subject: The Truth about Aging of Skin and Collagen and Elastin by:Laurel Levine [print this page] Ever wondered what's the connection between the aging of skin and collagen and elastin production? That's what you'll learn about if you take the time to read this article.
We would all like to look as young as possible throughout our lives, but there are many things working against us. The sun, pollution, environmental toxins, inadequate nutrient absorption and chronic inflammation are some of those things.
A decreased level of hyaluronic acid is a factor that affects the skin's smoothness. Enzymatic activity breaks down the sticky substance. Extracts from kelp have been shown to inhibit that enzymatic activity.
More free radical molecules are found in older people's skin. Exposure to the sun, pollution and/or environmental toxins increases the number of free radical molecules and causes them to become more active.
Some types of antioxidant-rich creams have been shown to prevent and repair free radical damage within the skin's cells and layers. Researchers have seen a reduction in wrinkles, an improvement in moisture content and a reversal of sun damage.
The connection between the aging of skin and collagen and elastin fiber production is this. The number of new fibers produced decreases with age.
The body produces fewer new cells as time goes by, too. That is partially due to inadequate nutrient absorption, researchers believe. The digestive system probably becomes a bit sluggish. The epidermis gets its nourishment through diffusion from the deeper layers. That process slows down, too.
Applying nutrients directly to the epidermis is not a new idea, but researchers have found some new ingredients that are particularly beneficial. Coenzyme Q10 is one of them. The active form of the protein keratin is another.
The main connection between the aging of skin and collagen and elastin growth is lost firmness. When the skin's firmness is lost, wrinkles become visible. The protein keratin has been shown to increase the skin's firmness by over 40%, because it stimulates the re-growth of the elastic fibers.
Chronic inflammation is something that we are only beginning to learn all about. It has been known for centuries that inflammation and pain are related. But, there is some amount of chronic inflammation going on throughout our lives. It is one of the causes of age.
Chronic inflammation plays a role in the aging of skin and collagen and elastin damage. The things that contribute to chronic inflammation include harsh cleansers and skincare products that contain toxins, irritants or allergens. Fragrance ingredients are some of the most irritating.
The active form of the protein keratin has been shown to inhibit inflammation in the skin. You should still avoid the use of irritating skincare products, but when inflammation seems unavoidable, the protein keratin comes to the rescue.
Make no mistake about it, Keratin and coenzyme Q10 are only two compounds that are known to be beneficial. There are many others. There is also a long list of ingredients that should be avoided. But, those are subjects of other articles. If you want to reverse the aging of skin and collagen and elastin loss, you might want to read more about it.
If you'd like to learn more about little known but clinically tested natural ingredients that are used for treating aging skin, visit my website today.
About the author
Laurel is a long time user and passionate advocate of natural skin care products. Visit her site now to discover cutting edge, anti-aging skin care products she recommends after extensive research: http://www.beautiful-skin-site.com.
