We think of the signs of ageing such as fine lines, dryness and wrinkles as something that happens to the outer layers of the skin. But in reality the causes of ageing start from within and gradually appear on the surface of the skin over time.

We face increasing exposure to chemical pollution, ultraviolet radiation and ozone levels which damage the skin’s dermal layer. These negative effects are compounded with increasingly poor diets and lifestyle habits which are not conducive to maintaining the skin’s natural repair process and anti-oxidant network. Sun and other environmental damage are not the only causes of premature ageing – smoking and alcohol can play a damaging role too.

As we get older, our skin goes through a natural ageing process and the dermis loses both volume and sponginess as the collagen fibre mesh is partly broken down and the ‘spring’ of the elastin fibres is not quite as tight. With the right skincare some of these changes are preventable.

Most cosmetic lotions and creams only work temporarily on the outer layer of the skin – the epidermis. While this helps to moisturise the skin, the important repair and protection needs to take place at the lower dermal layers.

Our skin’s structure

The skin is the largest organ of the body and is made up of 3 layers:

The epidermis is the top (outermost) layer of our skin. New cells generated by the dermis continually replace this layer. Removal of the epidermis, as in a scrape or burn, reveals an unprotected sensitive dermis underneath. The epidermis also contains melanocytes or pigment cells. These cells produce melanin, which determines the shade of your skin (a heritable factor).

Next is the dermis, the inner layer of skin that contains nerve fibres, fat cells, blood vessels, sweat and oil glands, and hair follicles. The dermis also contains collagen and elastin, two proteins that are responsible for the structure and elasticity of the skin itself. These proteins are subject to the process of ageing. The sweat and oil glands in the dermis protect the outer layer of skin with a thin coating of oil and perspiration.

The deep layer is the hypodermis consisting mainly of fat cells.

How the skin ages:

As a person ages, the skin undergoes significant changes:

• The cells divide more slowly, and the inner layer of skin (the dermis) starts to thin. Fat cells beneath the dermis begin to diminish. In addition, the ability of the skin to repair itself diminishes with age, so wounds are slower to heal. The thinning skin becomes vulnerable to injuries and damage.
• The underlying network of elastin and collagen fibres, which provides ‘scaffolding’ for the surface skin layers, loosens and unravels. Skin then loses its elasticity. When pressed, it no longer springs back to its initial position but instead sags and forms furrows.
• The sweat and oil-secreting glands diminish, depriving the skin of their protective water-lipid emulsions. The skin’s ability to retain moisture then diminishes and it becomes dry and scaly.
• Frown lines (those between the eyebrows) and crow’s feet (lines that radiate from the corners of the eyes) appear to develop because of permanent small muscle contractions. Habitual facial expressions also form characteristic lines.
• Gravity exacerbates the situation, contributing to the formation of jowls and drooping eyelids. (Eyebrows, surprisingly, move up as a person ages, possibly because of forehead wrinkles).

Types of skin ageing:

Research has shown that there are two distinct types of ageing. Ageing caused by the genes we inherit called intrinsic (internal) ageing or ageing caused by environmental factors, mainly due to exposure from the sun’s rays, called extrinsic (external) ageing.

Intrinsic ageing:

Intrinsic ageing, which is the natural ageing process, is a continuous process that normally begins in our mid-20s. Within the skin, collagen production slows, and elastin, the substance that enables the skin to snap back into place, has less spring. Dead skin cells do not shed as quickly and turnover of new skin cells may decrease slightly. While these changes usually begin in our 20s, the signs of intrinsic ageing are typically not visible for decades. The signs of intrinsic ageing are:

• Fine wrinkles
• Thin and transparent skin
• Loss of underlying fat, leading to hollowed cheeks and eye sockets as well as noticeable loss of firmness on the hands and neck
• Bones shrink away from the skin due to bone loss, which causes sagging skin
• Dry skin that may itch
• Inability to sweat sufficiently to cool the skin
• Greying hair that eventually turns white
• Hair loss
• Unwanted hair
• Nail plate thins, the half moons disappear, and ridges develop

Genes control how quickly the normal ageing process unfolds. Some notice those first grey hairs in their 20s while others do not see greying until their 40s.

Creams alone cannot be relied on to fight the signs of the natural ageing process. This is because 80% of the signs of ageing (dry skin, fine lines, wrinkles) are not due to time, but to the effects of the sun. That is why ageing is especially evident in areas exposed to UV rays, like the face, neck and hands. This ‘extrinsic’ ageing is outlined below:

Extrinsic ageing:

A number of extrinsic, or external factors often act together with the normal ageing process to prematurely age the skin. Most premature ageing (80% on average) is caused by sun exposure. Other external factors that prematurely age the skin include cigarette smoke and air pollution. ‘Photoaging’ is the term dermatologists use to describe ageing of the skin caused by exposure to the sun’s rays. Without protection from the sun’s rays, just a few minutes of exposure each day over the years can cause the following noticeable changes to the skin:

• Age spots
• Spider veins on the face
• Rough and leathery skin
• Fine wrinkles that disappear when stretched
• Loose skin
• Blotchy complexion
• Actinic keratoses (thick wart-like, rough, reddish patches of skin)

While it may seem that the signs of photoaging appear overnight, they actually lie invisible beneath the surface of the skin for years. UV photography enables us to see the damage accumulating beneath the surface of the skin years before the signs of photoaging appear.

Our skin needs to be nourished on the inside to help combat the effects of sun damage and free radicals such as smoke and pollution.

The Vivida dual action programme is unique in its approach to fighting the signs of ageing as it combats all the skin’s enemies from the outside in and the inside out.

Skin ageing and the sun
The role of the sun cannot be overestimated as the most important cause of prematurely ageing skin (called photoaging). Overall, exposure to ultraviolet (referred to as UVA or UVB) radiation emanating from sunlight accounts for about 80% of the symptoms of premature skin ageing, and most of these effects occur by 20 years of age:
Initial damaging effects of sunlight:
Sunlight consists of ultraviolet (referred to as UVA or UVB) radiation, which penetrates the layers of the skin. Both UVA and UVB rays cause damage leading to wrinkles, lower immunity against infection, ageing skin disorders, and cancer. They appear to damage cells in different ways:

UVA penetrates more deeply and efficiently, however, UVA intensity also tends to be less variable both during the day and throughout the year than UVB intensity. For example, only about half of the yearly UVA dose is received during the summer months and the balance is spread over the rest of the year. Also, UVA is not filtered through window glass (whereas UVB is filtered).
Process leading to wrinkles:

UVB is the primary agent in sunburning and primarily affects the outer skin layers. UVB is most intense at midday when sunlight is brightest. 72% of the yearly UVB dose is received during the summer and only 28% is received during the remainder of the year.

Even small amounts of UV radiation trigger the process that can cause wrinkles:
Sunlight damages collagen fibres (the major structural protein in the skin) and causes accumulation of abnormal elastin (the protein that causes tissue to stretch).

In response to this sun-induced elastin accumulation, large amounts of enzymes called metalloproteinases are produced.

The normal function of these metalloproteinases is generally positive, to remodel the sun-injured tissue by manufacturing and reforming collagen. This is an imperfect process, however, and some of the metalloproteinases produced by sunlight actually degrade collagen. The result is an uneven formation of disorganised collagen fibres called solar scars. Repetition of this imperfect skin rebuilding over and over again causes wrinkles.

An important event in this process is the over-production of oxidants, also called free radicals*. These are unstable molecules that are normally produced by chemical processes in the body, a process called oxidation. With environmental assaults, however, such as from sunlight, they are produced in excessive amounts and damage the body's cells and even alter their genetic material. Oxidation may specifically contribute to wrinkling by activating the specific metalloproteinases that degrade connective tissue.
Vivida supplements contain powerful Astaxanthin and Acerola Cherry Extract (one of the richest sources of vitamin C), which act as anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants prevent or stop free radical damage.