Skin and Your Age

One of the more common causes of dry skin is low humidity. Low humidity prevents your skin from taking in enough moisture, leaving it dehydrated. Over-washing or use of harsh soaps can also contribute to dry skin. The easiest way to prevent dry skin is the regular use of moisturizing creams or lotions. Use them as often as necessary, and at least two times a day. If your dry skin is more severe, showing signs of cracking and inflammation, you should consult with a dermatologist. With age, comes wrinkles. It's just natural. As you get older, your skin produces less oil. The collagen and elastin that make up the skin's under layer diminishes. This leads to sagging, wrinkling and thinning of the skin. Fair skinned people seem to be more predisposed to wrinkling. Smoking and too much exposure to the sun greatly accelerates wrinkling. Medical treatments such as prescription creams containing acids, chemical peels, combination programs, injections and surgery can reduce the number of wrinkles you have. But none of them can completely remove wrinkles and the results may not be permanent. Two of the better ways to reduce the signs of aging is to wear a sunscreen and moisturize daily. Using a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher can prevent new wrinkles and prevent existing wrinkles from getting deeper. Moisturizers, all of which are a combination of oil and water, work the same: they help your skin retain water, smoothing its surface.