To understand how we visibly age it helps to understand the anatomy of the skin. Two features many people recognize, our hair follicles and sweat glands.
The outer or superficial layer of the skin is called the epidermis underneath that is the dermis.
The epidermis contains Elastin, which gives young skin elasticity and enables it to quickly recover its shape.
The sweat glands which contain and release moisture are also important for youthful skin as is the blood supply but a lot of unprotected sun exposure even when you’re young can dry out the skin. Surface cracks allow even more moisture to escape and damage skin produces less Elastin which contributes to wrinkle formation. Using the right kind of sunblock or sunscreen can help to prevent further damage the Sun gives off several kinds of rays including UVA and you UVB both can damage skin
The skin on the left is protected from both but the skin on the right
is not protected against UVAs which continue to damaged tissues. This prompts cells in the epidermis to release melanin which darkens the skin. A lot of exposure results in sunburn which causes the release of more melanin to protect the skin and leads to sun spots and freckles.
Using the wrong kinds of soaps can also age skin by stripping away the thin protective coating called the acid mantle. Cigarettes smoke promotes skin cracks and wrinkles because it reduces levels of Nitric Oxide, a cellular gas that helps keep skin flexible.
Many women use an exfoliating agent to debride or scrape off dead skin cells. Some agents becomes smaller or dissolve as they are used which can help prevent overuse or damage while still leaving young healthy material.
Hydration is also important ideally the solution will penetrate the pores and keep them small while also plumping up the epidermis.
what are the wrong and/or good soaps?
The skin has an acid mantle which is its natural protective barrier. When you wash with soap – which is generally alkaline – it can remove this protective layer of oils and dry out the skin, eventually leading to wrinkles. While it is not advisable to stop washing entirely, try swapping the soap for a PH-neutral and chemical-free cleanser, and bear in mind that there is such a thing as over-cleansing your skin.