Organ or Tissue Function
skin aging
skin ag·ing
Subclass of:
Skin Physiological Phenomena
Definitions related to skin aging:
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The process of aging due to changes in the structure and elasticity of the skin over time. It may be a part of physiological aging or it may be due to the effects of ultraviolet radiation, usually through exposure to sunlight.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Your skin changes as you age. You might notice wrinkles, age spots and dryness. Your skin also becomes thinner and loses fat, making it less plump and smooth. It might take longer to heal, too. Sunlight is a major cause of skin aging. You can protect yourself by staying out of the sun when it is strongest, using sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, wearing protective clothing, and avoiding sunlamps and tanning beds. Cigarette smoking also contributes to wrinkles. The wrinkling increases with the amount of cigarettes and number of years a person has smoked. Many products claim to revitalize aging skin or reduce wrinkles, but the Food and Drug Administration has approved only a few for sun-damaged or aging skin. Various treatments soothe dry skin and reduce the appearance of age spots. NIH: National Institute on AgingMedlinePlusU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Aging results in thinning of the dermis and epidermis. The underlying fat layer can be lost as well. The decrease in volume and overall effectiveness of all three skin layers results in a number of changes. The skin loses some of its elasticity. It becomes drier due to impaired barrier function and decreased production of essential oils...Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
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