Additional analysis indicated that the decline in epidermal cell renewal may not occur at a constant rate throughout the adult lifespan but, instead, remains relatively constant in the younger years and then begins to drop dramatically after age 50.
Cell turnover is a natural process we don't see – our skin cells constantly die off, and new ones are regenerated to take their place. But as we age and environmental factors like sun damage take their toll, this process slows down. This buildup may leave your complexion dull, dry, and lifeless.
Most organisms experience changes in regenerative abilities through their lifespan. During aging, numerous tissues exhibit a progressive decline in homeostasis and regeneration that results in tissue degeneration, malfunction and pathology.
Put simply, our cell turnover rates begin to take longer as we age, going from approximately 14-20 days in our teens to 60+ days in our 60s and beyond.
Up until you reach your early-30s, your cells turn over every 28 days, revealing a fresh layer of untouched, pristine skin. However, after you hit your mid-30s, your cell regeneration begins to slow down, turning over every 50, 60, or 70 days.
Incorporating alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) into a skincare routine helps to promote exfoliation and cell turnover. Ensure you drink enough water to keep skin adequately hydrated, as well-hydrated skin tends to shed dead cells more efficiently.
Once an older person's skin is injured, the skin has a harder time healing properly as well. Aging and senescent immune cells cannot defend against bacteria, and the risk of serious skin infection rises. Then in the regenerative stage, slow rates of cell division translate into slow skin regrowth.
The human body is made up of fat tissue, lean tissue (muscles and organs), bones, and water. After age 30, people tend to lose lean tissue. Your muscles, liver, kidney, and other organs may lose some of their cells. This process of muscle loss is called atrophy.
Once the wound is clean, there are several techniques to speed up the healing process. These include the use of antibacterial ointments, turmeric, aloe vera, garlic, and coconut oil. A person should seek medical help right away if their wound is large.
Water is essential for maintaining skin elasticity, promoting cell turnover, and flushing out toxins. When your body is well-hydrated, your skin is better equipped to retain moisture, preventing it from becoming dry and flaky.
Retinol: A dermatologist-recommended mainstay for enhancing skin cell turnover for more than 50 years, this ingredient is effective for preventing premature skin aging, improving visible signs of aging, and preventing blemishes from developing.
With aging, the outer layer of the skin gets thinner, paler, and less stretchy (elastic). Because blood vessels get more fragile with age, older adults tend to bruise more easily. Also, older adults may produce less sweat and oil from the glands in their skin. Many factors influence how aging affects your skin.
The answer is yes… and also no. While it's true that your cells regenerate on average every 7-10 years,2 there's a lot of variation. Your skin cells, for example, are replaced every few weeks. 3. In fact, you lose close to 500 million skin cells every day.
In your 40s, your ageing skin can become drier, making lines and wrinkles more pronounced. You continue to lose subcutaneous fat, but not equally from all areas. Fat pads around the cheeks and above the mouth are generally the first to go, followed by fat from around the sides of the mouth, chin and jawline.
“Crepey skin usually begins to appear when you're in your 40s. But it can show up as early as your 20s if you are a chronic tanning bed user or have gained and lost substantial amounts of weight,” says Dr. Kassouf. “Medications are another potential cause of crepey skin, such as long-term prednisone.”
Massive biomolecular shifts occur in our 40s and 60s, Stanford Medicine researchers find. We undergo two periods of rapid change, averaging around age 44 and age 60, according to a Stanford Medicine study.
They found that, during their 20s and 30s, more than half of participants gained at least 5% of their body weight while over a third gained 10%. On average, adults gained 17.6 pounds during their 20s and 30s and 14.3 pounds during their 30s and 40s.
Focus on getting the right vitamins to improve wound healing
Experts recommend eating at least one serving every day of a food that is high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Zinc because these help your body prevent infection during the wound healing process.
Ultraviolet (UV) light and exposure to sunlight age your skin more quickly than it would age naturally. The result is called photoaging, and it's responsible for 90% of visible changes to your skin.
Wounds heal faster if they are kept warm. Try to be quick when changing dressings. Exposing a wound to the open air can drop its temperature and may slow healing for a few hours. Don't use antiseptic creams, washes or sprays on a chronic wound.
Retinols. Retinols accelerate skin cell regeneration. The topical application of retinol was found to facilitate significant skin repair when applied to photo-aged skin, increasing dermal thickness, enhancing elasticity, and reducing lines and wrinkles.
Reasons cellular turnover slows down
However, as we age the process becomes sluggish, leading to a regular build-up of dead skin cells and slower repair. This cyclical process alters slightly the older we get, with people over 50 taking as long as 84 days to complete a full skin cell turnover.
Retinol – retinols are an essential ingredient in skin cell turnover. Retinol is derived from vitamin A, and it encourages skin cells to shed. Additionally, retinol stimulates healing and the production of collagen and elastin for firm, more youthful-looking skin.