Advancement in years will lead to gradual changes within the skin. Over time and with exposure to the elements, a variety of changes occur, including the following:

  • The rate of cell division slows and the underlying skin, or dermis, thins out. This can result in longer healing times for skin conditions.
  • Fat cells decrease in sizebelow the inner skin layer.
  • The glands that secret oil also reduce in size. Without the necessary production of sebum, the skin continually loses moisture, causing permanently dry skin.
  • Deep layers of skin that once provided the structure for more superficial layers lose their integrity, which causes diminished elasticity. Rather than returning to its original form if touched, older skin hangs loose and forms wrinkles.
  • Lines form in the forehead and around the eyes where facial expressions have taken their toll.
  • Gravity impacts the aging skin that has lost its firm shape. The skin around the mouth and jaw hangs loose creating jowls, and the eyelids may sag.Skin on other areas of the body may droop as well.

Scientists have theorized that sleeping stem cells of the skin are quite literally the root cause of physical aging. When skin must be repaired due to trauma, or if mature skin cells decrease in number, these deeply-seated stem cells are roused to respond to the damaged area or the site lacking in skin cell numbers. The reactive nature of the cells eventually takes its toll, and over time there are less stem cells to aid the skin cell population. The in-depth understanding of skin regeneration provides an explanation for the changes the skin undergoes over time, and why aging skin is less healthy.

Anti-Aging Remedies

Scientists suggest true anti-aging remedies will result from the prolonged life of these sleeping stem cells, but until a major breakthrough is discovered, many concerns can be addressed through proactive and reactive methods. The best way to maintain skin health is to protect the skin against unnecessary sun exposure and other harmful environmental factors (such as pollution), and to lead a healthy lifestyle; non-smokers and non-drinkers appear much younger than those who smoke and drink regularly.

Though aging is the natural process caused in part by the breakdown of the skin’s building blocks, the look of lines and wrinkles can still impact a person’s self-image. Americans spend billions of dollars annually on anti-aging treatments in hopes of reclaiming their youth. There is no cure for aging, but even after damage has occurred there are numerous cosmetic procedures available to correct it. Both surgical and non-surgical options are accessible to patients with a variety of needs.

The facelift is a popular option among people with advanced physical evidence of increasing age, while fat injections can prolong the need for surgery in patients with few telltale early signs of aging. There are also procedures that target specific areas of the face: browlift targets the forehead and eyebrows, and can create minor adjustments to the upper eyelids, while eyelid surgery is aimed at rejuvenating the upper or lower eyelids or both. Lines may also occur around the mouth, which can be treated with cosmetic injections or a lower facelift.

To learn more about your anti-aging options, contact renowned Newport Beach facial plastic surgeon Dr. Rami K. Batniji at (949) 650-8882.