Bioengineers from Binghamton University (USA) say they have uncovered the secret mechanics of skin wrinkling.
As we age, skin stretches in one direction while contracting in another. This process, akin to how playdough behaves in a child’s hands, can be slowed down to some extent. But stopping it altogether isn’t possible.
What Did the Scientists Discover?
In explaining skin wrinkling, previous authors typically pointed to factors such as genetics, UV damage, and accompanying pathological conditions. Most theories about wrinkle formation relied on computer models that helped researchers assess age-related changes in the dermal layer.
Now the university team decided to investigate the mechanics of skin using real samples. The researchers produced the first comprehensive experimental analysis of its kind and offered a surprisingly simple explanation for how wrinkle lines form. “Now we have compelling experimental evidence showing the physical mechanism of aging,” said Guy Herman, the lead author of the study.
During the experiments, Herman and his colleagues examined skin from six volunteers aged between 16 and 91. Using a tensometer, the scientists measured the deformations in small strips of skin while stretching them to simulate everyday loads. The results showed that as skin stretches in one direction, it contracts in another. With age, these contractions become stronger, leading to the formation of wrinkles. Herman compared this behavior to ordinary playdough.
“Playdough stretches horizontally, but it also contracts in the opposite direction and becomes thinner. The same happens with skin. If the skin is compressed too much, it sags. That’s how wrinkles form,” the bioengineer explained, adding that the mechanical properties of skin degrade over the years.
It turns out that skin stretches more in the lateral direction, which encourages wrinkle formation, Herman noted. “The reason is primarily that the skin is slightly stretched from the start. Internal forces then act within it, becoming the driving force behind wrinkle appearance,” he said.
As a result, people who do physical labor, such as construction workers, may have skin that appears older and more wrinkled than the skin of office workers, Popular Science reported.
An Irreversible Process
Guy Herman calls his team’s discovery the “Holy Grail” of skin mechanics. The finding matters a lot given the multi-billion-dollar industry built around anti-aging procedures and products.
“When I started working in this field, one of my goals was to understand how aging occurs. On television, on the radio, online, and in stores I was constantly bombarded with a thousand different claims about how to improve skin health, and I wanted to know what was right and what wasn’t. So I decided to figure it out for myself,” he said.
Of course, the primary factor influencing the initial appearance of wrinkles is mechanical action. Still, protective measures against serious issues like sun exposure and hormonal imbalances can improve skin health. Don’t neglect those at any age, even though they won’t stop aging.
The study’s findings were published in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials.
Photo: pixabay.com
