Aging Factors

There are two types of aging factors: intrinsic aging and extrinsic aging. We can take measures to protect our skin from the signs of extrinsic aging, though it's our genes that are responsible for the effects of intrinsic aging on our skin.

Intrinsic aging

Sometimes referred to as chronological aging, intrinsic aging is simply the process of getting old. As we age, our skin becomes thinner, loses much of its elasticity, and the lines from decades of normal facial expressions begin to be written permanently into our faces. At the same time, the layer between the epidermis and the dermis begins to flatten, and the dermis starts to weaken. The number of blood vessels present in the dermis decreases, as do the amounts of collagen and elastin, which were responsible for giving our young faces firmness.

Extrinsic aging

Extrinsic aging , in contrast, is a direct result of environmental damage - from sun exposure, pollution, poor health habits, a history of smoking, and other factors that, unlike aging, we can control.

The greatest contributor to signs of extrinsic aging is the sun - and what's known as the photo aging process. In fact, only a few minutes of unprotected sun exposure each day can over time lead to skin damage. Over time, repeated unprotected sun exposure causes the skin to lose its ability to repair itself. UV rays break down collagen and elastin and prevent the creation of new collagen (which is why sun-damaged skin is much less firm than healthy skin).

Smoking is also incredibly damaging to our skin. Research demonstrates that a person who smokes 10 or more cigarettes a day for 10 years or more will have more deeply wrinkled, leathery, yellowy skin than a non-smoker.

Environmental damage - whether from unprotected sun exposure, smoking, pollution, or other causes, leads to a build-up of free radicals in our skin. Those free radicals attack and destroy our healthy cells. Of course, free radicals are a normal by-product of cellular functioning in our bodies. The problem is that environmental damage leads to an excessive amount of free radical formation - more than our bodies could normally accommodate.

Fortunately, there are a number of relatively simple ways to prevent the signs of extrinsic aging. If you make sure to wear sunscreen each time that you are exposed to the sun, and if you refrain from smoking, for example, you'll be much more likely to have healthier, younger looking skin longer.

And products like those in Luminoso Studios™ Illustre Essenza™ line can help reduce the signs of extrinsic aging, by promoting the restoration of collagen and elastin, and by destroying the excess free radicals wreaking havoc on your skin.

To contact Luminoso Studios™, please give us a call at 800-408-1168 or e-mail us at sales@luminosostudios.com.