PSYC 3490 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, Elastic Fiber, Elastin
14 Jan 2020
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The largest organ in the body, most vulnerable to a series of age related changes. First signs of aging appear in the 30"s where the skin starts to wrinkle, slight drooping or loss of resilience, and changes in color and texture. Later in life, the skin becomes more translucent and it is easier to see the bones and veins. Skin discolorations and small outgrowths accumulate so that by age 50, the skin shows distinctive marks of the passage of time. Cross linking occurs, leading to the skin become less flexible. Elastin, a molecule that is supposed to provide flexibility, becomes less able to return to its original shape once stretched out. Sebaceous glands, which normally provide oils that lubricate the skin, become less active. Toenails grow more slowly and may become yellowed, thicker and ridged and older people may develop fungal infections. The face"s structure changes as a result of bone loss in the skull, particularly in the jaw.
