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Understanding Your Skin

understanding-skin-derm

Keep Your Skin Looking Youthful, Hydrated & Supple

Underneath the surface of the skin many things are happening that contribute to the facial aging process. The main areas to pay attention to are the collagen and elastin in the skin. Underneath the surface are fat-pads, muscles, bones, and even oil glands that also play an important role in skin health.

Collagen is a major protein found in the body, it’s found not only in the skin but in muscles, bones and tendons – it can even be found in the digestive system. This is the protein that give our skin it’s strength and also makes our skin look youthful, hydrated and supple.

Elastin is also a major protein in the body. This is the protein that helps our skin bounce back to its original position after it’s been stretched or pinched.

In the natural aging process, your collagen and elastin slowdown in production – this is what causes wrinkles and sagging in the skin.

Your facial skin and fat is not actually one confluent layer; it’s made of many distinct compartments which are known as the facial fat-pads. When we get older, these fat-pads start to get thinner, begin to descend and drop. This process causes hollowing of the eyes as well as flattening of the cheeks and a sunken appearance around the mouth and lips as well as sagging of the jaw line with the appearance of a double chin.

Under the fat, there is muscle in the face which contributes to the formation of wrinkles. The repetitive muscle movements that we make every day (smiling, laughing, talking) cause laugh lines, frown lines, and crow’s feet around the eyes. As we get older the loss of the muscle tone can cause sagging and loss of definition and contour to the face.