The fourth lecture, organized by the ARCL Regional Board's Health Committee, took place on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. The subject of the day was: "Age Related Skin Changes".
After listening to the march of ARS, and the opening word of the Health committee, Dr. Keshishian started his lecture by saying that when we talk about skin changes and age it seems as if we are in struggle with the idea of getting old. This is an outdated opinion and we should change this opinion. We should live with the hope of living well. Then with the help of photographs, the doctor presented the stages of getting old. Aging is inevitable and the skin ages with us. Everyone will grow old and the skin will grow old as well. Then in a figurative way, he compared the skin to a geometric building in structure. He said that in a building there are apartments, electric cords, and water supply system is installed. The upper part of this building is the skin which is clearly shown. Beneath the skin there are the collagen vessels which supply the upper floor with water and electricity. The ground floor is the fat which keeps the building strong. Under the building, that is under the skin there are the bones. Each floor changes according to age and time.
After that the doctor talked about wrinkles and said they are of two kinds: static and dynamic. The dynamic lines are related to our movements, and the static ones appear without movement.
With the appearance of wrinkles, the state of the bones and fat change. Changes are not dangerous. The lines on the back of the neck are natural. Anything new that appears on the skin is not a sign of skin cancer. All the changes on the skin are good and are resulted by aging. It is only a doctor who performs the diagnosis of these changes. Due to the long exposure to sunlight or long-lasting use of tobacco, small pouches develop around the eyes. The skin gets thinner in the course of time, and gets wounded quickly, and even bruised a lot with males or females. There are chemicals in the body that make the skin get thinner. Dr. Elio said that we should be careful of the red spots (red flags) that appear on the skin. if these symptoms appear on the skin suddenly, cause itching, unsymmetrically, and they are blackened and grow fast, we should contact a dermatologist immediately.
Why these skin changes happen?
A- Age progression which is the result of inner changes. By inheritance the body losses its genes. Scientists now are trying to delay this aging process.
B- Changes that happen due to external factors. such as the sun, cigarettes, high temperatures, nutritional value, depression, sleep and pollution.
He said the sun's rays are very harmful to the skin and burn the skin quickly. According to research done in the United States, artificial tanning with solarium is a rapid cancer causing agent. Smoking adds wrinkles to the face, darkens the eyes, shrinks of the lips. The heat also accelerates the appearance of wrinkles. Nutrition as well has its benefits for the skin, and in its absence, the development of the wrinkles become inevitable. Sleep is another important factor. Each individual should sleep 6-8 hours daily. Air pollution is currently an alert for “World Health Organization- W.H.O.” and on top of its agenda.
We should stay away from these seven factors as the lecturer said. It is possible to use day and night creams that contain vitamin C. Also we should use special soaps and creams which hydrate the skin, and it is important to use special creams after exposure to the Sun.
At the end of the lecture the audience asked questions to the lecturer, and a souvenir was given to the lecturer Dr. Elio Keshishian in the name of the Health Committee. Finally, creams were given to the audience by L’Oréal beauty company.
