What is Skin Elasticity?

Have you ever wondered if your skin has a mind of its own?  Some days it can look firm and toned and even radiant, and other times it appears dull, sagging, with uneven ton1e. Then there is your skin complexion, which can seem to change from day to day.

What micro-level activity is happening underneath your skin that causes it to change over the weeks, months, and years of our lives?

One key element that affects your skin’s appearance, especially as it pertains to how tight and firm it looks as opposed to sagging and wrinkled as we age, is your skin’s elasticity. In fact, it is skin elasticity that determines how firm your skin will appear when you are younger and at what point it will start to sag.

Simply put, skin elasticity is a property of your skin that gives it the ability to bounce back to its original shape after it is stretched.  It is your skin elasticity that gives you plump, healthy-looking skin. The loss of skin flexibility is a fact of life as we age.  Your skin’s elasticity gradually diminishes as you become older.  

How Skin Elasticity Works

Your skin is comprised of three layers, and this make-up impacts elasticity. The outermost layer is the epidermis, while the dermis is the middle layer, and the subcutis is the deepest layer of your skin. 

When it comes to the middle layer, the dermis, your skin has two types of proteins known as collagen and elastin. It is these proteins that are found in the skin’s connective tissues and are responsible for skin elasticity. 

When you become older, your skin begins to slowly lose collagen. As this phenomenon occurs, the bond between the epidermis and dermis weakens. It is the separation of the layers of the skin that leads to sagging skin and wrinkles. Because collagen is what adheres the layers of skin together, when it diminishes with age, gravity then takes over, which causes the skin to sag. 

Loss of Skin Elasticity

The loss of your skin’s elasticity is hastened by a decrease in the production of natural oils and oxidative stress that comes from sun exposure, pollution, lack of sleep, smoking, and poor nutrition – which includes high amounts of sugar consumption. 

As mentioned earlier, gravity will take its toll as we age, and as skin stretches and loses its elasticity, which is exacerbated by the loss of structure from underlying fat, muscle, and bone, skin begins to exhibit signs of ageing, such as fine lines and sagging. 

Ways to Improve Skin Elasticity 

Hydrate Your Skin

When you have unhealthy skin, the primary culprit could be dehydration. It is easy to observe signs of dehydration.  They include the skin thinning, which leads to sagging, and, later, fine lines and wrinkles develop. 

The skin will also appear dull with uneven skin tone. A remedy for dehydration is simply drinking much more water. Maintaining good hydration will result in skin that is plump and firm. 

Boost Your Collagen Levels

As mentioned earlier, collagen plays a pivotal role in adhering your layers of skin together. Collagen also strengthens your skin and increases elasticity.

As collagen decreases over time with age, skin imperfections like sagging, fine lines, and wrinkles begin to develop. 

If you are searching for ways to get more collagen into your skin, you might consider oral hydrolyzed collagen. This type of collagen is able to be absorbed through the gut and distributed to the skin via the bloodstream. 

In one small study, a collagen supplement substantially improved skin elasticity and firmness in study participants in as soon as four weeks. Another study found that a nutritional drink containing collagen, along with other ingredients like hyaluronic acid, markedly improved skin elasticity for the study participants. 

However, more data is required to provide more conclusive results as to the effectiveness of collagen supplements when it comes to restoring the skin’s elasticity.

You also have the option of stimulating collagen production with ingredients such as retinoids, which can significantly improve your skin’s health in a short period of time. In fact, retinol-based products could visibly improve skin firmness, texture, and hydration. 

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid is typically found in the skin’s connective tissue and is a naturally occurring substance. It is responsible for maintaining moisture and keeping the skin lubricated. 

Aging and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light cause hyaluronic acid to decrease substantially. However, using serums or creams containing hyaluronic acid could assist the skin in restoring some of its natural elasticity. 

Cocoa Flavanols

If you have a sweet tooth, then you’ve got an easy time of it potentially regaining some of your skin’s elasticity. A compound in dark chocolate, cocoa flavanols, were shown in one study to improve skin elasticity and decrease wrinkles. 

If you want to take this path of potentially improving your skin’s elasticity, seek out chocolate that contains approximately 320 milligrams of cocoa flavanols, as that was the amount used in the study.

Witch Hazel Extract

 You’ll find witch hazel to be a common household skin care product, and it is typically an ingredient in cosmetics and skin-care preparations.

One study concluded that witch hazel, and specifically Hamamelis Virginiana extract, was effective at correcting elastosis – loss of skin elasticity – in addition to decreasing wrinkles and increasing the skin’s firmness. 

Laser Treatments

Laser treatments are known to have a positive impact on skin tone and the production of new collagen. One study that was done involved combining two laser therapy techniques, which were non-ablative fractional laser (NAFL) and intense pulsed light therapy (IPL) – performed on the same day to the study participants.

This study concluded that this combination of laser therapies resulted in a substantial increase in skin elasticity and tone.  What’s more, other studies have found similarly positive results from the use of fractional lasers on the skin. 

Avoid Sun Exposure

One of the most efficient ways to deteriorate the health and appearance of your skin is basking in the sun for excessive amounts of time, especially with no sunscreen.  The UV radiation (Ultraviolet Light) is very damaging and can cause your skin’s collagen to break down faster than it normally would. This results in accelerating the skin’s aging process, which can lead to permanent wrinkle formation and sagging skin.

Modest amounts of sun exposure can benefit your skin from the Vitamin D it receives.  When sun bathing, it is strongly advised that you apply broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 50. 

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

Nothing keeps skin healthier than eating wholesome, nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep. Taken together, these healthy habits can help boost your skin elasticity. 

Skin Elasticity Can Be Extended with Healthy Habits

So, we know that as we get older, skin elasticity declines as our skin exhibits markers of aging with skin imperfections such as puffiness, dark circles, and sagging skin. But the good news is there are measures we can take to restore some or even most of our skin’s elasticity, even into our middle-aged years. 

Ultimately, we can thank our skin’s ability to bounce back after being stretched when it comes to giving us radiant, firm, plump, and smooth skin. 

Agora — The Future of Skincare

Agora has a vision to provide its customers with a quality alternative to skin-care products available on the market today. We set out to deliver high quality skin-care products that provide excellent results while utilizing outstanding customer service. 

Our products utilize unique and potent ingredients that make a revolutionary difference in the quality of skin that our customers enjoy. Our expert Cosmetic Formulation Chemist provides Agora with superior ingredients from around the world to produce the best skin-care products in the industry!  At Agora, we deliver the most effective and results-oriented skin-care treatments to our customers.