Do you have any idea what the 'extracellular matrix' is? For most people, that sounds like something they'd expect to see in a science fiction movie. What about collagen? Elastin? Laminin? What do you know about these things besides remembering seeing them on bottles of shower gel and moisturizer? If you are nervous about wrinkles, it is a great idea to understand how your skin works and how we can help it be more efficient.

All animal tissues have a 'matrix', which their cells are immersed in. This serves lots of important functions. These include healing our wounds, making sure our skin has structure, and facilitating the growth of new cells. This important substance is called the extracellular matrix. In this matrix we have various different components that help our skin to look soft, flexible and radiant. The function of some of these components is to maintain the strength or durability of the skin, and others to keep it moisturized. One of these substances, and one of the strongest proteins in nature is collagen. Since collagen is so strong, it strengthens our skin and gives it durability. Coincidentally, it is also the most abundant protein in our body. Another main protein chain is elastin. Elastin is a more elastic-like protein (not as rigid as collagen) that helps our skin stretch, move, and then regain its original shape again. Besides collagen and elastin, there are also substances in the body that help keep our skin moist and soft. These are glycosoaminoglycans (or GAGs for short) and proteoglycans. These substances are very similar to the consistency of mucus, and they are important because they hold water in our skin.

As long as all of these components are working together in our skin, our skin will remain youthful-looking and radiant. If you remember, all the substances that are inside the extracellular matrix are needed for our skin to keep its structure and stay moisturized. However, the problem emerges when, due to aging, environmental contamination or too much exposure to the sun, the body stops making these proteins as quickly as it used to, thus diminishing the extracellular matrix. The development of collagen and elastin and moisture holding molecules is naturally diminished as people get older. The cells get worn out, and since the body isn't producing as many new ones, our skin begins to look dry, saggy, and old.

How to Heal your Skin

As I had talked about earlier, one of the biggest causes of this deterioration of the extracellular matrix is overexposure to the sun, harmful elements and pollution. so be careful when you are outside in peak hours of he day. Try to give up smoking if you haven't already done so, and don't forget to always wear sunscreen. And of course, by now you have probably already heard about the incredible new developments by scientific researchers into the unbelievable properties of biological ingredients found in nature when applied topically to these affected areas. If you're one of the few people who is not familiar with this, people are hurrying to buy these skin care products because their biological ingredients (such as the mucous that snails produce) have been found to heighten new production of collagen and elastin in the extracellular matrix. If you haven't been able to try any of these natural products yet, make sure you check them out also, because applying them, along with protecting yourself when outdoors, will treat deteriorated skin before it's too late!