It is a fact that exposure to ultraviolet light, whether UVA or UVB, that is derived from sunlight, accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature skin aging.

Since most of the photoaging effects occur by the age of 20, the amount of damage to the skin caused by the sun is determined by the total lifetime amount of radiation exposure and the pigment protection.

Among the changes in the epidermis caused by continued exposure to the sun include, many harmful, thinning of the epidermis and the growth of skin lesions such as actinic keratoses, squamous cell carcinomas and basal cell carcinomas,

Prolonged exposure to the sun cause collagen in the dermis to break down at a higher rate than just chronologic aging.

Collagen fibers get damaged by sunlight and causes the accumulation of abnormal elastin and when this sun-induced elastin accumulates, enzymes called metalloproteinases are produced in large quantities.

Under normal conditions, metalloproteinases are responsible for fixing sun-injured skin by manufacturing and reforming collagen.

However, this process does not always work well and some of the metalloproteinases actually break down collagen, resulting to the formation of disorganized collagen fibers known as solar scars.

And when the skin repeats this flawed rebuilding process, wrinkles develop.

As the sun continues to be the principal suspect in causing wrinkles, the most important skin-care product available to prevent wrinkles is sunscreen, but most people do not use sunscreen correctly.

It would be best to consider the important factors with sunscreen use, especially with the spectrum of UV radiation absorbed, the amount of sunscreen applied, and the frequency of application.

As mentioned earlier, the sun gives off ultraviolet (UV) rays that can be divided into categories based on the wavelength.

UVC radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere and does not cause skin damage, while UVB radiation affects the outer layer of skin, the epidermis, and is the primary agent responsible for sunburns.

UVB does not penetrate glass and the intensity of UVB radiation depends on the time of day and season.

UVA radiation, on the other hand, penetrates deep into the skin and works more efficiently and cannot also be filtered by glass, but overexposure to UVA can also be dangerous.

The intensity of UVA radiation is more constant than UVB without the variations during the day and throughout the year.

Regardless of their wavelengths, both UVA and UVB radiation can cause wrinkles as it breaks down collagen, creating free radicals, and inhibiting natural repair mechanisms of the skin.

A classification system of sun-sensitivity is the Skin Phototype (SPT) classification, which is being used to determine the potency and spectrum of protection that sunscreen formulations help protect from these radiation, as well as inhibit, if not minimize, wrinkles.

People with skin types I and II are at the highest risk for photoaging effects including wrinkles and skin cancer, thus the proper use of sunscreen to block both UVA and UVB radiation is an important in the battle against wrinkles.

As you can see, there is a definite relationship between the sun and wrinkles and the age old adage still holds true that says, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

1. Epidermis
This is the outer layer of your skin. This protects the inner layers to whatever the environment may cause them. This seemingly tough outer skin is caused by the movement of keratinocytes, the cells of the epidermis, from its bottom part to the top. As a result, a large dose of keratin is produced. But when these cells reach the top, they actually flake off. So if you see scaly types of skins, it means that something went wrong in this process.

2. Dermis
This is the skin’s second layer. This contains its structural elements, which is the connective tissue. There are actually many types of connective tissue. Each type acts for different functions. Some samples are the collagen. This gives the skin strength. The glycosaminoglycans are the proteins that give turgor to skin. The elastin fibers create the elasticity of your skin.
Between dermis and epidermis is the dermal-epidermal junction. This is an important feature as it interlocks and form fingerlike projections which are called rete ridges. These will increase the area of the epidermis which is exposed to the blood vessels and need nutrients. The blood vessels in the dermis give out such nutrients to the epidermis through the rete ridges.

3. Subcutaneous tissue
This is the skin’s bottom layer. And the subcutaneous tissue contains the fat cells. You know what those cells are for? They supply insulation to your body and they also make your skin full and plump.

Presenting the Wrinkles

How do wrinkles form and develop as people age? Through time, the epidermal cells will become thinner. As a result, you will also look thinner. The epidermal cells will also be less sticky. This means that that there are more chances for the moisture on your skin to be released than maintained, which causes dryness. The decrease in the epidermal cells is actually 10 percent per decade. And as people age, they divide slower. For this reason, the skin cannot cope up quickly as it used to repair itself.
In the dermal layer, less collagen is being produced. The elastin fibers also wear out. Such factors will cause the skin to sag and wrinkle. The rete ridges, meanwhile, will flatten out. This will cause the skin to be fragile. And so the nutrients that the epidermis needs will not be met accordingly.

The fat cells in the subcutaneous layer get thinner as people age. This results to more wrinkles and sagging. It is a complex process that all people will go through as people age. You can use moisturizer while you are young and take good care of your skin to slow down this process. But you have to admit that there will come a point wherein you will not only face a wrinkle in time, but other kinds of changes in your features as well. That is okay. The important thing is that you age gracefully so that people will perceive you as beautiful inside and out.

To Be or Not to Be

The important thing that you have to ask yourself is do you really need to go the drastic route in order to retain your younger looking skin. Everybody will eventually look old no matter how helpful science had been to you. In the manner of using beauty products and undergoing surgeries and injections, you are merely slowing the process.

If you are already considering your options about the said topic, you have to be ready for the results and the consequences. To lessen your worries, do a thorough research about what you want to be done. Ask around and ask for referrals for professionals whom you will trust to handle your skin, that is if you are going the scientific path to a more beautiful you.

Botox, Anyone?

Who haven’t heard of Botox? Many popular people like celebrities have gone through this procedure just to remove the unwanted lines on their faces. This is especially useful if your appearance is your bread and butter. So what do you know about this? This list will remind you of things that you already know and may want to know about this procedure.

1. Botox is known for removing wrinkles. But it will not help diminish other common skin problems caused by aging such as the age spots, sun damage and problems with pigmentation. This will also not soften your skin if your main concern is about its roughness.

2. This is a costly procedure. If you really want to undergo such, you have to save up for it. And do save up for it a lot because you will not undergo this procedure only once. You have to undergo the procedure after a few months depending on what your doctor asks you to do according to your skin’s reaction to it.

3. This is very risky especially if you do not go to the right doctor. The procedure entails injecting toxins into your skin. Not everybody has the same reaction to these toxins.

4. You have to tell your doctor the vitamins and medicines that you are taking before undergoing this treatment. They have to be informed about your body and your system so that they would know better if you are ready for it or not really fit.

5. If not done properly, instead of removing the unwanted lines, you may end up having more lines than what you had before going through it.

6. This is not for sensitive type of skin and veins. Botox includes injections. The one who will be getting the shots must first make sure that they are ready emotionally, physically and mentally.

Botox injections for wrinkles must be thought about very hard before committing to the procedure. Once you’ve done it, there is no turning back and you have to according abide by your doctor’s advice. If you are still at a loss as to whether to do this or not, research more about it and after gaining more knowledge, you will surely be able to decide what is best.