What Causes Wrinkles and Aging Skin Changes

Most wrinkles are caused by aging changes in your skin. Aging of your skin is a natural process. Nothing can be done to decrease its rate, however many environmental factors will increase its rate.

With aging, the outer skin layer thins, while the cell layer number remains the same. The number of pigment-containing cells decreases, but the remaining melanocytes increase in size.

This is why as you age, your skin appears thinner, more pale, and translucent. Large pigmented spots (referred to as age spots, liver spots, or lentigos) may also begin to appear in sun-exposed areas.

In addition, the connective tissue of your skin changes by reducing its strength and elasticity. This is known as elastosis and is especially pronounced in those sun-exposed areas.

Elastosis is what produces the leathery, weather-beaten appearance you may have noticed with farmers, sailors and others who spend a lot of time outdoors.

Lastly, the blood vessels in your dermis become more fragile with aging, which in turn leads to bruising, bleeding under the skin, cherry angiomas and similar conditions.

Women gradually produce less oil in the sebacous glands after menopause, men experience an after age 80 minimal decrease. This is what’s making it difficult to keep your skin moist to combat dryness and itchiness.

To minimize skin wrinkling, stay out of the sun as much as possible. When you are outside, wear protective clothing and use sunscreen.

Wrinkles are not usually a concern unless they occur at an early age. Tretinoin (Retin-A) or creams containing alpha-hydroxy acids are recommended, but no guarantee they’ll help. Some experience positive results.

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