Skin Aging

What Skin Aging Is

Skin aging is the process in which functional and structural changes in extracellular matrix components, e.g., elastin and collagen along with phenotypic alterations in cutaneous cells results in your skin’s laxity, rough-textured appearance, loss of elasticity and wrinkling.

In other words, with skin aging, epidermis (the outer layer of your skin) becomes thin, while the number of skin cell layers does not decrease – or increase.

What decreases is the number of melanocytes (the skin cells that contain pigment). However, the size of the melanocytes that remain, increases.

Aging makes your skin look paler, clear – even translucent, – and thinner.

Book your skin aging treatment appointment with Dr Farah Rahravan at SkinCarely skin care clinic in Donvale, Melbourne here.

SkinCarely skin care clinic Donvale, Melbourne IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY!

The 5 Types of Skin Aging

There are generally five types of skin aging:

1. Intrinsic Skin Aging

Intrinsic or chronological skin aging is a slow process that originates in

• the passage of time
• the gravity
• genetics

Intrinsic skin aging has such clinical features as

• Smoothness
• Dryness
• Paleness
• Loss of elasticity
• Fragility
• Fine wrinkles

A skin with intrinsic aging demonstrates

• Dermal and epidermal atrophy
• Less collagen
• Less fibroblasts
• More MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases)
• Reduction in nutrient transfer between skin layers

2. Extrinsic Skin Aging

Extrinsic skin aging is typically attributed to

• Smoking
• Photoaging, i.e., chronic UV exposure

Extrinsic skin aging results in

• Coarse and deep wrinkles
• Reduction of skin elasticity
• Mottled hyperpigmentation

SMOKING accelerates skin aging due to

• Degradation of elastic fibers
• Noticeable increase in facial wrinkles

“Smokers’ face”, a wrinkling pattern specific to smokers is accompanied by

• Gaunt facial features
• Uneven, gray and atrophic skin color
• Visible peri-oral lines
• Sharply contoured crow’s feet

PHOTOAGING entails dermal changes including

• Solar elastosis, i.e., accumulation of elastic material
• Loss of elastic fiber coherence

The two changes manifest as wrinkles and deeper lines due to the reduction of skin elasticity.

Photoaged epidermis is accompanied by

• Abnormal keratinocyte maturation
• Atrophy

Bearing the accumulation of lifelong UV (i.e., sun) exposure, it is facial skin that is mostly affected by the effects of photoaging in form of

• Premature skin aging
• Skin cancer

3. Lifestyle Skin Aging

Lifestyle or behavioral skin aging is generally associated with your lifestyle choices, i.e., your habits

• Skin care regime
• Alcohol
• Drugs
• Diet

4. Hormonal Skin Aging

Being a hormone-dependent organ, your skin is under the influence of hormonal changes and dysfunction of hormonal system, e.g., during menopause, which accelerates skin aging in form of a decline in skin qualities.

Particularly, estrogen has a significant effect on the skin qualities by stimulating production of extracellular matrix and preventing decreases in

• Collagen
• Skin hydration
• Skin thickness
• Epidermal barrier function

The main symptom of postmenstrual skin aging is sagging (rather than coarse wrinkles).

5. Catabolic Skin Aging

Catabolic skin aging is defined as the aging process of your skin under the impact of such chronic diseases as

• Diabetes
• Hypothyroidism
• Infection
• Cancer

Book your Skin Rejuvenation appointment with Dr Farah Rahravan at SkinCarely skin care clinic in Donvale, Melbourne here.

SkinCarely skin care clinic Donvale, Melbourne IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY!

7 Signs of Skin Aging

1. Wrinkles crow’s feet and fine lines

Among the first and the most evident signs of skin aging are fine lines, crow’s feet and wrinkles. Wrinkles result from weakened collagen and elastin fibers, which are responsible for keeping your skin taut and firm.

2. Dryness of skin

Aged skin looks dehydrated and dry. Over the process of aging, the skin loses its capability of retaining moisture and, as a result, its radiant, dewy appearance.

3. Dullness of skin

One of the signs of skin aging is dullness. When young, your skin renews itself once in every 3 – 4 weeks. When aged, the renewal process is prolonged to every 4 – 6 weeks. It is because the moisture levels in the top layer of your skin is depleted.

This is how your dewy and glowing skin ages and fades over time.

4. Large pores

As a result of the loss of elasticity on the one hand and your skin getting drawn down by gravity on the other hand, pores become larger and more visible with age.

5. Uneven skin tone

Complexion becomes uneven in some areas as your skin ages, which can make your skin look older than it actually is. This unevenness may occur due to two things:

1. Certain areas of your skin retaining more melanin than others
2. Female hormonal function

6. Rough skin texture

Changes in skin texture become more visible as your skin ages. Due to the slow-down of the cell turnover along with layers of dead cells, your skin loses smoothness and glow and becomes bumpy and uneven on the surface.

7. Age spots and blotchiness

As your skin matures, it becomes thinner and blood vessels become easily-seen right under your skin surface. Reddish or brown age spots (also known as liver spots) become more visible in aging skin and are the products of overexposure to UV rays.

Age spots contribute to an older looking skin by producing a blotchy appearance.

Book your skin aging treatment appointment with Dr Farah Rahravan at SkinCarely skin care clinic in Donvale, Melbourne here.

SkinCarely skin care clinic Donvale, Melbourne IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY!

Main Cause of Skin Aging

Sun Exposure, the Single Biggest Cause of Skin Aging

SUN Damage (resulting from chronic UV exposure) is the single biggest cause of skin aging and cannot be completely undone, although the skin can sometimes repair itself. Laser treatments can sometimes help reverse parts of the damage as well.

As you age, the ultraviolet ray of the sunlight breaks down the elastin fibers in your skin, which, in turn, leads to your skin sagging and losing its capability of firming back up after stretching.

Another product of sun damage is that your skin gets more fragile and bruises more easily and takes longer to heal, although you may not experience this when young.

As destructive as sun damage is, you CAN delay unwanted changes associated with it mainly by making a habit of:

• staying out of the sun
• using zinc-oxide-containing sunscreen of an SPF of 30+.

Book your Skin Rejuvenation appointment with Dr Farah Rahravan at SkinCarely skin care clinic in Donvale, Melbourne here.

SkinCarely skin care clinic Donvale, Melbourne IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY!

Skin Aging Factors

9 Accelerators of Skin Aging

Whether resulting from natural aging process or lifestyle and environmental factors, skin aging depends on a range of different factors.

The 9 major contributors to a faster skin aging are:

1. Ultraviolet (UV) exposure
2. Smoking
3. Stress
4. Lack of sleep
5. Medication
6. Cold weather
7. Alcohol
8. Climate
9. Lack of exercise

Among the most noticeable sign of aging are the changes that your skin undergoes. That includes sagging skin and wrinkles.

Your skin is made of a number of layers but it can be divided into 3 main layers:

1. Epidermis

Epidermis comprises skin cells, proteins and pigment.

2. Dermis

Dermis contains skin cells, nerves, blood vessels, oil glands and hair follicles. Dermis transfers nutrients to the epidermis.

3. Subcutaneous Layer

The subcutaneous layer is the layer under the dermis and comprises hair follicles, sweat glands, fat and blood vessels.

Each of the three major layers of skin contains two main tracts of fibers:

• Elastin fibers to provide strength and flexibility
• Collagen fibers to provide support and firmness

Here are some of the changes that occur with skin aging:

• Epidermis (the outer layer of your skin) becomes thinner – although the number of cell layers does not decrease.
• Melanocytes, the pigment-containing skin cells, decrease in number. The ones that remain, increase in size.
• Aging skin looks paler, thinner and translucent.
• In lentigos, i.e., sun-exposed skin areas, age spots (aka liver spots) may appear, as you age.
• Elastosis happens, which means the strength and elasticity of your skin reduces due to the changes in the connective tissue.
• Solar elastosis becomes more noticeable in more sun-exposed skin areas. Elastosis is responsible for the weather-beaten, leathery appearance of the skin, which is more common to sailors, farmers and those who spend longer time outdoors.
• Conditions such as senile purpura and cherry angiomas occur as your skin matures. That is due to the fragility of the blood vessels of your dermis leading to bleeding and bruising under the skin.
• Skin dryness and itchiness becomes a concern simply because, with age, your sebaceous glands produce less oil. Men often experience this after the age of 80, while women find it harder to keep their skin moist mainly after menopause.
• Subcutaneous fat thinning is another outcome of aging, which leads to your skin having less padding and insulation. The consequences of having less natural insulation and shrinkage of the fat layer are:
• The risk of skin injury
• The ways some medications work change because they are absorbed by the fat layer.
• You may get hypothermia in cold weather because your body has a hard time maintaining its temperature.
• The sweat glands produce a lesser amount of sweat, which
• Makes it harder for your body to cool off.
• Elevates the risk of developing heat stroke or overheating.
• Growths on the skin become generally more common as you age:
• Warts
• Seborrheic keratoses (brown, rough patches)
• Actinic keratosis (pinkish, rough patches) with a small probability of becoming a skin cancer.
• Skin tags
• Blemishes

Book your skin aging treatment appointment with Dr Farah Rahravan at SkinCarely skin care clinic in Donvale, Melbourne here.

SkinCarely skin care clinic Donvale, Melbourne IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY!

How to Treat Premature Skin Aging

12 Ways to Prevent Premature Skin Aging

1. Protect your skin from the sun (RULE OF THE THUMB).

• Seek shade.
• Apply broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen, SPF 30 (and higher) to all sun-exposed skin areas.
• Cover up with sun-protective outfit (preferably with a UPF label), e.g., long sleeves, wide-brimmed hats, pants and UV-protective sunglasses.

2. Consult your dermal therapist, dermatologist or skin care specialist.

Your skin is your body’s largest organ. Not taking good care of your skin means neglecting your health!

It takes SCIENCE to

• Determine your skin type.
• Diagnose your skin condition, e.g., skin aging early on.
• Design and discuss the best products and/or skin aging treatment plan for YOU.
• Integrate your skin care objectives and your health conditions into the same plan.
• Put your HEALTH first!

3. Stop smoking.

Smoking rockets up the speed of skin aging while causing wrinkles and a shallow, dull complexion.

4. Drink less alcohol.

Alcohol dehydrates and can cause hardly reversible damages to your skin. Alcohol is rough on your skin and that is how it can make you look older than your years.

5. Keep a well-balanced, healthy diet.

Findings from research studies suggest that consuming plenty of vegetables and fruits may help prevent damage leading to premature skin aging.

Findings from studies also indicate that a diet containing lots of refines carbohydrates, e.g., sugar can speed up skin aging.

6. Moisturize your face daily and regularly.

Moisturizers help your skin maintain a more youthful look by trapping water in your skin tissue. Therefore, regular use of moisturizers can slow down the process of premature skin aging.

7. Work out more days weekly.

Moderate exercise can not only give your skin a healthier, younger appearance, but also boost your immune system through improving the blood circulation in your body.

8. Wash your face twice daily and after sweating.

Washing your skin with appropriate skin cleansers can help balance the amount of oil on your skin and its tone and texture.

Specifically after sweating, you also want to wash your skin because perspiration generally irritates the skin and more so when you are wearing a hat or helmet.

9. Be gentle with your skin, e.g., while cleansing.

As important as washing is, you want to be gentle with your skin. Irritating your skin by scrubbing it contributes to premature skin aging.

On the contrary, cleansing your skin gently helps remove makeup, pollution and any other substance that may block your skin pores.

10. Stop using skin care products that sting or burn your skin.

Irritating your skin, in any way and by any means, e.g., by making it burn or sting can bring about premature skin aging.

11. Use self-tanners instead of getting a tan.

Getting a tan from a tanning bed, the sun or any tanning equipment, prematurely ages your skin each and every time because they all emit what is known as the single biggest factor of skin aging: harmful UV rays.

12. Slow down on repetitive facial expressions.

Making facial expressions is equal to contracting the underlying muscles of your face. If you do this repeatedly for several years, the lines resulting from squinting become permanent. Sunglasses can help reduce lines resulting from these contractions.

Book your Skin Rejuvenation appointment with Dr Farah Rahravan at SkinCarely skin care clinic in Donvale, Melbourne here.

SkinCarely skin care clinic Donvale, Melbourne IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY!

How to Take Care of Your Aging Skin

Even if you already have signs of premature aging, it is not too late to slow it down or even partly reversing it through making lifestyle changes.

First and foremost, protecting your skin from the sun can give it a chance to repair part of the damage.

Consulting your dermal therapist, dermatologist or skin care specialist is also an important action you can take as it can introduce you to modern and less invasive treatments for

• Wrinkle reduction
• Treating sun damage
• Face lifting
• Skin tightening
• Body contouring
• Improving age spots and blackheads
• Improving hyperpigmentation
• Skin exfoliation
• Refreshing skin appearance
• Reducing stretch marks
• Treating scars
• Treating acne
• Improving skin tone and texture
• Hair removal
• Skin lightening
• Aging treatment
• Hydrating

At SkinCarely skin aging clinic in Donvale, Melbourne, VIC, your dermal therapist, Dr Farah Rahravan, is ALSO a pharmacist of several years. Dr Rahravan makes suggestions based on your skin type, the issue you are complaining about and your overall health condition.

All treatments designed by Dr Rahravan are science-based and result from careful examination of your skin type, anatomy and dermal physiology.

Most of our skin aging treatments at SkinCarely have no downtime and take roughly 30 minutes, so it is safe to say they are lunch time treatments.

You can return to work, home or to your daily routine immediately after each treatment at SkinCarely.

Book your Skin Consultation appointment with Dr Farah Rahravan at SkinCarely skin care clinic in Donvale, Melbourne here.

SkinCarely skin care clinic Donvale, Melbourne IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY!

How to Stop Your Hands from Aging

Solutions for Hand Skin Care

There is an array of solutions for making your face look younger but when it comes to your hands, they may expose you if neglected.

Pretty much all factors that contribute to your face skin aging, such as sun exposure and loss of underlying fat, can make your hands look older too. The good news is that, more or less, the solutions are pretty much the same.

5 Quick Preventive Solutions for Aging Hands

1. Protect your hands from the sun
2. Moisturize your hands
3. Protect your nails
4. Exfoliate
5. Keep a healthy diet

That being said, we offer several rejuvenation treatments particularly designed for hands at SkinCarely.

Give us a call, shoot us an email or simply book online your Skin Consultation with Dr Farah Rahravan, pharmacist and dermal therapist.

You can also directly book your appointment for our safe, non-invasive, quick and painless hands rejuvenation treatments at SkinCarely which require no prep and no downtime.

Book your skin aging treatment appointment with Dr Farah Rahravan at SkinCarely skin care clinic in Donvale, Melbourne here.

SkinCarely skin care clinic Donvale, Melbourne IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY!

Available Treatments for Skin Aging

Treating Your Aging Skin at SkinCarely Skin Care Clinic in Donvale, VIC

Skin rejuvenation without injection or cosmetic surgery is our specialty and our mission at SkinCarely. Here are some of our services:

• HIFU

By far the best and most efficient skin rejuvenation and body contouring alternative for cosmetic surgery with a myriad of benefits. Read more about HIFU and book your appointment here.

• Hydro-microdermabrasion

For brightening your skin, reducing stretch marks and fading signs of aging. Read more about Hydro-microdermabrasion and book your appointment here.

• Skin Needling

For scars, large pores and wrinkles. Read more about Microneedling and book your appointment here.

• E-light / Radio Frequency Skin Tightening (IPL + RF)

To treat pigmentation or acne or to remove wrinkles or for body contouring. Read more about E-light and book your appointment here.

• Carbon Laser Facial (CLF)

A great solution for sun damage, oily skin, large or clogged pores and acne. See if Laser Carbon Facial is right for you and book your appointment here.

• Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Skin Treatment

Best for treating acne, rosacea, thread veins, wrinkles, photo aging, age spots, acne scars and seborrheic keratosis. Read more about IPL and book your appointment here.

• Super Hair Removal (SHR)

A non-irritating, efficient way to permanently remove unwanted hair all over the body. Read more and permanently get rid of unwanted hair with FEWER TREATMENT SESSIONS at SkinCarely here.

• Massage + Mask

Relax, hydrate and brighten your skin. See which Massage + Mask package is right for you here.

Book your Skin Consultation or Skin Rejuvenation appointment with Dr Farah Rahravan at SkinCarely skin care clinic in Donvale, Melbourne here.

SkinCarely skin care clinic Donvale, Melbourne IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY!

The Cost of Preventing Skin Aging

Price of Treating Skin Aging

While treating skin aging, i.e., skin rejuvenation pricing can vary from procedure to procedure, it is considerably less costly than injections, cosmetic surgery and other invasive and risky treatments.

Here are the price lists of some of our skin aging treatments at SkinCarely:

HIFU COSTS / PRICES

Skin Tightening	Basic HIFU	Premium HIFU	Optimum HIFU
Full Face	$429	$580	$674
Brows’ lift	$110	$149	$299
Crow’s feet	$199	$299	$499
Double Chin	$380	$485	$590
Neck	$380	$490	$600
Chin & Neck	$580	$735	$890
Half Face	$260	$299	$395	Upper / Lower
Forehead	$249	$358	$499
Decolletage	$469	$685	$899
Body Contouring
Full Thighs	$899	$1090	$1890
Stomach	$780	$980	$1390
Inner Thigh	$589	$780	$1100
Outer Thigh	$589	$780	$1100
Knees	$560	$690	$780
Full Back	$980	$1230	$1590
Half Back	$690	$780	$890	Lower/Upper
Upper Arms	$340	$590	$780
buttocks	$790	$880	$990
Love Handles	$380	$590	$780

IPL SKIN CORRECTIONS AND PRICES

IPL PHOTOREJUVENATION	Single Session	Package
Full Face	$129	$110 Prepay x 3+	You save $57+
Full Neck	$89	$79	You save $30+
Full Face & Neck	$189	$169	You save $60+
Full Face, Neck and Decolletage	$259	$239	You save $60+
Hands & Fingers	$110	$99	You save $33+

IPL PIGMENTATION TREATMENT	Single Session	Package
Full Face	$129	$110 Prepay x 3+	You save $57+
Half Face	$95	$85	You save $30+
Decolletage	$129	$110	You save $57+
Full Face, Neck and Decolletage	$259	$239	You save $60+
Full Arms	$289	$269	You save $60+
Back of the Hands	$110	$99	You save $33+
Shoulders	$369	$320	You save $147+

IPL ACNE TREATMENT	Single Session	Package
Full Face	$129	$110 Prepay x 3+	You save $57+
Forehead	$79	$59	You save $60+
Cheeks	$99	$89	You save $30+
Chest	$220	$180	You save $120+
Full Arms	$189	$169	You save $60+
Back	$280	$260	You save $60+
Shoulders	$220	$180	You save $120+

IPL VASCULAR TREATMENT	Single Session	Package
Full Face	$160	Prepaid $140 x 3+	You save $60+
Nose	$69	Prepaid $58 x 3+	You save $33+
Chin	$79	Prepaid $65 x 3+	You save $42+

SKIN NEEDLING COSTS / PRICES

Skin Needling Service	Single Session	Package
Face	$169	5 x $149	You save $100
Face and Neck	$289	5 x $239	You save $250
Face, Neck and Decolletage	$369	5 x $339	You save $150

HYDRO MICRODERMABRASION COSTS / PRICES

Service	Single Session	Package
Quick – Face	$79	5 x $69	You save $50
Hydro – Face	$110	5 x $110	You save $55
Hydro 5 steps with lightening	$149	5 x $139	You save $50

CARBON LASER FACIAL COSTS / PRICES

Carbon Laser Facial (CLF) Service	Single Session	Package
Full Face	$199	5 x $169	You save $150
Full Face and Neck	$289	5 x $269	You save $100
Full Face, Neck and Decolletage	$565	5 x $529	You save $180

Remember that with skin aging treatment Packages at SkinCarely, you can save up to $250!

Book your Skin Rejuvenation appointment with Dr Farah Rahravan at SkinCarely skin care clinic in Donvale, Melbourne here.

SkinCarely skin care clinic Donvale, Melbourne IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY!