Everything you need to know about skin firmness

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When we are born, our skin is at its most supple, toned and softest thanks to its high collagen content. Firmness is also the most important aspect of healthy skin. However, with age, skin firmness is also the first and fastest decline.

1. Skin firmness depends on what factors?

Skin firmness is determined mainly by two important structural proteins, including:
Collagen : Makes up about 30% of the total protein in the body. When your skin has enough collagen, it will maintain its suppleness and firmness. In general, your skin will contain the highest levels of collagen in your 20s, then decrease with age. Elastin: Usually found in the middle layers of the skin, is a fibrous protein that determines the elasticity of the skin. Like a rubber band, elastin allows the skin to stretch freely and return to its original shape. In addition, this protein also gives your skin a certain flexibility.

2. How to recognize skin lack of firmness

The first sign of skin that is lacking in firmness is the appearance of wrinkles, especially in the eye area. In addition, skin firmness is reduced when the skin around the eyes, jawline and neck sag.
You can test the firmness of your face by gently pinching the cheeks. Your facial skin will still have good elasticity if it quickly returns to its original state after you just released your finger.

3. What causes sagging skin?

Here are the main causes of tight skin becoming saggy and less elastic. Most of these causes affect collagen and elastin, including:
Age Age is part of the natural aging process, which leads to the breakdown of collagen in your skin. Starting at age 20, your body produces less collagen each year, which causes your skin to lose its firmness and leads to sagging skin.
In addition, your skin also becomes less flexible due to the degeneration of elastin fibers. As a result, your skin loses its resilience, becoming more wrinkled and saggy.
Sun damage Experts say that 80% of aging comes from prolonged exposure to the sun's UV rays. Specifically, UVA rays accelerate the degradation of collagen and elastin. In addition, UV radiation also triggers the formation of free radicals – these unstable molecules not only damage skin cells, causing loss of skin firmness, but also lead to skin cancer. .
Glycation effect Usually associated with the binding of sugars and skin structural proteins (including collagen and elastin). Excess blood sugar can lead to reactions with proteins to produce stable glycation end products (AGEs). In general, two types of proteins: collagen and elastin are both very susceptible to glycation. This process causes them to become stiffer and harder to achieve their former flexibility by wreaking havoc on the skin's structure. Even the Glycation effect can inhibit the production of new collagen and elastin fibers. When there is not enough collagen and elastin, the firmness of the skin will become much less than before.
Dehydration The human body is made up of more than 60% water. This is also why a hydrated or well-hydrated skin always looks healthy, firm and plump. Skin is the largest organ of the body, made up of countless cells. The skin will function efficiently and gain elasticity when they are adequately hydrated, so you should aim to drink 8 glasses of water a day.

4. How to prevent loss of skin firmness?

While skin loss of firmness is an inevitable part of the natural aging process, there are a few things you can do to prevent it from happening sooner, including: :
Apply moisturizer daily: Use a serum or moisturizer containing peptides or vitamin B3 derivatives. These ingredients are known for their ability to help stimulate collagen and elastin production, which helps keep your skin firm and supple. Skin protection: Your delicate skin needs protection at all times. Even if you don't go outdoors, you should still use a sunscreen with the right SPF to block harmful UV rays from reaching your skin. Ultraviolet rays can significantly reduce your skin's firmness and cause other skin problems such as freckles, age spots or wrinkles. Provide adequate water for the body: Water helps the natural functions of the skin to work more effectively. You should drink about 8 glasses of water every day to stay hydrated and well-hydrated for your body and skin. Take care of the quality of sleep: Sleep is when your skin repairs itself from damage as well as the stress built up during the day. You should rest for at least 8 hours every night so that the skin's recovery process is complete, making the skin firmer and healthier.

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Reference source: sk-ii.com.sg