Premature Skin Ageing Essay
This essay consists of four factors that contribute to premature skin ageing, it will first discuss how the skin ages and what happens to each layer of the skin and will then go on to explore the external and internal factors. Throughout, it will continue to explain the negative effects that each factor has on the skin and what can be done to prevent it.
The skin is made up of three main layers. The outermost layer is called the epidermis, also known as the barrier layer, it is around 0.1mm thick and protects the body. The skin cells move to this layer and shed daily, this is called desquamation. When exfoliating, it usually takes 28 days in young, healthy skin, but this decreases in speed with age and is also affected by hormones, sun exposure, …show more content…
It is believed that roughly 70% of the skin ageing process is dependant on the amount of sunlight our skin is exposed to throughout our lifetime (Jenny Hills, 2017). However Dobson, R. (2013) stated that researchers from the medical journal clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology suggested that the sun is responsible for 80.3% of premature ageing. This information was gathered after dermatologists examined the faces of 298 women, aged from 30 - 78. Their results showed that after the age of 50, a difference in wrinkles and skin texture was recognisable and women who enjoyed laying in the sun also looked older than their actual age, although ultraviolet B rays from the sun gives out a natural form of vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones (National Health Service, 2015). When you’re in direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time, it can begin to damage your skin but it can be prevented by using sunscreen and wearing white clothing to reflect the sunlight. The first line of protection within your skin is called melanin, which is a natural chemical that reacts to the UV rays once they have reached the skin, it absorbs UV rays to protect the skin against sun damage. This is the chemical that gives the skin a tan, however, if you exceed the protection limit of melanin, it then starts to burn
The skin is made up of three main layers. The outermost layer is called the epidermis, also known as the barrier layer, it is around 0.1mm thick and protects the body. The skin cells move to this layer and shed daily, this is called desquamation. When exfoliating, it usually takes 28 days in young, healthy skin, but this decreases in speed with age and is also affected by hormones, sun exposure, …show more content…
It is believed that roughly 70% of the skin ageing process is dependant on the amount of sunlight our skin is exposed to throughout our lifetime (Jenny Hills, 2017). However Dobson, R. (2013) stated that researchers from the medical journal clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology suggested that the sun is responsible for 80.3% of premature ageing. This information was gathered after dermatologists examined the faces of 298 women, aged from 30 - 78. Their results showed that after the age of 50, a difference in wrinkles and skin texture was recognisable and women who enjoyed laying in the sun also looked older than their actual age, although ultraviolet B rays from the sun gives out a natural form of vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones (National Health Service, 2015). When you’re in direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time, it can begin to damage your skin but it can be prevented by using sunscreen and wearing white clothing to reflect the sunlight. The first line of protection within your skin is called melanin, which is a natural chemical that reacts to the UV rays once they have reached the skin, it absorbs UV rays to protect the skin against sun damage. This is the chemical that gives the skin a tan, however, if you exceed the protection limit of melanin, it then starts to burn