Age sneaks up on us. One day, we’re in our 20s, with supple skin that simply glows. In the blink of an eye, that youthful radiance seems slip away. While some women seem to be ageless, most of us find ourselves eying the mirror, checking out the fine lines, and pondering if somehow our skin has lost luster overnight. It’s not your imagination. Your skin changes remarkably over the years and some changes happen more quickly than others.

Your Skin is a Complex Organ

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and, aside from looking beautiful and keeping your insides in, it’s also your body’s first line of defense. It protects you from the sun, injury, illness, and pollutants, day in and day out. You have three layers working tirelessly for you, each containing elastin fibers, for strength and flexibility, as well as collagen fibers, to provide support.

Epidermis: The epidermis is your outer layer of skin. This is made up of skin cells, proteins, and pigment.

Dermis: The middle layer is the dermis, and it’s responsible for supplying nutrients to the epidermis. It has blood vessels and nerves, as well as oil glands and hair follicles.

Subcutaneous: The deepest level also has blood vessels and hair follicles, but it has sweat glands and fat too.

Every Layer of Your Skin is Impacted By Age, Resulting in 5 Key Changes

Taking good care of your skin by staying hydrated and wearing sunblock can help, but pollutants and time will cause changes in your skin and appearance regardless.

1) Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Starting as early as your 20s, you’ll notice fine lines starting to develop around the eyes. These are referred to as “motor wrinkles” because they’re caused by the repeated movement of your muscles. Some people call them “expression lines” because they tend to form where the eyes squint, usually done as a facial gesture of happiness or enjoyment. These days, constant squinting at screens also brings them on sooner, as does sun exposure. The wrinkles around your eyes deepen throughout your 30s and by the 40s, they start to appear around your mouth as well. Throughout your 50s and beyond, more set in and the ones you already have become deeper. This is because collagen declines over the years and all but fades away with menopause.

2) Sun Spots

Also referred to as liver spots or age spots, sun spots will start to appear as you age as well. These are actually your body trying to protect itself from the sun, so they may form in your 40s and 50s or appear earlier if you spend a lot of time outdoors without protection. Even though sun spots may look worrisome, they’re just caused by excessive pigment.

3) Loose Skin

Although we normally have trouble keeping fat off as we age, our faces are the exception. Subcutaneous fat starts slipping away in the 40s and the connective tissues of skin are less prone to spring back into action. This means that a lot of women wind up with baggy or saggy skin, particularly so if they’ve also lost a good amount of weight.

4) Thin Skin

The loss of fat also causes skin to become thinner. Plus, as we age, cells don’t regenerate quite as quickly. This means that skin can look almost transparent and that it’s much more sensitive to injury and irritation.

5) Dryness

Hormone changes, starting as early as the 30s, reduce oil production. Although this generally (not always) results in fewer breakouts, it also makes the skin more prone to dryness. This is progressive. Mild/ light moisturizers may work in your 30s and 40s, but from the 50s on up, you’re likely to need something rich and thick to help keep your skin happy.

How to Look Younger for Longer

A lot of how you age is related to genetics and your environment, which makes it difficult to combat. However, starting with good, healthy habits at a young age can help ensure you age as gracefully as possible.

Eat Healthy: Give your skin the vitamins and minerals it needs and nourish it from the inside out. Maintaining a healthy weight can also help minimize bagginess as you age.

Hydrate: Hydration keeps skin looking supple at any age and can also help prevent premature aging to some degree.

Block the Sun: Wear sunglasses, sunscreen, and a big hat anytime you’re outdoors. Excessive amounts of sun can turn your skin leathery at a very young age, but even minor amounts of sun regularly has a detrimental effect.

Moisturize: Perhaps as early as your late 20s, applying light moisturizer can help stave off some of the effects of aging.

Revitalize: Take advantage of medical treatments that can reverse the signs of aging, such as non-invasive options like the Vampire FaceLift.

Schedule a Consultation to Discuss Non-Surgical Face Lift Options

The VampireFaceLift is a non-surgical, natural option that puts the body to work repairing itself. It can help improve many of the signs associated with aging, from wrinkles, to texture, and even bring back more color. To schedule your consultation or appointment, complete our online form or call 314-300-9199 today.