Skin Aging

Although one should think about the skin on the whole body when they hear skin aging, cosmetically the skin aging on the face is in question in general. Aging; is a process that progresses differently in each individual depending on their genetic features, and environmental and life styles. Just like all the organs in the human body, skin also ages with time. The only difference is that this process is visible for the skin. Skin is considered to be the window of the body in addition to being the largest organ of the body. And the early signs of aging appear on the skin. 

Similarly to the other organs in the body, skin suffers serious changes due to various reasons like time, hormonal changes and differences of diet. Additionally, unlike many organs, it is also directly affected by environmental factors, especially the UV lights coming from the Sun. With the aging of the skin, decreases of the number of cells, the volume and functions of the skin are observed. Skin aging is extremely complex and a chemical and biological condition that it irreversible, and it manifests itself differently in people.

The skin has three different layers; known as the epidermis, dermis and the subcutaneous tissue. The skin, which fundamentally serves two vital functions; prevents physical, chemical and bacteriological intrusions into the body, and prevents dehydration. Also, it ensures the control of the body temperature via sweat glands. The functions of the skin which mediates the sense of touch and plays a role in hormone production and social communication are negatively affected by the aging process.

What is Skin Aging?

Skin aging is considered to be one of the most important problems that affects both women and men of today. As people age, the tissues in their bodies age as well and suffer some changes. And the most prominent changes are the ones that occur due to the aging in the skin. Even though it is not possible to stop the aging or fully prevent the skin problems that develop due to aging, it is possible to manage the symptoms that appear.

Skin aging is a process that affect both the function and the appearance of the skin due to structural and molecular deterioration. This process is shaped depending on the internal and external factors. Skin aging is divided into two which are chronological aging (intrinsic aging) that occurs with time, and photoaging (extrinsic aging) which occurs due to the negative environmental factors such as undernutrition, irregular sleeping, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking as well as exposure to the harmful rays of the Sun. More than 90% of the changes that are seen on the skin derive from the environmental factors that are caused by chronic sun damage. That is why extrinsic aging is also called photoaging or aging due to sun rays. 

Skin aging is a complex biological event that is inevitably going to happen with time, and the changes that stand out the most in the skin due to aging can be listed as; dryness, loss of regular elasticity, and thin and deep wrinkles. 

Who Are Prone to Skin Aging?

Although genetic predisposition is a significant factor in skin aging, factors such as exposure to sun rays, smoking, alcohol, makeup, irregular eating habits are also reasons that speed up skin aging. The skin constantly renews itself and repair the effects of aging, but the process of repairing in the cells starts to slow down with aging. The collagen production in the skin is decreased, and the elastic fibers in the connective tissue that make up the supporting layer of the skin disappear. Thus, signs of aging such as loose skin, wrinkles, sun spots and thinning skin emerge. 

Today, maintaining or regaining a young appearance is extremely important for many people. The only effective way to combat skin aging which occurs due to time and external factors is; to cleanse the skin with products that are suitable for the skin type, moisturize the skin and protect it from the Sun. And there are many different treatment approaches for the skin aging that has occurred, and skin aging treatment can be applied for everyone who wishes to eliminate the effects of aging on their skins or diminish those effects. 

Why Does Skin Aging Occur?

Despite being a process of the tissues in the body slowly deteriorating, aging is directly related to one’s genetic structure. Skin aging can be classified with two groups of chronological aging and photoaging. In the case of photoaging; premature signs of aging start to be seen in the skin which is constantly exposed to rays from artificial sources or ultraviolet sun rays. 

The pollutions in the atmosphere weaken the protective hydrolipidic layer of the skin and create free radicals with high oxidation power. Thus the aging of the skin is sped up. 

The unhealthy lifestyle that occurs due to factors like smoking, alcohol, stress and irregular eating habits is one of the most important reasons why skin loses its gleam and vivacity. Stress and exhaustion cause creases and lines on the skin due to the tension of the muscles. Working too hard or having an insufficient eating schedule causes the cells to feed themselves by using up their dermis reserves and thus there is a decrease in the basic elements of skin.

The first signs of aging manifest as fine lines, and loss of gleam and elasticity. These signs occur due to the slowing down of the metabolisms of the skin cells and especially due to the recurring attacks of the free radicals that are triggered by UV radiations. Then the lines get deeper and the skin loses its tightness. These symptoms are due to the decrease of hyaluronic acid and collagen fibers which are the basic elements for the dermis.

Then the skin loses its density and vivacity. With time, a slowdown in the synthesis of the basic components of the skin is observed. While the main substances supporting the skin such as collagen and hyaluronic acid decrease, the skin structure loses its density and starts sagging. And a decrease occurs in the natural synthesis of the skin lipids when they skin type becomes dry.

What is the Importance of Skin Aging Treatment?

Although it is not possible to slow down time or stop aging, the signs of skin aging can be controlled with the right methods when these signs start to be seen. It can also be possible to prevent or postpone the signs that have not yet emerged. However, it should not be forgotten that the precautions to be taken and the methods to be used for each skin aging sign should be different. 

How is Skin Aging Treatment is Done?

Methods like Botox, dermal fillers, chemical peel, PRP, mesolifting, laser, radiofrequency can be used individually or combined to combat the signs of skin aging and prevent new signs from appearing. The expectations and skin type of the person are taken into consideration while determining the method to be used.

Because it is the face which reflects the process of aging and wearing the most, rejuvenation procedures for the facial area are important place in the treatment of skin aging. Static and dynamic wrinkles appear on the face due to the changes that take place in the bone, fat, muscle and skin tissues. Dynamic wrinkles increase starting from the twenties due to the contraction of the mimic muscles. The most prominent ones of the dynamic wrinkles which can turn into static wrinkles with time are known as the lines in the glabella, the forehead and the crow’s feet. Static wrinkles are those that are visible when the face is at rest, and that can become more prominent with mimics depending on their location. The most common static wrinkles are the smile lines around the mouth and the wrinkles on the lower eyelid.

The method of Botox is one of the most popular methods used to combat dynamic wrinkles on the face in particular. The effects vary between 3-6 months in general depending on the individual. In this method, the release of a substance from the nerve endings, and thus the movement of the muscle that is affected by the relevant nerve is stopped.

Dermal fillers; are applied in order to smooth the stars, bring out rugged and faint lines, smoothing the wrinkles and creases, and giving the skin a renewed apperance. The skin is plumped by using different fillers depending on the person’s problem, and a smooth and moist appearance is given to it. 

In the chemical peel method, one or more chemical agents are applied on the skin and controlled damage is created in various depths. The aim is that a renewed and healthy skin emerges during the following recovery period. Chemical peel is determined depending on the color and type of the skin, and the purpose and depth of the application. With superficial peel, the spots originating from the top skin are eliminated by renewing the top skin layer.

In the PRP method, the small amount of blood taken from a person goes through certain processes and gets separated into its components. The small amount of plasma that is enriched in thrombocytes obtained as a result of these special procedures is injected to the person to rejuvenate the skin. The PRP method can be used in the treatment of scars, wrinkles, spots and hair loss.

Mesolifting; is a method where substances such as antioxidants, vitamins, hyaluronic acid are injected in the middle layer of the skin. Thus, it is ensured that the collagen and elastin production of the skin is increased, and that the skin is renewed. 

The skin is scanned with laser beams in the laser method. The collagen production in the area is increased when the laser beams turn into heat. And thus new connective tissue is formed. This way, the skin will get a lively and tight appearance.