Skin aging

While postmenopausal women on estrogen hormone deficiency (see ESTROGEN) is the leading cause of skin aging, hence the additional benefit of replacement therapy during MENOPAUSE.

Indeed, estrogens have a major effect on the skin:

- They increase the thickness of the epidermis,

- Stimulate the proliferation of germ cells,

- Allow the maintenance of good hydration of the dermis,

- Promote good content COLLAGEN and have a beneficial effect on the elasticity of the collagen fibers.

But aging skin is not only due to hormonal deficiency, it is all the more marked as the woman is exposed to more or less reckless in the sun and it will be a smoker.

Indeed, the combined effects of the sun and tobacco multiply by 12 skin aging which is largely due to the dehydration of the stratum corneum.

The epidermal stratum corneum contains 15% water and is lubricated by SWEAT and SEBUM (see these terms).

So to avoid the dehydration must avoid getting too long in the sun.

It will employ surgras soaps and avoid soaps detergents too. The use of moisturizers, water in oil emulsion, is recommended.

- You have to avoid too hot and prolonged baths,

- Avoid too dry atmospheres (air)

- Avoid underfloor heating.

Sunscreens will necessarily used during the exhibition. Will be ranked higher if the skin is whiter.

The protection of sunscreens depends on their efficiency: for example, an index cream 6 allows irradiation six times greater than unprotected. As to the TAN, we can gradually lower the index.

The use of precursors TAN can be useful (psoralens).

Vitamin E, selenium, vitamin D can be administered orally. Their presence captures free radicals that form in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays.

It is possible to prevent skin aging, it is much more difficult, if not impossible, to repair the damage once it has occurred.

In addition, nutrition has an important effect on skin aging. For example: lipids potentiate calcification of elastin fibers, which facilitates their degradation by elastase and thereby causes loss of skin elasticity.

The interaction of reducing sugars (glucose) on collagen is a key factor in skin aging because it causes a bridge where collagen fibers decrease in skin elasticity.