Help for Aging Skin

Aging takes its toll on the dermis (the deepest
layer of skin) as the number of fibroblasts, its principle
constituent cell, declines. In addition, molecules of collagen, the
connective protein that forms the skin’s supportive structure,
become stiffer.

Sun exposure also speeds up the aging of
skin--compare the skin on the back of your hand to the skin on your
buttocks or breasts to see the effects of sun damage. As a result
of exposure to the sun, the skin loses the resilience of youth,
eventually taking on the appearance of tissue paper.

The most important thing you can do for your
skin is to keep it out of direct sunlight, especially in late
spring and summer, when sunlight is most intense. When you are in
the sun, cover your skin by wearing a hat, tightly woven clothing,
and a sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least
15. Smoking also accelerates the skin’s aging
process.

The treatments listed here are helpful for some
people; ask your doctor to give you more information about them. In
addition, dermabrasion, chemical peels, laser surgery, and
face-lifts (see Cosmetic and Reconstuctive Surgery) can mitigate
the passage of time, but not without some risk from
surgery.

Treatment	Pros	Cons

Water-in-oil lubricants and oil-in-water lubricants	Temporarily replace moisture.	Can be very expensive; have no long-term effect on skin structure.

Tretinoin and other derivatives of vitamin A	Help reduce age spots (liver spots), birthmarks, and other dark pigmented areas; reduce delicate wrinkles and skin roughness; produce thickening of the outermost layer of skin; decrease melanin (skin pigment) content.	May bleach normal skin as well as pigmented areas; can cause skin peeling, irritation, and redness; make skin more susceptible to sun damage; prescription needed.

Alpha-hydroxy acids	Are available in different forms and concentrations; reverse delicate wrinkles; improve skin tone; smooth rough skin; no prescription needed for lower concentrations.	Redness and stinging (at first); high concentrations (above 14%) carry greater risks, including skin burns; need to be applied by a doctor; generally, higher risk of side effects in higher concentrations; concentrations not always given on package; make skin vulnerable to sunburn.

Why Skin Tears Easily
The top layer of skin, called the epidermis, is
attached to the layer underneath it (the dermis) by interlocking
structures called dermal ridges. As a person ages, these ridges
flatten, loosening the attachment of the epidermis to the dermis.
Thus, even a slight bump can tear an older person's
skin.

Copyright 1999 © by President and Fellows of Harvard College
Reprinted with permission from the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, Simon & Schuster 1999. Art copyright © Harriet R. Greenfield, Newton, Mass.

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Help for Aging Skin