decrease in skin hydration as the skin loses water via an increased water loss through the disrupted barrier and otherwise. This is known as transepidermal water loss. (TEWL)
3. Decrease in skin elasticity and skin thickness, due to loss of elastin and collagen, thereby leading to fine lines, wrinkles and more saggy skin. Moreover, Skin is more easily damaged and wound healing is delayed.
4. Uneven skin tone – While the number of melanocytes decrease with aging skin leading to sallow and translucent appearance in some areas, but the number of melanocytes remaining may lead to increased melanin density leading to an uneven skin tone.
5. Altered thermal regulation and decreased sensitivity to pain and pressure.

Dr Rajat Kandhari’s tips to prevent premature skin aging include: 

• Protecting your skin from the sun with a broad spectrum sunscreen (UVA + UVB and visible light) having an SPF of at least 30+. Further, susncreens providing with a barrier restoration such as ceramides will add to protection, barrier restoration and protection against the sun.
• Using a good, non comedogenic, barrier restoring moisturizer
• Eating a healthy antioxidant rich diet and adequate hydration.
• Exercising daily

Some treatments for early signs of aging by Dr Rajat Kandhari include: 

• A good cleanser – preferable a hydrating cleanser with sebum regulating properties. Agents such as hyaluronic acid and lactic acid are not irritating and yet give a good hydration and supple skin.
• Broad spectrum sunscreen with a SPF 50
• Retinoids – these help in combating signs of aging and enhancing the remodelling process. The type of retinoid is crucial for best outcomes and at times a combination of 2 -3 derivates or ingredients with retinoid like action help a great deal in order to make the product tolerable and yet effective.
• Alpha hydroxy acids and / or polyhydroxy acids
• Silymarin and other anti pigmenting agents – silymarin has anti inflammatory, anti pigment and anti oxidant benefits along with decreasing the transfer of melanin from the melanocyte (pigment producing factory of the skin) to the keratinocyte ( the skin cell)
• Vitamin C and other antioxidants.