Help Damaged Skin
Do you know what the 'extracellular matrix' is? Does that sound like something you'd see on the sci fi channel? What about collagen? Elastin? Laminin? Do you know anything about these things besides the fact that they are found in some shower gels? If you are concerned about aging skin, it is a good idea to know how your skin works and how we can help it work even better.
All animal tissues have a 'matrix', a substance which their cells are immersed in. This serves many important functions. These include healing our wounds, making sure our skin has structure, and facilitating the growth of new cells. This important substance is called the extracellular matrix. In this matrix we have lots of different components that help our skin to be supple, soft, and smooth. Some of these help maintain its durability, and others help it stay moist. One of these substances, and one of the strongest proteins in nature is collagen. Since collagen is so strong, it strengthens our skin and gives it durability. It happens to be the most abundant protein found in the body. Another significant protein chain is elastin. Elastin is a more flexible protein (not as rigid as collagen) that helps our skin stretch, move, and then regain its original shape again. Besides collagen and elastin, there are also substances in the body that help keep our skin moist and soft. These are called glycosoaminoglycans (or GAGs for short) and proteoglycans. These substances are similar to the texture of mucus, and they are beneficial because they keep moisture in our skin.
As long as all of these components are working the way they should in the skin, our skin will maintain itself youthful-looking and radiant. Remember that all the substances in the extracellular matrix are indispensable for our skin to stay structured and moist. However, the problem starts when, due to too much sun exposure, aging, or contaminants in the environment, the body slows down its production of these proteins, thus diminishing the extracellular matrix. The production of collagen and elastin and moisture holding molecules is naturally reduced as people get older. The cells get older, and since the body isn't producing as many new ones, our skin starts to sag, look older, and dry out.
As I had said, one of the main causes of this deterioration of the extracellular matrix is environmental contamination and exposure to UV rays so be careful when you are outside in peak hours of he day. Try to give up smoking if you haven't already done so, and always wear sun block. And of course, by now you are probably familiar with the wonderful new developments by scientists into the healing properties of biological ingredients found in nature when applied to these affected areas. In case you haven't heard, people are quickly buying these skin care products because their biological ingredients (such as the mucous that snails produce) have been found to increase the production of new collagen and elastin within the extracellular matrix. If you still haven't tried one of these natural products, make sure you find some and try them out also, because if you apply them daily, and you protect yourself when you are outside, surely you will be able to aid tarnished skin before it's too late!
To find natural products which fortify your extracellular matrix and prevent premature aging skin, please feel free to check out our website, and discover the biological answer to skin regeneration!
Published November 9th, 2007