PhotoAging. What? When? Why? How?
Posted on July 17 2020
Photoaging
Photoaging is premature fading of the skin under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.
Normally, ultraviolet light is absorbed in the epidermis by the pigment melanin, therefore, due to exposure to sunlight, the skin becomes dark for a while and brightens again as the dead cells are exfoliated.
When the epidermis is damaged by sunlight, histological and biochemical changes occur in it, and its condition rapidly deteriorates.
In order to reverse this process, you need to pay attention to the condition of your skin, protect with cosmetics, try not to be in the sun for a long time and, at the first symptoms of the pathological process, go to beauty salons for treatment.
Photoaging Symptoms:
- Sagging and loss of elasticity
- Copious pigmentation
- Presence of wrinkles, bumps, roughness
- Severe dryness and thinning
- Violation of the structure of the epidermis
- Presence of inflammation and infections
Photoaging of the skin is a process of permanent damage to the skin by the sun.
Signs of photoaging may begin to appear even before signs of natural aging begin to appear. The face, neck, hands and décolleté are most affected by this process. Skin elasticity reduces and the formation of wrinkles accelerates.
The thickness of the epidermis does not change, while signs of hyperkeratosis or atrophy are found in it. Damage to elastin fibres also occurs, which can penetrate to various depths, depending on the degree of skin damage.
Changes of the skin pattern, reduced elasticity, the appearance of vascular changes and the growth of neoplasms are signs of intense exposure to sunlight.
If the protective system of the body from the effects of UV rays gives failures, then the epidermis is damaged, and hyperpigmentation appears.
Also, ultraviolet penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin, which contributes to the activation of the oxidation process.
As a result, the healthy collagen fibers of the skin that make up its skeleton are harmed, the face contours blur and a net of wrinkles appears on it.
Signs of photoaging may appear as early as at 20-25 years. The cause of this may be the abuse of tanning, which is manifested in a decrease in skin elasticity, the appearance of wrinkles and excessive dryness.
But, if young skin can be saved from the influence of ultraviolet radiation with the help of cosmetics, then with age, irreversible changes occur that cannot be compensated and cannot be masked by any cosmetics.
Photoaging of the skin can occur in parallel with natural aging. In this case, all signs of aging of the epidermis are manifested, but at the same time they are more pronounced.
Who is most prone to photoaging?
Most prone to photoaging are people with snow-white skin. After all, the less melanin is produced, the stronger the destructive effect of sunlight, and the protective potential of snow-white skin is small.
At risk are:
- Pregnant women.
- Menopausal women.
- During any hormonal changes.
What to do?
With photoaging of the skin, the following procedures are indicated:
- Biorevitalization
- Dermabrasion
- Chemical peeling (glycolic or retinoic)
- Laser resurfacing of the skin (face, hands, décolleté)
- Mesotherapy
- Photorejuvenation