Skin Elasticity

When we talk about skin elasticity, we mean the ability of the skin to 'bounce back' after it's been pulled or stretched . Our skin's ability to do this is due mainly to elastin, a protein found in our skin.

Elastin: The Flexible Protein

The elastin protein is contained in the skin's dermis (outer) layer and is responsible for our skin's flexibility. It's this protein that allows our skin to stretch when we laugh, smile, frown or make a host of other facial expressions. Elastin is also responsible for ensuring that our skin 'pings' back into its original place when we stop smiling or frowning.

Another protein, collagen, is responsible for the structure of our skin, keeping it firm and taut.

Why Does Our Skin Lose Elasticity?

The elasticity of our skin lessens as the body ages (a condition known as elastosis). Skin elasticity begins to falter at maturity, when elastin production drops steeply and collagen production also begins to decline., when we start to lose up to two per cent of collagen production annually. The menopause is a big time of change for women as far as the skin is concerned. That's because around 30 per cent of collagen is lost within the first five years of its onset.

Aging is an intrinsic factor here; there's nothing we can do to prevent normal aging. We also can't do anything about our inherited skin's characteristics, or medical conditions such as Ehlers Danlos Syndromes, which can make the skin more stretchy cand fragile.

However, what do we do have control over are the extrinsic factors that result in elastosis.

Helping Our Skin Retain Elasticity

To help our skin stay taut, flexible and smooth for as long as possible, we can avoid the extrinsic factors that damage our skin, prematurely aging it. These include:

• UV light from sunshine or tanning beds, which can give the skin a leathered appearance
• smoking, which depletes the proteins and moisture in our skin and reduces the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the skin
• poor diet, which can mean we don't have the nutritional building blocks for skin proteins and the healing process
• environmental pollution, which stresses the skin
• rapid weight loss, which doesn't leave the skin time to 'catch up' with our new shape.

Nutritionists recommend a diet packed full of antioxidants vitamin C, E, carotenoids and lycopene for healthy skin. Sun cream with an adequate SPF (sun protection factor) and a tobacco-free lifestyle are also essential for younger, healthier skin with the ability to bounce back.

If you're already leading a skin-healthy lifestyle but you're not entirely happy with your skin, then there are some rejuvenation techniques that can help, including microneedling.

Microneedling to Rejuvenate the Skin

Microneedling is sometimes called collagen induction therapy, but this technique actually stimulates production of both collagen and elastin. Your sessions will usually be four to six weeks apart.

A numbing cream is applied to the treatment area before the microneedling device is used. The device holds fine needles (around 0.5mm–1mm long) and it is moved over the skin, creating tiny punctures. This kickstarts the skin's healing process, stimulating the production of collagen and elastin. Improvements are visible after just a few treatments, with several treatments usually recommended for best results. At this stage, you should be able to see a new, smoother and more flexible skin layer.

The Dos and Don'ts of Microneedling

Do:

• Stay well-hydrated in the days leading up to a treatment. This will help reduce the after-effects.
• Be gentle with your skin before and after microneedling, avoiding irritants.
• Your skin may be a little inflamed or even bruised after treatment. To give it time to heal, avoid direct sunlight and strenuous exercise during this period.
• Use microneedling to rejuvenate and plump out your skin, filling fine lines, wrinkles and scars, and giving your skin a more youthful look overall.
• Seek professional advice first if you have rosacea. The type of rosacea you have will determine whether microneedling is a suitable and effective treatment.

Don't:

• Have microneedling treatment if you're pregnant, immunosuppressed or taking anticoagulants (blood-thinning medication).
• Have microneedling treatment if you have eczema or psoriasis.
• Have microneedling on areas with keloid scarring (bumpy, shiny, raised scars), as this type of scarring is caused by an overgrowth of collagen.

Remember: skin is a complex organ that takes time to repair and rejuvenate itself, even when the process is boosted by microneedling. Be patient! The results aren't instant, but they will be worth the wait.

Further reading

• https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/skin-elasticity
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6615427/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26096653/
• https://academic.oup.com/asj/article/41/11/NP1603/6154362
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndromes/