You can actually see the difference between the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic (caused by external environmental influences) factors on skin aging by simply examining the skin on your own body, seeing the difference between skin exposed to the sun and skin that is sun-protected, which incidentally can be considered representative of the aging process taking place in the internal organs of the body!
Intrinsic skin aging is associated with the changes in the body at a cellular level as we age through gene mutation, cellular metabolism and hormone environment.
Our body’s cells are continually reproducing from the time of our conception. Each cell contains about 25,000 to 35,000 genes which carry all the information that determines our traits; features and characteristics which are passed on (inherited) from our parents, dictating the rate at which the aging process progresses, for example if your parents tend to look younger than their age, there is a good possibly you will inherit this trait.
As we age each time a cell divides there is a chance that some of the genes will be copied incorrectly and this is called a mutation. Extrinsic factors such as toxins, radiation and UV light can also cause these mutations. The body can usually correct or destroy most of these mutated cells, but not all of them, and as they multiply they can begin to cause problems in the body’s functioning, as the cells cannot perform the metabolic and regenerating activities that promote healthy skin, with a slower response to environmental challenges leading to a decreased capacity to repair injury. This results in the visible signs of aging, such as wrinkles, skin sagging and furrows.
Another factor is hormonal and I will write about this in the next article.
Article written by Nurse Niki Medlock.