With age, facial skin loses its strength and elasticity and fine lines and wrinkles form, due to a decline in collagen and elastin proteins, which are found in the dermis layer of the skin. Most people first notice fine lines under their eyes and around their mouth, which later progress to more pronounced wrinkles.
Collagen gives the skin its firmness and resilience and plays a major role in wound healing of the skin. Elastin provides flexibility, which enables the skin to extend and return to its original shape after it has been stretched or compressed. As part of the aging process, collagen and elastin production slow down and these support structures become weak and loose. As the skin becomes more brittle and inelastic, under eye wrinkles and other fine lines emerge. Several factors affect the emergence and severity of fine lines and wrinkles, including genetics, gender, photo-aging (sun-induced aging) smoking, repeated facial expressions and nutrition.
Fine lines and wrinkles are part of the natural aging process and affect everyone to some degree. However, some factors, such as photo-aging, expedite the process. Exposure to ultraviolet (UVA) light significantly breaks down collagen and elastin and accounts for the majority of the symptoms of premature skin aging. Moreover, smoking causes the narrowing of blood vessels and impairs blood flow to the skin, while nutritional deficiencies also contribute to skin aging.