The skin plays an important role in helping expel waste products from the body. By helping generate moisture for the skin, the skin builds up a natural store of food which acts as the body’s first defence mechanism against infection.

Key causes of firm or slack skin

The dermis , which is made up of elastin and collagen, can be compared to a soft and bouncy pillow. The longer it is used for, the more tired it becomes, eventually deteriorating. To help address this situation, it is essential for the deterioration of these fibres to be delayed for as long as possible. This can be done by avoiding contact with sunlight and UV radiation , both of which harm the skin and play a major role in the formation of wrinkles, leading to the slackening of skin cells.

The deterioration of elastin and collagen is caused by the failure of fibroblast cells the cells which generate elastin and collagen to work suitably. This begins to occur as we age. One way to address this is to provide the skin with vitamins and nutrients, thus helping the fibroblast cells retain energy, freshness and youth.

All you need to know about wrinkles

It truth be told, the one thing that no skin can avoid is wrinkles. The only question is whether the wrinkles appear sooner or later, and this depends on a number of exacerbating factors, both internal and external, which our skin has to contend with on a daily basis:

Internal factors

1. Changes in hormonal levels due to the ageing process.

Effects: The workings of various sub-dermal mechanisms begin to deteriorate, and the skin’s natural regeneration process slows down.

2. The dermis becomes thinner as the skin becomes less effective in generating new cells, while elastin and collagen levels decline.

Effects: The skin’s ability to retain moisture begins to decline, causing the skin to cave in.

3. The number of oil-secreting glands in the epidermis undergoes a decline.

Effects: The skin’s ability to retain moisture begins to decline, causing wrinkles in the epidermis.

External factors

1. Environmental conditions, air, sunshine, UV radiation and toxic pollution.

Effects: Skin cells become tired and degenerated, free radicals form begin to form, and the skin becomes rough and dry, resulting in wrinkles and a loss of flexibility and firmness.

2. Poor consumption habits, whether alcohol, cigarettes, excessively flavoured food of an unbalanced diet.

Effects: The skin’s metabolism fails to work properly, with the result that the skin weakens, loses moisture, and becomes rough, dry and old looking.

3. Stress or insufficient rest.

Effects: Facial radiance declines, leading to the formation of small wrinkles which make the skin look rough and dry.

3 types of wrinkle

Level1 Fine wrinkles

These shallow wrinkles appear as small lines on the upper layer of skin which has become dry due to loss of moisture. They are generally found in areas of sensitive skin around the eyes or on the cheeks. As we become older, our skin begins to lose its ability to retain moisture, and this is when this type of wrinkles begins to form.

Level2 Dynamic wrinkles

These deep wrinkles are found around the mouth or at the corners of our eyes, where they are known as crow’s feet. Found in people aged 20 years and upwards, they gradually become deeper as we age. As our muscles begin to shrink, the dermis and epidermis are drawn closer together, leading to gradually deepening wrinkles. These are often caused by stress, or by shows of emotion of the face. Other factors include heat and the UV radiation found in sunlight. Skin exposed to sunlight for long periods of time loses its flexibility, and becomes easily prone to wrinkles. These are difficult to cure, but can be made shallower.

Level3 Skin fold wrinkles

Wrinkles caused by the earth’s gravity. Wrinkles gradually appear from the nose, passing by the corners of the mouth to the chin, and are the main cause of slack skin on the cheeks. These wrinkles tend to appear from the age of 40 onwards, and by the age of 50, slack skin has reached the chin and the jaw bone.