The skin changes as we age. As the years go by, our body loses its ability to regenerate, and this also manifests itself in our skin. Over time, cells in our bodies accumulate mutations and lose the ability to divide and multiply. As a result, the skin becomes wrinkled, blemished, thin and loses its ability to regenerate. When do the first signs of aging begin to appear? Is there an age after which the skin begins to age? When should we start taking care of ourselves? We give the keys in this article.

First signs of aging.

There is no exact age after which the skin begins to age, but in general it begins to age after the age of 25, when the first expression lines appear. At age 30 we have the first spots. And at 40, sagging becomes more and more evident, and almost always at 50 wrinkles deepen. But not all skin ages the same, or at the same time , and for this reason it is necessary to individualize the treatments. What we must always bear in mind is the need to take care of our skin from birth in order to keep it healthy over the years.

Also, as we age, the skin becomes thinner and the blood vessels become more visible. It can also increase the size of our pores.

What characterizes aging skin?

Is there any aspect that is characteristic of aged skin? We all know the fundamental signs that characterize aging skin: the loss of sagging, and the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes. These signs of aging usually appear synchronously, but depending on the type of dermis of each person, one or the other will predominate. That is to say, there are those to whom spots appear before, and there are those to whom superficial wrinkles appear before.

Over the years, the renewal capacity of the epidermis also reduces, and this translates into dull, drier and dimmer skin. The skin of babies and children is usually soft, fine, smooth and presents a good degree of hydration. In contrast, aging skin is often drier and rougher . It is common that, as we get older, we get more scales and we have more dryness.

But the only reason for aging is not only the passage of time, but there are many other reasons.

What favors the aging of our dermis?

We all wonder, if there is any factor other than the passing of the years that comes to influence the aging of the skin.

What can influence aging? The skin is constantly exposed to external aggressions and is one of the organs that suffers the most over time. It is our outermost layer, so it directly receives the effects of cold, heat, wind, pollution, and solar radiation. In fact, ultraviolet radiation, pollution in large cities, tobacco smoke, stress, and food are factors that also contribute to the aging of our skin.

For example, stress and diet also play a fundamental role in the aging process. Specifically, stress, through the release of cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine, contributes directly to the aging of our skin cells.

• The effects of the sun on the skin Undoubtedly, ultraviolet radiation is the cause that most influences the aging of the largest organ of our body, and for this reason it is so important to protect ourselves from the sun if we want to prevent premature aging. The spots that appear on our skin are mainly caused by sunlight, and their appearance contributes to the appearance of aging skin. Likewise, ultraviolet radiation also favors the degradation of collagen and elastin fibers, leading to sagging and loss of elasticity of the skin. The use of sun protection on a daily basis is essential to stop the premature aging of our skin cells, and, for this reason, it is part of the fundamental recommendations transmitted by both dermatologists and pharmacists.

• Diet, the key to healthy skin More and more we know how the consumption of free and ultra-processed sugars impacts on our tissues, degrading the collagen and elastin fibers of the dermis, and facilitating premature tissue aging. A healthy and balanced diet is essential for healthy and youthful skin . For this reason, to maintain youthful skin it is important, on the one hand, to avoid the consumption of foods rich in free and ultra-processed sugars, and, on the other hand, to increase the consumption of vegetables that provide antioxidants to our skin. Our skin needs us to eat properly. Likewise, it is essential to hydrate properly by drinking an adequate amount of water every day.

• Effects of tobacco and alcohol Alcohol and tobacco are also harmful to the skin. Quitting smoking not only reduces the chance of developing lung cancer; It is also good for the skin, since tobacco smoke permeates the surface of the epidermis , and contributes to its aging.

On the other hand, alcoholic beverages dehydrate the skin , leaving it more exposed to possible external aggressions.