Normal, healthy skin has good elasticity and firmness, and is most often a healthy, unblemished color. There are three major components of healthy skin that keep it looking younger: 
- Collagen (for firmness)
- Elastin (supplies elasticity and rebound of skin)
- Glycosaminoglycans or GAGS (essential to keeping skin hydrated)
These three components are abundant in young, youthful skin. As the production of these things begins to decline as we age, the skin takes on a different color, tone, and appearance.
People age in different ways and at different paces. It can depend on a variety of factors including environment, heredity, and personal care. There are two basic types of aging.
They are known as intrinsic aging and extrinsic aging.
Type I Wrinkles from Intrinsic Aging
Intrinsic aging is also known as internal aging, similar to intrinsic values or internal values. This is a very natural aging process that involves the breakdown of the collagen production process. Collagen is essential elasticity of the skin and is a major component of young, healthy looking skin.
After the age of 20, a person typically produces 1% less collagen to keep skin healthy and youthful each year. When this process naturally begins to slow down, new cell production is decreased and the skin is not as pliable and supple as it was in earlier years.
As the aging process progresses, the skin becomes much more fragile and begins to thin. Wrinkles begin to form and the skin becomes less supple and glowing.
The process of intrinsic aging begins as early as our 20s and continues from that point forward. A breakdown of collagen has more to do with aging than just creating wrinkles as most people assume.
It can also lead to:
- Dry, itchy skin
- Hair loss
- Thinning and/or transparent skin
- Extra hair growth
- Loose skin around the neck, face, and hands
- Graying hair
These are just some of the effects of intrinsic aging, but these effects can be devastating to some people. Unfortunately, there is little you can do about this process that is caused by genetics.
You may see a person with gray hair in their 20s, while others may never see gray until their 50s or later. Some people may seem to have firmer skin around their neck and face well into their 40s while others will experience a looser skin in their 30s.
Type II Wrinkles from Extrinsic Aging
This type of aging is related to the external factors affecting our skin, body, and overall health. As we all know by now, the sun is a major external factor when it comes to the aging process. Its harmful effects are now well-known, but unfortunately, many previous generations who became sun-worshipers did not realize or heed the warnings of the potential effects of sun exposure.
Over-exposure and unprotected exposure to the sun results in more wrinkles, age spots, rough, dry skin, freckles, and skin cancer. Of course, the impact of the sun is also dependent on your natural skin color or tone, and the amount of time you have exposed your unprotected skin to the sun.
The effects of exposure to the sun cannot be over-emphasized as it is one of the major extrinsic factors in the aging process.
Other external factors impacting the aging process include:
- Gravity (to a small extent)
- Lack of consistent patterns of sleep
- Smoking
- Frequent dehydration
- Inattention to cleanliness
- Lack of proper rehydration for the skin
- Facial expressions
The extrinsic factors affecting the aging process of the skin can be altered and managed to avoid premature aging. But not all extrinsic factors are as easy to eliminate due to poor health habits and a lack of understanding of what causes aging.
As a part of the process to rejuvenate, maintain, or restore healthy skin, it’s essential to understand what causes the aging process. Paying attention to the daily lifestyle habits and external factors that may be impacting your skin and body is critical to being able to positively impact the quality of your skin today and in the future.
There is one other area of the aging process that will help you better understand how the process occurs. That area is related to “free radicals.”
Read more about how to clean up free radicals.