Is it possible to reverse thinning skin?
Causes and treatments for thinning skin, Maidstone, West Malling, Kent
As you age, your skin will start to lose its youthful plumpness due to a decrease in the production of collagen and elastin – two vital structural proteins that give strength, firmness and elasticity to your skin. We all lose approximately 1% of our collagen production each year after the age of 25, and this figure increases significantly during menopause. Besides ageing, the most significant factors that contribute to the loss of skin plumpness and elasticity are UV damage, sleep deprivation, stress, smoking and genetics.
What is thin skin?
The skin is naturally thinner on some parts of the body. The skin on the eyelids is only 0.5 millimetres (mm) thick, while the skin on our heels can be up to 4mm thick. If your skin is thinning, this means that the epidermis is not as thick as it should be. The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin, a barrier against dirt and bacteria. The hypodermis (the innermost layer of skin made up of tissue, fat and sweat glands) may be losing fat due to ageing, which results in this layer becoming thinner, too. The dermis can also thin with ageing, as more and more fibroblast cells become redundant and the extracellular matrix less abundant.
Causes of thinning skin
The skin tends to become thinner because of various factors such as lifestyle, sun damage, medications, and intrinsic ageing. Whilst it’s common to experience thinning skin on the hands with age, you can also develop thin skin on the face, décolletage, legs, and arms.
While you can’t turn back your biological clock, you can protect and improve thinning skin with these expert-approved skincare practices and treatments.
Use a retinoid at night
A retinoid is a vitamin A-derived molecule that stimulates collagen production and increases skin cell turnover. Studies also indicate that it improves the production of elastin fibres and can actually thicken the dermis and epidermis. A retinoid will also help to thin the outer corneocytes which are dead skin cells and contribute a dull appearance of the skin.
RF Microneedling
RF microneedling delivers radiofrequency energy into the skin through microneedles of varying lengths, which have been insulated so that the RF energy emerges just at their tips. Radiofrequency stimulates our body’s cellular responses using heat, which helps tighten existing elastin and collagen at the same time as boosting new collagen production. Microneedling creates a controlled injury, which stimulates the body’s wound healing response, once again kick-starting fibroblast activity, resulting in tightening, firming and boosting of new and existing collagen and elastin. The combination of these two technologies is an excellent way to strengthen, firm and thicken ageing skin on the face and body.
Try peptides
Peptides are the building blocks of proteins – they send signals to help build collagen, which in turn helps to strengthen your skin from the inside out giving it both improved function and a better appearance.
Byonik Laser
The gentle heat from the laser stimulates your fibroblasts which in turn produce more collagen. By boosting and thickening the collagen, your skin will become firmer, tighter, and less soft and saggy.
Add vitamin C
Vitamin C has been found to have multiple benefits for the skin, including promoting collagen and elastin growth. Apply it in the form of a serum every morning beneath your sunscreen.
Have a skin peel
Chemical peels with collagen-boosting active ingredients such as lactic acid and glycolic acid resurface the skin, making it stronger, more resilient, and more youthful. They can also help improve skin elasticity.
If you’d like to discuss these treatments, and establish the right approach for you, click here to book a consultation with an expert practitioner.
Disclaimer: Please be aware that results and benefits may vary from patient to patient taking into consideration factors such as age, lifestyle and medical history.
