This is how our face ages

We take a look at the internal and external signs of facial ageing through the decades.

Some theories claim ageing is based on a genetically controlled biological timetable, while others attribute ageing to environmental assaults on our systems such as ultraviolet light, cell tissue wear and tear and by-products of metabolic processes.

Ageing is most likely a combination of several processes and the widely accepted theory today is that unrepaired accumulated cellular damage, caused by free radicals generated by ongoing normal metabolism and contributed to by environmental sources, is the basis of ageing.

While the outward signs of ageing are well recognised, what is happening at the cellular level is a little more obscure. In basic terms, ageing can be seen when cellular death occurs at a rate at which the cells cannot be replaced, when the accumulated effects of free radical damage and the normal wear and tear of cellular life begin to take their toll.

No matter which theory people subscribe to, one thing’s for certain: the physiology of how we age is complex and multi-faceted. Here is a decadal breakdown of some common indicators of facial ageing.

In our 20s

The first symptom of intrinsic ageing is the reduction in hydration. This can occur as early as the late teens. Diminished dermal repair function also begins at a young age but the effects don’t become apparent until later.

Accumulated sun damage can begin to show on the face, and there is a mild drop in dermal repair, the immune system and collagen synthesis. These changes can appear as fine lines and increased pore size.

Muscles also start to lose fullness and firmness due to shrinkage of muscle fibres. In addition, metabolism, the rate at which the body burns calories at rest, slows down by about two percent per decade from the age of 20 and the number of calories the body needs gradually declines.

In our 30s

By the 30s most people will have some lines around their eyes and the beginnings of expression lines and laxity under the jaw. Some will have dry skin, though others may still experience skin blemishes. Repeated muscular actions form wrinkles and creases, and existing creases such as the nasolabial fold deepen.

What is happening is that the skin’s production of collagen, cell renewal and tissue repair processes are slowing. More fine lines are evident around the eyes and mouth and the first wrinkles start to appear (photo damage). There is a moderate decrease in dermal repair, resulting in less collagen and some loss of elasticity.

There is also a significant drop in skin hydration, and the skin’s natural process of exfoliation begins to slow. Pigmentation may start to appear in response to a reduction of pigment-producing melanocytes that help protect against ultraviolet radiation.

The decline in cardiovascular fitness also begins in the 30s, and can drop 30 to 40 percent by age 65. Gradual loss of bone strength and density also starts around 35.

From age 30, hair follicles produce less melanin, leading to greying and eventually hair follicles turning white. It is at this age that around 25 percent of men begin to show some signs of baldness.

In our 40s

At least some of the seven signs of ageing (fine lines and wrinkles; dryness; rough skin texture; uneven skin tone; skin dullness; visible pores; blotches and pigmentation) will be apparent by the time people reach their 40s.

In middle age the bond between facial muscles and skin tissue weakens, causing sagging in combination with the accumulation of fat below the eyes and around the jaw.

At the same time skin becomes thinner and loses elasticity, while normal expression lines deepen. The boundary between the epidermis and the dermis is flattened, and the number of blood vessels in the dermis begins to fall, with the result that skin loses some of its healthy colour. The collagen, elastin and surrounding tissue in the dermis also decrease, but the moisture-storing glycoproteins remain in a reasonably stable state.

As the sebaceous glands in the skin cut back production and supportive fibres grow less elastic, skin becomes drier, thinner and more inclined to wrinkle. Signs of photo damage are more visible: freckles, pigmentation, discolouration and changes in skin colour.

The lens in the eye also begins to lose elasticity, making it less able to focus on close objects.

Muscles continue to shrink as fat deposits expand, making it more difficult to control weight. Fat tissues are increasingly deposited towards the centre of the body. Inflammation, pain and stiffness may result from the breakdown of the joint structures and changes in connective tissue.

In our 50s

By the age of 50, collagen breakdown becomes more noticeable as wrinkles start to appear at the corners of the mouth and skin loosens and sags in the cheeks, jowls and neck. Skin tone becomes more irregular, and thinning skin starts to lose its natural protective barrier and becomes more susceptible to environmental factors.

In addition to the ageing effects on the skin, the decline in oestrogen and progesterone accelerates bone loss and raises cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of osteoporosis, heart attack and stroke. Immunity is also likely to start to weaken, making the body more susceptible to infections and disease.

Bone mass and density is reduced and joints become stiffer and less flexible. Fluid in the joints may decrease and the cartilage may begin to rub together and erode.

The rate of hair growth slows, as hair follicles begin to stop producing new hairs. At the same time, women may notice coarse facial hair, especially on the chin and upper lip.

After middle age, fibroblast activity declines, reducing the quantity of glycoproteins and hyaluronic acid in the dermis, and sebum production also falls. Skin becomes much thinner and drier, with fewer hair follicles and sweat glands. At the same time the hair often loses its colour.

This process differs between men and women. Men’s skin contains more collagen and is thicker than women’s. Men’s skin thins at the rate of about one percent a year, while the thickness of women’s skin remains constant until menopause. It is at this stage in a woman’s life when thinning skin can be so dramatic she can look much older than her male counterparts, although the decline in collagen production may be similar. Because they have more collagen to begin with, men may also have better skin elasticity in later life than women.

Another factor is that testosterone gives men a 70 percent higher sebum production than women, which diminishes with age but still contributes to maintaining the emollient film of lipids on the skin’s surface.

The decrease in oestrogen in post-menopausal women affects fibroblast activity in the dermis, reducing glycoprotein and hyaluronic acid production and consequently dermal hydration. Lack of oestrogen also affects keratinocyte activity in the epidermis, slowing the cell renewal process and rendering the stratum corneum a less effective barrier.

In our 60s and beyond

In both sexes the bony structures in the face shrink, causing the overlaying flesh to sag. The adhesion between facial muscles and skin tissue, and between the dermal layers within the skin itself, continue to weaken. This causes the brows, cheeks, neck or even the tip of the nose to droop, with more pronounced sagging in the lower cheeks and jowls.

The rete pegs securing the dermis to the epidermis become even more flattened, making the epidermis more vulnerable to damage by friction. As the cell renewal process slows, wound healing takes longer and skin function is far less efficient.

In people over 70 the cycle from basal cell to corneum stratum takes approximately 60 days, double the time of renewal at 30.

Extrinsic ageing

Ageing caused by environmental factors such as pollution or excess sun exposure is different and more aggressive than intrinsic processes. Extrinsic ageing alone can make people look many years older than their biological age.

In extrinsic ageing the epidermis thickens. The amounts of collagen and elastin increase but the structures of these proteins become atrophied. This is mostly due to photo damage. Photo ageing is caused by chronic exposure to solar ultraviolet. The degree of damage is in direct proportion to the amount of exposure but it is a slow process that can take decades for the effects to become apparent.

The outer surface of the skin does not change much, except that the superficial corneocyte cells increase, become thinner and are replaced more slowly, making it dry, flaky and less reflective of light.

Skin functions such as regulating water loss are compromised. Small capillaries in the dermis decrease and the remaining blood vessels become dilated. The elastic fibres degenerate in a process called elastosis, producing a thickened mass that replaces the collagen. The surrounding tissues also degenerate into a tangle of blue-grey fibres in the upper part of the dermis. This condition can be quite advanced before the damage becomes visible.

Dryness, roughness, wrinkling, a yellowish colour, dark pigmentation and white spots are all results of advanced photo damage. Blood vessels in the dermis form visible red spider-like forms or branches, called telangiectases, on the skin’s surface. These blood vessels are vulnerable to further damage and the development of purplish spots called purpura, caused by bleeding under the skin.

Over-exposure to the sun also causes warty spots called actinic keratosis, predominantly in people with fair skins, although they can occur across all types and should be regarded as precursors to skin cancer.

Basal cell carcinomas, or non-melanomas, are seen on the face, especially around the eyes and nose. These reddish blebs are the most common form of skin cancer. Squamous cell carcinomas are more aggressive and invasive and usually occur on the ears or the edges of the lips.

Melanomas are malignant tumours that develop from pigmented moles. Any change in a mole should be reported to a doctor immediately.

The four warning signs in a pigmented mole are:

• Asymmetry – irregularity
• Border – rapid change
• Colour – noticeable darkening
• Diameter – increase in size.

Ageing is the natural wear and tear of the body’s component parts. While it cannot be stopped, a healthy lifestyle that includes a diet rich in antioxidants can help stop or reverse many age-related changes.

For more info on how your skin will age, check out this article.