What happens to our skin when we age? Local expert explains

Dr Shyna Raj of Shine Medical Cosmetic Clinic in Kenilworth tells readers all about the impacts of ageing.

The skin is the largest organ of our body and it plays several important roles in protecting our body against the outside world.

This is vital for our health and wellbeing. That is the reason why protecting and looking after our skin is vital.

The functions of skin include keeping out germs, protection from UV, preventing moisture loss and removing toxins from the body.

Skin cell renewal occurs within the deeper layers of the skin with new skin cells moving outward toward the epidermis.

This process takes six to eight weeks. The deeper layers of the skin contains connective tissue with collagen and elastin fibres that provide the support required for the skin's flexibility and strength.

Shine Medical Cosmetic Clinic opened in Kenilworth in April (image by James Smith)

What happens when our skin ages?

The ageing process affects the entire facial structure, including skin, subcutaneous fat, muscles and facial bones.

As we age, the following changes take place within our body:

The outer skin layer (epidermis) thins out. In the dermis, collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid levels decrease gradually over time especially after the age of 30. This leads to loss of structure and elasticity of the skin which causes fine lines and wrinkles, loss of elasticity, pigment changes and sagging of the skin.

There is also gradual loss of subcutaneous fat which contributes to the loss of structure that holds up the skin.

The skin cell turnover slows down - this in turn, slows down the regeneration process of the cell renewal in the deeper layers of the skin. This causes reduction in the density of the skin and uneven texture.

As we age, the outer layer of our skin thins out (image via pixabay)

Protection of our Skin

This is vital to promote healthy skin function and to slow down the ageing process.

It is important to drink plenty of water (at least two litres) to avoid dehydration and eat a healthy balanced diet.

It is also very important to use sunscreen (SPF 30+) on a daily basis to protect against the harmful UV rays, which can also accelerate the signs of ageing.

Another really important step in looking after our skin is to have a good regular skin care regime using medical grade skin care products.

Dr Shyna has shared some must-do skin care tips (image via pixabay)

At Shine Medical Cosmetic Clinic, we have a wide range of medical grade skin care products which can be tailored to your skin care needs.

More information on skin care is available on our website.

At Shine Medical Cosmetic Clinic, there are a varied range of skin care treatments available to help promote healthy skin function and reduce the appearance of lines, wrinkles, uneven skin texture, dull skin, age related volume loss, pigment changes, acne and other signs of ageing.

These include: