Why does your skin age? Learn more about shingles, including the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, risk factors, and treatment. You can't fight gravity. Your skin changes with age. This means that skin cannot bounce back when … UV light penetrates the skin, degrading the collagen and elastin which form the skin’s connective tissue and give it its elastic quality. As we age, our skin loses collagen and the fatty layer loses its volume. Sun Damage: Over time, the sun's ultraviolet (UV) light damages certain fibers in the skin called elastin. However, the dermis is not the only culprit at play. In your thirties, the transfer of moisture from the dermis to the epidermis is slowed down, and your fat cells start to shrink. When the skin becomes less elastic, gravity makes eyebrows and eyelids droop, creates looseness and fullness under the cheeks and jaw (jowls and "double chin"), and lengthens ear lobes. The dermis contains a very complex arrangement of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, including collagens and others, such as elastin, which provides elasticity. The external environmental factors like exposure to sun, smoking and habitual muscle movements can cause uneven skin tone. As these molecules are broken down, the skin loses its elasticity. The skin barrier is the most important structure to maintain pliable hydrated skin. By looking after our skin throughout our lives, and understanding its changing needs as we age, it will serve us better for longer. Meanwhile, the dermis is rich in collagens and other proteins, which are responsible for skin’s strength and elasticity. Intrinsic aging is a process that takes place over the years without the influence of external factors. the sun is the number 1 cause for premature aging.. as we age, we get more sun damage so we need to adjust on the skin care regimen that we use.. as we age, moisture gets depleted too, that's why your 'thirsty' skin loved the moisturizer you applied..also try to find a good sunscreen to prevent sun damage.. choose the gel or spray type if skin's oily. Your stem cells age, too Beneath the sagging skin, the body's cells are also deteriorating. Is your reflection in the mirror showing you the first signs of wrinkles and dark spots? Although we all experience some natural loss of elasticity and ECM integrity as we age, sun exposure makes this much worse. American Academy of Dermatology. Below the skin's surface, losing fat in your cheeks, temples, chin, nose, and around your eyes may loosen skin and give your face a leaner look. However, a new type of fat depot in the deep dermis was recently discovered that can penetrate the upper dermis, which is well within reach of UV light. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. As you age, your skin goes through many changes. Learn why below. Age spots are actually a defensive reaction from your skin as it attempts to protect deeper layers of flesh. Protein production by fibroblasts is reduced, contributing further to the breakdown of the ECM network. The breakdown of elastin fibers causes the skin to sag, stretch, and lose its ability to snap back after stretching. Cherry angiomas. At 30, your collagen—the structural protein that keeps our skin elastic and makes us look young—starts to take a nosedive. The epidermis makes up the outer barrier of our skin and protects us from environmental insults, such as bacteria and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Learn more…. Sometimes medical conditions and some medications can make the itchiness worse. Other folds may get deeper because of the way fat decreases and moves around. Skin aging is caused by a combination of natural aging and exposure to sunlight. Finer wrinkles are due to sun damage, smoking, and natural degeneration of elements of the skin that keep it thick and supple.