• Question: why do older people get wrinkles?

    Asked by VeKz Wave to Carolyn, Peter, Richard, Sara, Siana on 11 Nov 2015. This question was also asked by x_lozaloo_x, cam34, *zoemma*, supercoolwhiz123_xmxzball.
    • Photo: Richard Unwin

      Richard Unwin answered on 11 Nov 2015:

      Hi VeKzWave. Hope you enjoyed our chat the other day.
      It’s a great question. Our skin sits on a layer of small strings called elastic fibres. these are like elastic bands and they help our skin to stretch when we move, and then spring back into place. However, as we get older – just like real elastic bands – these fibres get damaged and don’t spring back as well. You can do a quick experiment to show this – if you pinch your skin it will spring back immediately. If you do it (with permission) to a grandparent, say, it will take their skin longer to go back because it has lost it’s elasticity. As they get more damaged, the skin becomes less stretched and starts to wrinkle.

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