Research shows that there are, in fact, two distinct types of aging skin. The genes we inherit is one of the causes of aging skin and we call it intrinsic (internal) aging. Environmental factors such as exposure to sun’s ray, especially in a sunny country like Singapore is also one of the causes of aging skin and we simply call it extrinsic (external) aging. Intrinsic Causes of Aging Skin Intrinsic aging, also known as the natural aging process, is a continuous process that normally begins in our mid-20s. Within the skin, collagen production slows, and elastin, the substance that enables skin to snap back into place, has a bit less spring. Dead skin cells do not shed as quickly and turnover of new skin cells may decrease slightly. While these changes usually begin in our 20s, the signs of intrinsic aging are typically not visible for decades.

The Signs of Intrinsic Aging
Fine wrinkles
Thin and transparent skin
Loss of underlying fat, leading to hollowed cheeks and eye sockets as well as noticeable loss of firmness on the hands and neck
Bones shrink away from the skin due to bone loss, which causes sagging skin
Dry skin that may itch
Inability to sweat sufficiently to cool the skin
Graying hair that eventually turns white
Hair loss
Unwanted hair
Nail plate thins, the half moons disappear, and ridges develops

Genes control how quickly the normal aging process unfolds. Some notice those first grey hairs in their 20s; others do not see greying until their 40s. People with Werner’s syndrome, a rare inherited condition that rapidly accelerates the normal aging process, usually appear elderly in their 30s. Their hair can grey and thin considerably in their teens. Cataracts may appear in their 20s. The average life expectancy for people with Werner’s syndrome is 46 years of age.

Extrinsic Causes of Aging Skin
A number of extrinsic, or external, factors often act together with the normal aging process to prematurely age our skin. Most premature aging is caused by sun exposure. Other external factors that prematurely age our skin are repetitive facial expressions, gravity, sleeping positions, and smoking.

THE SUN
Without protection from the sun’s rays, just a few minutes of exposure each day over the years can cause noticeable changes to the skin. Freckles, age spots, spider veins on the face, rough and leathery skin, fine wrinkles that disappear when stretched, loose skin, a blotchy complexion, actinic keratoses (thick wart-like, rough, reddish patches of skin), and skin cancer can all be traced to sun exposure.

“Photoaging” is the term dermatologists use to describe this type of aging caused by exposure to the sun’s rays. The amount of photoaging that develops depends on: 1) a person’s skin color and 2) their history of long-term or intense sun exposure. People with fair skin who have a history of sun exposure develop more signs of photoaging than those with dark skin. In the darkest skin, the signs of photoaging are usually limited to fine wrinkles and a mottled complexion.

Photoaging occurs over a period of years. With repeated exposure to the sun, the skin loses the ability to repair itself, and the damage accumulates. Scientific studies have shown that repeated ultraviolet (UV) exposure breaks down collagen and impairs the synthesis of new collagen. The sun also attacks our elastin. Sun-weakened skin ceases to spring back much earlier than skin protected from UV rays. Skin also becomes loose, wrinkled, and leathery much earlier with unprotected exposure to sunlight.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
If you perform facial exercises to maintain a youthful-looking appearance, it is time to stop. Repetitive facial movements actually lead to fine lines and wrinkles. Each time we use a facial muscle, a groove forms beneath the surface of the skin, which is why we see lines form with each facial expression. As skin ages and loses its elasticity, the skin stops springing back to its line-free state, and these grooves become permanently etched on the face as fine lines and wrinkles.

GRAVITY
Gravity constantly pulls on our bodies. Changes related to gravity become more pronounced as we age. In our 50s, when the skin’s elasticity declines dramatically, the effects of gravity become evident. Gravity causes the tip of the nose to droop, the ears to elongate, the eyelids to fall, jowls to form, and the upper lip to disappear while the lower lip becomes more pronounced.

SLEEPING POSITIONS
Resting your face on the pillow in the same way every night for years on end also leads to wrinkles. Called sleep lines, these wrinkles eventually become etched on the surface of the skin and no longer disappear when the head is not resting on the pillow. Women, who tend to sleep on their sides, are most likely to see these lines appear on their chin and cheeks. Men tend to notice these lines on the forehead since they usually sleep with the face pressed face down on the pillow. People who sleep on their backs do not develop these wrinkles since their skin does not lie crumpled against the pillow.

SMOKING
Cigarette smoking causes biochemical changes in our bodies that accelerate aging. Research shows that a person who smokes 10 or more cigarettes a day for a minimum of 10 years is statistically more likely to develop deeply wrinkled, leathery skin than a nonsmoker. It also has been shown that people who smoke for a number of years tend to develop an unhealthy yellowish hue to their complexion. Additionally, a study conducted in 2002 showed that facial wrinkling, while not yet visible, can be seen under a microscope in smokers as young as 20.

These signs can be greatly diminished, and in some cases avoided, by stopping smoking. Even people who have smoked for many years, or smoked heavily at a younger age, show less facial wrinkling and improved skin tone when they quit smoking.

The 7 Signs of Aging Skin
Dark Spots and Pigmentation,
Sagging skin and loss of skin elasticity,
Dull appearance (lack of luminosity),
Dry Dehydrated skin,
Lines and Wrinkles,
Uneven Skin Tone, and
Large open pores and uneven texture.

How to Prevent Sagging Skin
The proper way to deal with loose, sagging skin is to ensure that you take a proactive approach to facial skin care. A few steps will help you prevent the early onset of facial saggy skin. Keep properly hydrated, water intake is your skin’s natural cleansing system. Protect yourself from the sun; always apply a sun protection product that provides broad-spectrum protection from UVA and UVB rays and that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Products that contain zinc oxide 3.5% or higher applied to all sun-exposed skin areas every day is recommended. Don’t smoke; smoking actively increases the signs of aging and can significantly increase your risk of developing sagging skin.