What Happens to our Skin as we Age?

The way your skin ages depends on your diet, genetics, lifestyle and other personal habits. For example, smoking produces free radicals that can damage cells, which can then lead to premature wrinkles. Exposure to the sun, pollution, stress, daily facial movement, obesity, and even the way you lay your head on your pillow at night can all affect how your skin ages. 

As we grow older, our skin becomes rougher, dryer and maybe even itchy due to loss of moisture and oil gland function. Our skin also becomes looser due to the loss of elastic tissue, making our eyebrows, eyelids and cheeks droopy. The skin also becomes thinner and more fragile, making it more prone to damage, creasing and bruising.

However, aging is not something to be afraid of. It is inevitable and should be embraced, not looked down upon. With that said, we could avoid harmful habits and activities that speed up the process, like smoking and sun bathing without sunscreen, but we should definitely not be upset or discouraged when we do see the signs of aging appear on our skin. Think of each wrinkle as a story of a life well-lived. 

Remember to always love yourself from head to toe.