A: No, they are different, and this is what I will discuss in today’s column. The skin has two main layers. The top layer, the epidermis, acts as a barrier to protect the deep skin layer and body tissues from unwanted toxins, bacteria, etc.
It also helps with temperature regulation, is where the stratum corneum (the layer of dead skin cells) is located and is where sebum, a lubricating oil produced in the sebaceous glands, acts to "waterproof" the skin, regulating how much water is absorbed.
The deeper layer, the dermis, is made of collagen, elastic tissue and other structures, and acts as a cushion. It is also where the hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, nerves (that sense temperature and touch), lymph vessels and blood vessels are located.
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Knowing this, we can now discuss how we get different kinds of wrinkles! The wrinkles that come from being "waterlogged" occur mostly in the fingers and toes, where the stratum corneum is thickest. This is because a long soak in the tub, pool or other body of water washes away a lot of the sebum, making the skin less waterproof. The water is then able to penetrate the skin, especially the dead cells of the stratum corneum. Absorbing this extra water causes the skin to expand, puff up and pull away from places where it is not completely anchored to the basement membrane (the connection between the epidermis and dermis). The result is wrinkles, or you might consider them "waves" of puffy skin. Once you are out of the bathtub, the absorbed water is soon released and more sebum is rapidly produced; your "waterlogged" wrinkles quickly disappear.
The wrinkles we get as we age are quite different. After age 20, we start to lose some of the collagen in our skin, making it thinner and more fragile. But much more important than this loss with aging is the skin damage due to exposure to sunlight and toxins (such as those that come from tobacco use, pollution and other sources). Some experts estimate that 90 percent of the skin damage leading to wrinkles (and other skin changes) comes from these exposures. The specifics of how sun and toxin exposure cause this damage is not completely understood, however it is thought that at least part of the process occurs because free radicals (molecules in search of loose electrons) are created that alter the skin’s cellular matrix.
As we get older the skin’s repair mechanisms do not work as efficiently. The cumulative burden from years of skin damage eventually surpasses the skin’s ability to repair itself, so the elasticity of the dermal layer diminishes and the skin becomes more brittle. Since the collagen in the skin is replenished on average about every 15 years, the skin changes from this process occur slowly over time. Eventually, these changes cause the skin to sag and wrinkle.
Antioxidants such as vitamin C, E and especially (for the skin) molecules related to vitamin A protect against free radicals. Therefore, treatments with Retin-A (a derivative of vitamin A) and/or other treatments have been developed to help minimize/prevent wrinkles. Of course, since sun exposure is one of, likely the main, culprit, minimizing sun exposure, including using sun block, is also beneficial. All of us should understand and accept these changes, while minimizing the affects they have by eating well and exercising regularly (under the guidance of your healthcare provider). My Poppy told me "those are not wrinkles, those are smile lines from all the years of happiness I have enjoyed." That is how we should all think about the many wondrous changes that are in store for us as we get older and wiser.
