Anti-aging Skin Care Introduction

The Human Skin:

Before discussing anti-aging skin care, it is first important to understand the human skin. The human skin is an organ of the body that is composed of a layer of tissues to protect underlying muscles and organs, and performs the functional purposes of insulation, vitamin D production, sensation, and excretion (through sweat). The hair of the skin mainly serves to augment the insulation, and the color of the skin is dependant on the pigmentation, which absorbs harmful radiation contained in sunlight.

The outer layer of the skin is made of the epidermis and dermis, and below these lies the hypodermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer, contains no blood vessels, and is nourished by diffusion from the dermis. The dermis is composed of structures including blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles, smooth muscle, glands and lymphatic tissue, and is made up of dense connective tissue such as collagen, elastin and reticular fibers. The hypodermis is not considered a part of the skin but it attaches the skin to underlying bone and muscle as well as supplying it with blood vessels and nerves.

Aging of the Skin:

There are several factors responsible for the aging and damage of the human skin. The first is the error accumulation theory in which waste product electrons such as “free radicals”, that prevent the safe excretion of oxygen from the blood, accumulate during the biochemical processes in the body. This leads to tissue damage since normal repair mechanisms in the cell has lost its ability.

Secondly, Glucose Browning is one of the factors for skin aging, in which complex, unwanted cellular structures are created in the body. This is due to the fact that with age obesity, the cells become resistant to insulin – which changes sugar to fat for storage. The unconverted glucose, combined with blood proteins started to create problems.

Thirdly, Programmed Cell Death is a theory suggests that massive cell death in embryonic development and that of the immune and nervous systems genetic programming leads to ageing.

Lastly, Declining Hormones also cause skin aging since the testes and ovaries do not produce adequate testosterone and estrogen in people above 40 or 50 years of age. Menopause and failure of the hypothalamus to respond to biochemical signals also contribute to aging and aging of the skin.

Preventing Aging of the Skin and Anti-aging Skin Care:

There has now been a range of anti-aging skin care products, techniques, therapies etc to combat skin damage and aging. The most common method of fighting aging skin is the use of antioxidants to destroy the “free radicals” that cause cellular degeneration. A diet rich in fresh fruit, vegetable and legumes, and food components such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, beta-carotene, and other enzymes are considered to be good source of antioxidants. Thousands of antioxidant supplements and pills are also now being produced by pharmaceutical companies around the world.

Experts also recommend a restricted diet of between 30 and 60 per cent less calories than normal, which increases life span, slows metabolism to reduced body fat causing less glycosylation and less oxidation.

Scientists are also experimenting with a range of Longevity Assurance Genes that protect against ageing. This experiment, if successful, may be able to completely reverse the aging of the human skin, brain and blood vessels.