As you get older, you might notice some changes in your skin. Signs of aging might be more visible, including fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, or an uneven appearance to your complexion.
Premature Signs Of Aging Skin Cells: Loss Of Elasticity, Firmness, And Hydration
Signs of premature aging may appear before the age of 35. These are a few of the signs of premature aging you might notice.
Loss Of Elasticity
As a part of the natural aging process, the amount of a protein called elastin may decrease in your body. As its name implies, elastin is responsible for skin elasticity.
If you don’t have enough elastin, your skin might not bounce back the way it used to when you were younger. Try taking collagen supplements and using skincare products containing hyaluronic acid if you are concerned with the elasticity of your skin.1
Loss Of Firmness
A loss of elastin is also responsible for a decrease in skin firmness, which may lead to sagging skin.2
Loss of Hydration
Dry skin is relatively common in older adults. While moisturizing is important for all ages and skin types, older adults may need to moisturize more often and with richer products. Select a moisturizer that is specially-formulated with hydrating ingredients like aloe vera and hyaluronic acid.3
Other Signs of Aging Skin: Fine Lines, Sagging Skin, Droopy Eyelids, Dark Circles, And More
Other, more dramatic signs of aging skin include sagging, drooping, or changes in pigmentation.
Fine Lines
Fine lines are a natural part of the aging process. They’re often the result of accumulated skin damage, possibly from harmful free radicals in the environment and the sun’s UV rays. Dry skin and a lack of elastin may make the lines more apparent.4
Sagging Skin
Sagging skin around your most used face muscles (such as your forehead) may be visible. This happens as a result of the loss of skin firmness and a lack of elastin.5
Droopy Eyelids
Droopy eyelids can make you look older than you are. This happens as a result of the lack of elastin surrounding your eye area, which is common with the normal aging process. Extra skin around and under your eyes may begin to sag, leading to the appearance of bags.6
Dark Circles
Dark circles are more pigmented areas under your eyes. This happens as a result of the lack of collagen in your skin, and the thinning of skin just below your eyes.
This thinning makes blood vessels more visible, giving the appearance of shadows under the eyes. Age, allergies, and a lack of sleep can make circles look darker.7
Wrinkles
Visible wrinkles are a result of a lack of elastin in the skin. Causes of wrinkles include age, exposure to pollution, and sun exposure.8
Dark Spots
Dark spots, or age spots, are hyper-pigmented areas of skin. They can give the appearance of an uneven skin tone. Dark spots are the result of a higher production of melanin in your skin. This could be the result of age, sun exposure, or both.9
Signs Of Aging: Your Hair
Your hair can also show signs of aging. As it turns out, lots of things can age your hair, including hormones, the environment, and diet changes.
- Gray Hair — One of the biggest signs of aging is graying hair, which occurs when your hair follicles produce less hair color.10
- Hair Loss — Stress may play a role in hair loss. Hair loss occurs when stem cells in your hair follicles die off. This may happen around age 50 for men and age 70 for women.11
Your Diet Contributes To The Aging Process: So Eat Well (And Exercise)
A well-balanced diet is also important for your skin. Vitamin-rich, hydrating foods may help aid in anti-aging. You don’t have to go on a trendy diet, though. Instead, focus on filling your body with the nutrients it needs.
By adding foods like nuts, spinach, avocado, and pomegranate to your diet, you are empowering your body with antioxidants and nutrients that have anti-aging properties.12A good exercise regimen may also help improve the appearance of your skin.13
If you still have concerns about your aging skin, make an appointment with your dermatologist.
Learn More:
The Ultimate Guide to Anti-Aging Essential Oils
Have Beautiful Feet for a Lifetime (5 anti-aging foot care tips)
This Part of Your Body Shows Signs of Aging Fast (not your hands!)
Disclosure: The Beverly Hills MD team creates these articles as a way to provide you with the latest information on health and nutrition. Unfortunately, we cannot make specific product recommendations for our website visitors, such as “Dermal Repair Complex” or “Beverly Hills MD Deep Wrinkle Filler” Please consult with your healthcare provider to determine the best products for you.
Sources:
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583886/
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583892/
3 https://www.todaysgeriatricmedicine.com/archive/091712p18.shtml
4 https://www.isdin.com/en-US/blog/skincare/what-are-free-radicals-how-do-they-affect-skin/
5 https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/premature-aging#signs-to-watch-for
6 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-best-options-for-droopy-eyelids-circles-and-sags/
7 https://www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashion/skincare/skincare-face/treating-dark-circles-under-eyes
8 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-skin-wrinkle-wit/
9 https://www.asds.net/skin-experts/skin-conditions/age-spots
10 https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/hair-turn-gray-2017091812226
11 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2695167/
12 https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/anti-aging-foods#8
13 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4531076/