What Happens to Skin When We Age?

Jan. 27, 2011 - PRLog -- Both heredity and environment play a big role in how skin ages.  Environment¾sun damage and pollution¾plays the biggest role in the way skin functions.  Sun damage is the worst culprit since it is cumulative. The damage begins from youth.
As we age, skin cells divide at a slower rate as they lose their capacity to renew themselves. The average cell renewal rate for a baby is 14 days.  For a teenager, the rate is 3-4 weeks, a middle-aged adult 4-7 weeks, and a mature adult (50+) 7-12 weeks or more.  This progressively longer span of cell turnover allows for much more to go wrong.  About 20% of the cells clump together and are nonfunctional before they reach the skin's surface, having died on the way to the top.  The result? The first layer of the skin (stratum corneum) becomes thicker and denser, fine lines deepen, and skin loses its clarity.
Another factor that causes progressive development of wrinkles and leads to sagging skin is the loss of collagen fibers, the building blocks of firmness and elasticity.  Collagen, Greek for "glue," is a connective tissue that gives the face, and body, much of its shape.  Fibers of collagen are woven together throughout the body like threads of fabric to form a framework for new cells and blood vessels to grow.
The way your skin looks is directly related to the way in which it is supported.  As we age, the loss of small blood vessels and a decrease in new capillaries begin to cut off the blood supply that nourishes the skin.  Our faces begin to look less healthy when the rate at which irritants and toxins are removed decreases.  Skin becomes more prone to free radical damage (which is really damage to the cells and DNA).
These degenerative conditions of aging skin progress with time.  But some of them can be minimized or reversed with a carefully applied anti-aging program.

To find out if you are ready for an anti-aging program, do the simple test below. If “yes” is the answer to any of these questions, it is time to start reversing the clock.
The Skin Test
Do you see fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, forehead and neck?
Does your skin not “bounce back” when lifted with your fingers?
Do you notice skin discolorations such as dark and light spots?
Does your skin appear to be thinner with visible capillaries?
Does your skin feel dry and rough and look sallow, lackluster and dull?

           
In-Clinic Treatment
Treatments recommended for anti-aging

Microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasion is a gentle skin resurfacing treatment that removes the topical layers of the skin and stimulates the production of new cells and skin firming collagen. It improves skin tone, helps with scaring, facial lines, and minimizes pore size. Our treatments are finished with a hydrating mask that leaves your skin looking radiant and rejuvenated. (6 treatments are recommended for optimal results.)

Oxygen Treatment. Authentic oxygenation treatments, coupled with a spray of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, will enhance your skins health at the cellular level by supplying the fibroblast with energy for rejuvenation. It can be used as a separate treatment or in addition to microdermabrasion, facials, laser treatments or chemical peels.

Eye lifting treatment. This treatment will minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reduce puffiness, and relax the eye area. Cold collagen pads provide the skin with intensive hydration, culminating with a finishing application of vitamin C-Serum and cold aromatic compresses. This treatment will enhance any facial.

Customized Facial. Our Customized Facials is the most popular skin care treatment. Esthetician evaluates skin type on an individual basis and customizes a specific facial that best benefits the skin’s needs. Often, combinations of several treatments are used to achieve the desired result, at no additional cost to the clients.

Anti-Aging Facial. Anti Aging Facial leaves skin firmer and more youthful. Steam therapy opens pores for deep cleansing followed by a facial and neck massage to enhance circulation. The skin is then exfoliated to provide optimal penetration of the active form of Vitamin C that provides the rebuilding of underlying collagen. A cream conditioning and collagen treatment mask complete this treatment.

Skin Peels. The peels act immediately to increase the rate of skin cell turnover, an important skin function that tends to decrease with age. As a result of this enhanced cell renewal, the skin becomes rejuvenated when examined clinically and microscopically. The increased cell turnover also sheds sun-damaged skin and then directs cell growth in a youthful pattern that results in smoother, younger looking skin.
Chemical peels remove layers of the skin and stimulate the production of new skin cells. They tighten the skin, reduce wrinkles and pigmentation, help control acne and leave the complexion with a healthy glow. The depth of the peel recommended depends on the skin type and desired result. The chemicals produce a separation and peeling of the outer layers of the skin. This stimulates the production of new skin from beneath. Dermavita offers different types of chemical peels such as: Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Jessner, TCA and Obagi and Vita Active peel.
   
Facial Toning (also known as Face Lifting Facial).
In this treatment, the Esthetician uses Micro-Current to exercise and strengthen the facial muscles. Micro-Current is a low level of electricity that mirrors the body’s currents, which in turn trigger chemical reactions at a cellular level. The Micro-Current devices mimic the way the brain relays messages to the muscles. This technique helps stimulate nerves to reeducate muscle tissue, stretching or tightening as necessary, giving the client a fresher, younger appearance: a firmer, slimmer face and neck; tighter brows, uplifted mouth and cheeks, and smoother skin. This procedure is completely safe and brings dramatic results immediately!
During the initial program, we recommend two visits a week, with the total number depending on the individuals need. After that, a single visit once a month is usually all that is required to maintain good facial muscle tone, and a youthful appearance.
Each Facial Toning session includes light peel exfoliation and a hydrating/nourishing treatment with the Ultrasonic Stimulator.
Dermavita offers a 10% discount with the purchase of a series of six Facial Toning Treatments

Homecare Program

Commitment to everyday homecare routine is an essential aspect of our anti-aging therapy.  

The key is starting with a proper skin care program that will be specifically designed for your individual skin type and condition to deliver your desired result.
Dermavita clinical skin care advocates a focused approach to addressing skin care concerns predicated on measurable and visible improvement. We provide a high level of professionally supervised and medically proven skin care for acne, discoloration, lines and wrinkles or other concerns.
Our products are designed with the most advanced and powerful ingredients available. We use low level of preservatives to assure the quality, freshness and high therapeutic properties of the product.

Basic Homecare
   
Cleansing
The goal is to remove the film of make-up, dirt, and dead surface cells and other impurities resting on the skin's surface, without over-stripping the natural oils.  
We recommend a gentle cleanser with no, or very low, detergent content.  
The best cleanser for drier skin types is a light lotion based cleanser followed by a toner to remove any remaining residue.

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With our products, we have been successfully treating skin conditions such as: acne, razor bumps, clogged pores, oily skin, blackheads, dead skin build-up, pigmentation, scar tissue, wrinkles around the eyes, rosacea, dry skin, and more since 1992.