Are you starting to see some of the common signs of normal aging in your skin? Perhaps you’re on the lookout, now that you’ve turned forty. While there’s no stopping visible signs of aging entirely, maintaining healthy skin can help keep us confident. In this post, we’ll take a look at the signs of normal aging and answer a couple of common questions about aging in the skin: at what age do you start looking older, and can you reverse skin aging?
The Signs of Normal Aging
First and foremost, at what age do you start “looking older”? Generally speaking, natural skin aging has already begun by the time we reach our thirties – collagen and elastin production decrease substantially in our mid to late twenties. Visible signs of aging, for healthy individuals, don’t usually start appearing until we reach our forties. However, this number can vary widely among individuals. Here are the most common signs of normal aging:
Wrinkles & Sagging Skin
Structural components like collagen and elastin help our skin maintain its resilience and shape. However, as these components start to disappear (and our bodies slow down their production), sagging and wrinkles tend to become apparent.
Dry & Rough Skin
As we age, the skin barrier becomes more and more difficult to maintain. A healthy skin barrier is required for mitigating moisture loss and maintaining that smooth complexion that we had in our youth. As the skin barrier deteriorates and stays disrupted, the skin dries out and becomes rougher.
Abnormally Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin is another complaint from individuals as they get older, and this also has to do with the skin barrier. A healthy skin barrier will protect the underlying layers of skin from infection, cosmetics, and fragrances. As we age, our skin becomes more sensitive, more irritable, and can even become prone to bruising.
Visible Pores
Aging skin, as we’ve mentioned, lacks the same caliber of structural support that youthful skin does. This also affects our pores, making them appear stretched out and larger than they should. You may also find that your pores are more visible when your skin isn’t hydrated properly – a feat that becomes more and more difficult as the skin barrier ages, too.
Age Spots & Uneven Skin Texture or Tone
We also tend to develop higher-pigmented areas as we age; these are called “age spots,” though they don’t have that much to do with natural aging processes. Uneven skin tone and age spots are a normal part of life and being exposed to the sun. While most age spots don’t appear until the age of fifty, some people develop them sooner. Uneven skin texture, however, is directly related to the skin’s loss of elasticity and structure.
Can You Reverse Skin Aging?
While you can mask skin aging to a certain extent, most changes are irreversible. For this reason, many dermatologists recommend that you start your anti-aging regimen long before you turn 40. This regimen should, as you’ll discover, contain a daily sunscreen product like our NEW Mineral Facial Sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
To learn more about this topic, check out: What Age Should I Start Using Anti-Aging Products?
However, there are some things you can try if you’ve already begun to see some signs of normal aging. For example, our Rejuvaskin Dermacosmetics™ line can be used on fine lines and wrinkles to restore some of the skin’s elasticity. All of our products use high-quality ingredients that are aging-friendly.