In this blog post, we will look at the two main causes of skin aging, intrinsic aging and photoaging, and introduce ways to delay them and lifestyle habits to help.
If you look around, you will see many people who have entered college and spent a difficult first year as freshmen. After spending a year like that, when they look in the mirror and see photos of themselves as freshmen entering college a year ago, they are often surprised by how much they have matured in just one year. That’s not all. Everyone has had the experience of looking at a family photo taken a few years ago and feeling a pang of sadness when they see how much their parents have aged. Witnessing these changes, people often feel the rapid passage of time and the impermanence of life without even realizing it. Skin aging is one of the phenomena that no one can escape as they grow older. So, why does skin aging occur?
First, the causes of skin aging can be divided into two main categories. The first is intrinsic aging, which is a change that occurs in everyone over time regardless of specific environmental factors. The second is photoaging, which occurs on the face, neck, and hands due to prolonged exposure to environmental factors such as sunlight.
The main cause of intrinsic aging is damage to the cells and tissues that make up our bodies caused by active oxygen radicals produced during the body’s metabolic processes. The difference between intrinsic and extrinsic aging is that harmful active oxygen is produced by ultraviolet rays. Once active oxygen is produced, if it is not effectively removed by the body’s various protective mechanisms, a series of inflammatory reactions occur, resulting in skin damage.
Even if this damage is not visible to the naked eye, it accumulates continuously and accelerates skin aging. The wavelength of sunlight that causes photoaging is in the ultraviolet range. Ultraviolet B (UVB, 290-320 nm) and ultraviolet A (UVA, 320-400 nm) rays cause skin aging.
Therefore, to prevent photoaging, it is necessary to block both UV-A and UV-B rays. In addition to sunscreen, wearing long-sleeved clothing, hats, and sunglasses are also important preventive measures.
When intrinsic skin aging occurs, the skin that is usually covered by clothing becomes smooth but somewhat dry. In addition, the skin color becomes pale, and thin, shallow wrinkles can be observed, but the decrease in skin elasticity is minor. This intrinsic aging is a natural process that we experience as we live, but its speed can be slowed down depending on our lifestyle habits. For example, getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and managing stress can help delay intrinsic aging.
On the other hand, photoaging causes more severe changes than intrinsic aging and appears at an earlier age. The skin becomes rough and dry, and skin elasticity decreases significantly, often resulting in sagging, deep wrinkles, and symptoms such as purpura and sebaceous hyperplasia. These symptoms are more prominent in areas frequently exposed to sunlight, so it is important to take good care of your skin on a regular basis.
We all grow old. Aging is a natural process. It is not something we can resist just because we want to. However, factors that cause us to age, such as photoaging, can be delayed to some extent through our efforts. Therefore, it is best to follow the natural order of things while delaying skin aging as much as possible through proper care. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle in addition to proper skin care, we can stay looking younger and more energetic for longer. It is also important to remember that a positive attitude toward aging and self-love are also important factors.
