Theory that body "wears down" with age is no more than a myth. Only teeth and articulations get worse.

Majority of people are afraid of skin ageing, but despite of wide-spread opinion skin surface changes moderately. Wounds don`t recover as fast as they ised to in youth, but scars are less noticeable. Skin becomes drier because dead surface cells don`t let moisture inside.

Because of lack of melanocytes old skin is more sensitive to unfavorable influence of sun (risk of cancer diseases increase sufficiently). Majority of changes take place underneath of skin. Tight connective tissues lose its elasticity and wrinkles. Bruises easily appear among aged people. This happens because hypodermic vessels become thinner and blood comes out even at light damages. Low immune system increases subjection to skin cancer, reduces inflammatory reaction on sun emission.

The most part of sun burns are the result of this reaction and not the burn itself. Human who avoided sun for whole life could reduce aging of skin by 70-80%. But if you didn`t it is not late to start today. Experts advise patients to keep skin moistures, use only good soap and apply moisturizing creams and emulsions after every wash. These measures don`t slow down ageing of skin but reduce its consequences (dry skin, itching and others).
sections: Nature & Health