Many of us have shared the experience of looking at an old photo of ourselves and being surprised by how much younger we looked at the time the photo was taken. Interestingly, while elements of our appearance such as hair and clothing styles might not have changed, the impression of aging may remain. So what, exactly, causes us to notice the progression of aging? Whether we consciously notice them or not, many of the visual clues may be on the skin. Here we’ll look at seven signs of aging in the skin, what those signs tell us about the function and biology of the skin, and what steps we can take to mitigate or even reverse them over time.

What Are The 7 Signs of Aging? 

We asked Skin Actives founder, author and biochemist Dr. Hannah Sivak, PhD to identify seven key signs of aging. She provided the following list on her blog:

1. You were born and your skin, just like the rest of the body, will start aging as soon as you are born. But don’t worry, a lot of it can be slowed down and even reversed. Keep reading and you’ll see!
2. Fine lines and wrinkles 
3. Loss of firmness 
4. Uneven tone 
5. Dryness 
6. Uneven skin texture and dullness 
7. Visible pores

From this list, we can see many of the visual clues that signal us to detect aging. For instance, while we may not be aware of the gradual formation of fine lines and wrinkles over time, once they have accumulated, they serve as subtle indicators that aging has occurred. Likewise, the skin may appear less elastic or may lack a certain even texture associated with a “youthful glow.” Importantly, while these clues may suggest the process of aging, they also deliver key insights into the function and biology of the skin as we age. 

What Do Signs of Aging Tell Us About the Skin?

Thanks to decades of research into the science of aging and the skin, we can trace each of these signs of aging to a relatively specific source, enabling us to think about means of mitigating or even reversing them. On her blog, Dr. Sivak provides this helpful key relating each sign of aging to gradual, natural developments in the skin:

• Decreased efficacy of the skin as a barrier —> dry skin
• Reduced ability to protect from UV rays —> uneven tone
• Reduced ability to protect from temperature changes
• Diminished immune response—> infections
• Slower healing

Additionally, these signs match closely with physiological processes that play out within the structure of the skin on a biological level. Dr. Sivak points to these biochemical changes in particular as detailed factors in the onset of visual signs of aging:

• Ceramides and cholesterol content in the stratum corneum decrease.
• Increased DNA mutations
• Oxidation of lipids, proteins, and damage to nucleic acids
• Glycosylation of proteins
• Increased changes in protein structure and function
• Expression of modified elastins

As we can see, signs of aging are not necessarily attributable to the inexorable advance of time. Instead, they are expressions of fine-grained changes occurring deep within the skin on a detailed level. For instance, loss of firmness may be related to the modification of elastins, while a reduced content of certain actives may lead to dryness and other concerns.

Equipped with this knowledge, we may then begin to formulate steps to mitigate or reverse these signs, rather than accepting them as a foregone conclusion. So what steps, then, does the science of skin care tell us we can take to keep our skin looking younger?

6 Ways to Fight Signs of Aging 

The Skin Actives approach to slowing or reversing signs of aging is a relentless focus on the biological health of the skin and the ways it can be improved with topical products. Buzzy ingredients may sound appealing on a marketing level, but they will only aid in the real-world rejuvenation of the skin if they address the biochemical changes described above. Ingredients that do just that—provide material results in the physiological processes underpinning everyday skin concerns—are the focus of Skin Actives formulations and the reason our customers are reliably delighted with their skin care outcomes.

Some of the very best ingredients for rejuvenating the skin on a physiological level form the basis of our most popular products. Take a look at these six ingredients and products including them for help with fighting signs of aging:

1. Retinoids such as our top-selling Vitamin A Cream motivate cell turnover, helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles over time.
2. Epidermal Growth Factor signals cell division and promotes protein synthesis, encouraging the emergence of new, healthy skin cells. 
3. Apocynin, featured prominently in our Advanced Ageless collection, works to promote the formation of collagen 17 and decrease inflammation. 
4. Antioxidants like ROS* BioNet, also included in our Advanced Ageless collection, mitigate signs of aging by scavenging free radicals and reducing oxidative stress. 
5. Essential lipids such as those found in our Every Lipid Serum improve the skin barrier and restore moisture the skin needs to function properly. 

As always, quality UV protection like that provided by Anti-Aging Day Cream SPF 30 is crucial to fending off damage from UV radiation on the skin.

Building out a skin care routine including some or all of these six anti-aging ingredients and products is the most effective approach to warding off or rolling back the common signs of aging on the skin. 

While aging is an unavoidable process for us all, harnessing in-depth knowledge of the mechanisms driving changes in the skin allows us to take informed preventative actions. Supplying the skin with the beneficial nutrients and undoing the side effects of pre-existing damage are important parts in any successful anti-aging routine.

Give the products listed above a try. With consistent application and a strategy grounded in science, the right skin care routine can prevent the seven signs of aging and ensure that new and old photos alike give off the same impression of youthfulness and health.