A conversation with P&G beauty scientist Laura Goodman, who explains exactly why our skin is sagging and what we can (and can't) do about it.

• FOF: Laura, why does skin start to sag and wrinkle as we age?
  • Laura Goodman: The skin has three main layers.

    A conversation with P&G beauty scientist Laura Goodman, who explains exactly why our skin is sagging and what we can (and can't) do about it.

    • FOF: Laura, why does skin start to sag and wrinkle as we age?
      • Laura Goodman: The skin has three main layers. The bottom layer—the dermis—provides structural support. It’s primarily made up of two proteins—collagen and elastin. Collagen is firm, like support beams in scaffolding. Elastin is elastic—hence, the name. The two work together to keep the skin firm, but supple. As we age, the level of collagen goes down. 
    • Why?
      • The cells that make collagen are worn out from years of wear and tear--mostly cumulative environmental stress, especially UV radiation. When you’re young, damaged skin cells can repair themselves. But as you get older, those cells have been damaged so many times that they stop working correctly. It’s like when you take a car into the shop and it’s fixed, but it’s not exactly like it was the first time you drove it off the lot.
    • So if a person ate a perfect diet, never went in the sun and drank lots of water, would her skin look younger?
      • Her skin would look better, but it’s still going to age. Your skin is an organ, so no matter what you do, collagen will break down, just as our bodies break down. That’s known as intrinsic aging. You can prevent some aging caused by the environment—extrinsic aging--by creating a barrier on your skin with sunblock and strengthening your own natural skin barrier (the top layer of the skin) with anti-aging products. I always say, live a good life, and wear SPF every day. 

      Ready to create the perfect barrier? Continue reading below . . . 

      Links:

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      Dream Creams: Moisturizing FOF skin 
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