What causes wrinkles and sagging skin?
Chronological Ageing and Wrinkles As people age, their epidermal cells become thinner and less sticky. The thinner cells make the skin look noticeably thinner. The decreased stickiness of the cells decreases the effectiveness of the barrier function allowing moisture to be released instead of being kept in the skin. This causes dryness. The number of epidermal cells decreases by 10% per decade and they divide more slowly as we age, making the skin less able to repair itself. The effects of ageing on the dermal layer are significant. Not only does the dermal layer become thinner, but less collagen is produced, and the elastin fibres that provide elasticity wear out. These changes in the structure of the skin causes it to wrinkle and sag. Sebaceous glands start to get bigger but produce less sebum, and the number of sweat glands decreases. Both of these changes lead to skin dryness. The rete pegs of the dermal-epidermal junction flatten out, making the skin more fragile. This process als
