eCO2™
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Several factors contribute to an even complexion, including the amount of collagen and elastin present in the skin. Collagen and elastin are the proteins responsible for skin elasticity, tone, and texture, and are affected by diet, age, hormones, skin products, cosmetic treatments, and overall health. In order to achieve smooth skin and a radiant complexion, it is important to understand how these factors affect one another. The first step you can take to improve your skin texture is to identify the culprits behind less-than-perfect skin.
There are several environmental factors that can cause the skin to appear blotchy and uneven. These include wind, dirt, chemicals, arid climates, smoking, pollution, and ultraviolet radiation (which causes sun damage). All of these elements strip the skin of its natural collagen and elastin fibers, causing it to appear dry, rough, and wrinkled.
Age also plays a role in the formation of wrinkles, age spots, blotchiness, and rough skin texture. Wrinkles, fine lines, and an uneven skin complexion all develop as a part of the natural aging process. Fortunately, it is possible to reduce the outward signs of aging by following a careful regimen of skin care and protection.
Specific skin conditions such as acne, rosacia, psoriasis, and allergies can severely affect the skin.s overall health and contribute greatly to blotchiness and uneven skin texture. If you experience excessive inflammation, itching, dryness, or pain, it is important to incorporate treatment for your specific condition into your skin care plan.
Irregular or patchy discoloration of the skin that can be caused either by variations in pigment density (melanin), changes in blood vessels (vascular changes), or growth of foreign organisms on the skin. Mottling or mottled skin refers specifically to vascular changes in the skin which cause a patchy appearance.
Photodamaged or sun damaged skin is something few escape. Photodamage occurs with exposure to sunlight (UVA or UVB) whether or not we intentionally suntan. Twenty five percent of our lifetime exposure occurs before the end of our teenage years. Photodamage to skin manifests in a variety of ways including:
- advanced aging or wrinkling
- uneven or "pebbly" skin
- irregular pigmentation
- small blood vessels or red markings (telangiectasias)
- rough or scaly patches (actinic keratoses)
- freckles (ephilides)
- "liver spots" and "age spots" (lentigines)
- thinned or fragile skin
- pre skin cancers
- skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma)
Wrinkles are visible creases or folds in the skin. Wrinkles less than 1 mm in width and depth are defined as fine wrinkles and those greater than 1 mm as coarse wrinkles. Most RCTs have studied wrinkles on the face, forearms, and hands.
One of the most popular anti-aging remedies is laser skin resurfacing, which improves the appearance of fine lines or wrinkles, scars and hyperpigmentation (discolored areas of the skin), primarily around the eyes and mouth. It can also be used to treat large areas of the face.
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