Why does my skin change as I age?

Skin changes as a result of aging occur for a number of reasons.  First, repeated damage to the skin from exposure to UV radiation causes a decrease in the strength of the collagen resulting in wrinkling.  As we age the skin matures and as the skin matures the dermis thins leading to a thinner skin.  The body also produces less nutrient body oils which enrich the skin as we age. 

As we age, we all start to see and feel changes in our skin. Some of these changes are natural, unavoidable, and harmless, but others, such as skin cancer, can be serious. All these changes can have a genetic component, but, more important, they have an environmental component, the most important one being the sun. Both skin cancer and premature aging are caused by sun exposure.