What Is Premature Ageing and What Causes It?

The phenomenon by which we age is called senescence. At a cellular level, senescence entails the gradual termination of cell division, as they accumulate wear and tear after each replication, representing a natural cycle of life, growing old.

However, sometimes the process is abruptly brought to a stop before allowing nature to take its course. External and internal factors can influence this action, thereby preventing the cells from replicating, leading to an accelerated death. This sequence of events results in premature aging of the skin, which is quite often identified with wrinkles, fine lines, saggy skin and more.

Keynotes:

• Natural cell senescence is different from premature aging, which can be caused by both internal and external factors disrupting cell function.
• The early signs of skin aging include sunspots, fine lines, gaunt skin and saggy skin.
• Adopt a proactive approach with holistic skincare, adequate sleep, a healthy diet and sun protection to mitigate the effects.
• Professional treatments for premature aging include topical serums, chemical peels, light therapy and professional procedures.

Premature aging's meaning can be summarized as the appearance of a sped up aging process, contrasting to the actual age of the individual. Aging, in itself, is natural and is often influenced by genetics. That said, various factors, both intrinsic and extrinsic, can significantly speed up the aging process exponentially.

At a fundamental level, our skin holds its structure due to two brawny proteins, namely collagen and elastin. These provide the body with firmness and elasticity, keeping your skin plump, smooth and even in texture. The intrinsic skin ageing affects the skin on the basis of the passage of time, hormonal changes and genetics, causing the skin to lose its proteins and turn thinner and saggy.

The extrinsic process presents itself as a result of things we can control, such as dark spots of sun exposure , nutrition, smoking, pollution and more. They trigger the accumulation of abnormal tissues in the deeper layers of the skin, thereby deteriorating its quality and turning the skin rough, thick and leathery in texture.

Understanding the underlying mannerisms and recognizing the early signs of aging skin are some of the first steps towards proactive intervention. While the symptoms may vary for each individual, these indicators can help you protect your skin from potential damage.

Common signs of premature aging skin are:

1. Sunspots

   These are small patches of pigmentation spread across the skin exposed to sun radiation. Solar lentigines can be found across the face, back, hands, shoulders, etc.

2. Fine lines and Wrinkles

   These are familiar lines, creases, or folds that form around the eyes, mouth, neck and shoulders. While fine lines and wrinkles are natural with growing age, premature aging can exacerbate the concern, leading to droopy skin.

3. Hyperpigmentation

   Discoloration and dark patches on the area across your chest (and other exposed areas) can be a likely indicator of premature skin aging. This is caused by chronic sun exposure.

4. Sagging Skin

   When the protein structures beneath the skin weaken, the skin begins to sag, losing its youthful tautness. You may experience this around your jawline, face or neck.

5. Thin skin

   On the other hand, premature aging can also manifest as hollowed-out, gaunt skin, making the blood vessels more visible. This gives the face a translucent complexion, making it seem worse for wear.

Now that we have explored the indicators, let's understand the causes of premature aging affecting your skin:

UV Exposure and Free Radicals

The early known cause of premature aging skin is the chronic exposure to sun radiation. Ultraviolet rays lead to the formation of unstable molecules, also known as free radicals, which disrupt the equilibrium in the skin. These trigger a cascade of damage to the DNA and cells, speeding up aging.

The inflammation caused in the process impairs wound healing and halts cell division, causing cell death, making our skin age faster as a result. In extreme cases, photoaging can also lead to skin cancer and conditions such as melasma.

Poor Diet, Sleep, and Stress

Apart from UV, lifestyle factors such as lacking nutrition, insufficient sleep and chronic stress can all contribute to premature aging.

1. Diet:

   Consuming a diet filled with sugar, refined carbohydrates, processed foods and high-glycemic foods can cause our blood sugar levels to rise. As a result, insulin spikes trigger inflammation across the body and skin. This may potentially damage collagen, elastin and fibronectin, leading to the emergence of saggy skin and wrinkles.

2. Stress:

   Similarly, chronic stress raises the levels of cortisol in our body. While it is an important hormone to regulate blood sugar levels in the short term, long exposure can cause metabolic issues. This reduces the production of hyaluronic acid, and disrupts collagen mass in the body, turning the skin thinner and prone to dryness and fine lines.

3. Sleep:

   Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, is closely related to intrinsic skin aging, which slows down the recovery rate of the skin. Furthermore, it can create an appearance of droopy pigmented eyelids and fatigued dark circles around the eyes.

Smoking and Pollution

Smoking is another significant contributor to premature aging. Apart from chemicals in the cigarette, the smoke can exponentially damage the collagen fiber and release free radicals into the skin.

Similarly, long exposure to air pollution exposes our skin to tiny particles of pollutants that penetrate the skin, causing inflammation and oxidative stress. This results in a tired complexion, with instances of wrinkles and sagging skin.

Be a step ahead with these essential lifestyle changes to mitigate the effects of premature skin aging:

Lifestyle Changes and Skincare Tips

• Apply sun protection every day. Apart from wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen, you may also apply a moisturizer with high SPF, like the Hyaluron-Filler Day Cream SPF 30, before layering your makeup.
• Smoking is quite the no-no. Quit the habit to care for your skin and reduce the free radical damage to your body.
• Consume a balanced diet and follow an adequate sleep schedule to allow your body to relax and repair itself.
• Invest in a soothing eye cream like the Hyaluron-Filler Eye Cream SPF 15 to reduce puffiness under the eye, boost hydration and alleviate fine lines.
• Follow a simple skincare routine with a cleanser, targeted serum, moisturizer, and hydrating night cream, such as the Hyaluron-Filler Moisture Booster Night Cream. These formulations boost the skin's regenerative properties, thereby enhancing the texture and complexion of your skin.

While preventative care should be your paramount goal to achieving refreshed, youthful-looking skin, there are several treatments that can help alleviate signs of premature aging:

1. Topical Agents: These include retinols, peptides, and antioxidants, such as vitamin C, B3, and E, to boost collagen production and improve skin health.
2. Chemical Peeling: Another treatment strategy for premature aging skin is chemical peeling, which utilizes alpha, beta and lipo hydroxy acids to exfoliate the skin. Thus, improving the texture of the skin.
3. Light therapy: Procedures like Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and laser target the precise skin concern with wavelengths of light. These are performed for treating premature aging signs such as sunspots, uneven skin tone and lines.
4. Professional Procedures: Other professional treatment options for skin aging include skin restoration strategies like fillers, microneedling, skin augmentation, fat or volume restoration, and more.

Skin aging is a part and parcel of life; however, premature aging is triggered by anomalies involving our environment, lifestyle choices and more. By understanding the nuances of the condition and practicing the preventative measures, one can avert the instances of early aging. Try the range of anti-aging products by Eucerin to maintain healthy, youthful-looking skin that radiates from within.

1. What is the meaning of premature aging of the skin?

   Premature aging meaning can be translated to an accelerated process at which the skin grows older, as compared to an individual's actual age. This can leave you with uneven-toned skin, wrinkles, and sunspots earlier than normal.

2. What are the main causes of premature aging?

   Certain causes of premature aging include predetermined genetics, environmental factors, chronic sun exposure and lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep, stress and poor diet.

3. How to prevent early aging and reduce fine lines?

   To prevent premature aging of your skin, wear a sunscreen daily, follow a holistic skincare routine, consume a nutritious diet, get enough sleep, manage stress and focus on leading a healthy lifestyle.

• Nih.gov - Ultraviolet Radiation, Aging and the Skin
• Nih.gov - Perceived Age and Life Style. The Specific Contributions of Seven Factors Involved in Health and Beauty
• Nih.gov - Skin Ageing: Pathophysiology and Current Market Treatment Approaches
• Nih.gov - Shared molecular and cellular mechanisms of premature ageing and ageing-associated diseases
• Nih.gov - Premature aging
• ijcmph - Influence of lifestyle factors-sleep patterns and stress on skin health and ageing amongst the general population in India
• nature.com - Defining skin aging and its risk factors
• aad.org - 11 ways to reduce premature skin aging