Natura® Beauty Tip: The Action of Time

The decrease in the production of Collagen and Elastin, as well as hormonal changes, alters the appearance of the skin. By: Conceição Gama As the years go by, the skin naturally changes. However, in addition to genetic predisposition, lifestyle factors – smoking, poor diet, stress, and excessive exposure to sun and smog – can accelerate the signs of skin aging. Around the age of 25, the first signs of aging appear. “This happens because at that age, the process of decreasing the synthesis of macromolecules (Collagen and Elastin) begins, along with the first alterations in the skin's natural antioxidant system,” explains Juliana Alencastre, a pharmacist at Natura. At 30 years old, signs of skin aging begin to become noticeable. Juliana explains that this occurs due to the slowing down of some physiological processes, such as cell renewal, the skin's natural antioxidant defense against free radicals, and the production of support fibers. During this process, expression lines and wrinkles start to emerge and progressively become more pronounced. At 45 years old, signs of skin aging become quite visible not only due to the more pronounced decrease in the production of the skin's support fibers but also due to a natural disorganization of those fibers. “Cell renewal becomes irregular, and the skin loses its natural hydration more significantly. At this stage of life, hormone production also declines. All these changes result in a loss of density, firmness, and elasticity of the skin, leading to sagging and more pronounced wrinkles,” asserts Juliana. After 60 years, the signs of aging become more evident. “At this age, wrinkles become more pronounced, the loss of elasticity and firmness is quite visible, and the skin becomes much thinner, saggy, fragile, and dehydrated. Cell renewal, the epidermal barrier, as well as the production of Collagen and Elastin are significantly deficient,” concludes Juliana.