Skin Aging Essay

Talking about skin aging is a sensitive topic these days as no one would like to actually picture the whole process of their skin losing that youthful appeal after a few years. However, it is essential to know that our skin is like any other part of our body. To be more scientific, skin is the largest organ of the human body. This organ is the first layer which serves as the line of defense and prevents the entry of harmful microbes as well as harmful particles. Apart from this, the body temperature is regulated and the moisture content in the body is also regulated to a certain extent by the skin.

The skin is made up of three layers and all the layers have a key role in acting as the defense. The outermost layer which is the epidermis is an actively regenerating layer. This layer keeps on growing and differentiating to maintain the pH and moisture content. The epidermis does not work alone in keeping the skin healthy. The dermis which is the second layer is more active and hosts capillaries, blood vessels, elastin and also fibroblasts. Dermis also has certain polysaccharides like glycosaminoglycans which keep the cellular activity towards the

Intrinsic factors and extrinsic factors, both contribute to this process. As discussed earlier, UV-induced damage to the DNA causes a poor renewal of the skin. When exposed to harsh sunlight, an individual is also exposed to the UV light that comes along with it. Excessive exposure can cause premature aging in certain individuals and also is observed as severe pigmentation and sunburns as well. The antioxidants, namely vitamin E and vitamin C are majorly targeted by the UV light and thus, reduce the antioxidant capacity of the epidermis on prolonged exposure. Removing makeup is as important as wearing makeup while stepping out. Not removing the makeup before going to bed also contributes to aging over a