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Do you have any idea what the 'extracellular matrix' is? Does that sound like something you'd see on the sci fi channel? What about collagen? Elastin? Laminin? Chances are, you may have seen them on bottles of shower gel or skin lotion. If you are nervous about premature aging skin, it is a wonderful idea to know 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 has 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. Inside this matrix we have many different components that help our skin to be supple, soft, and smooth. Some of these help maintain its durability, and others help it stay moist. One of the substances found here, and one of the strongest proteins found in nature, is collagen. Since collagen is so strong, it helps to give structure and strength to our skin. It happens to be the most abundant protein found in the body. Another main protein chain is elastin. Elastin is a more stretchable protein (not as rigid as collagen) that helps our skin stretch, move, and then regain its original shape again. The body also has two different substances that help moisturize our skin and keep it soft. These are glycosoaminoglycans (or GAGs for short) and proteoglycans. These substances are very similar to the texture of mucus, and they help us because they preserve the moisture in the skin.

As long as all of these components are working together in your skin, our skin will remain youthful-looking and radiant. Remember that all the substances that are inside the extracellular matrix are indispensable for our skin to have structure and moisture. However, the problem starts when, due to pollution, exposure to the elements, and just plain old aging, the body stops making these proteins as quickly as it used to, thus deteriorating the extracellular matrix. The production of collagen and elastin and moisture holding molecules is naturally reduced as people age. The cells get older, and since the body isn't making as many, our skin starts to sag, look older, and dry out.

How to Heal your Skin

As I had said, one of the biggest causes of this deterioration of the extracellular matrix is overexposure to the sun, harmful elements and pollution. so take care to stay out of the sun as much as possible. 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 wonderful new developments by scientific researchers into the healing properties of biological ingredients found in nature when applied to these affected areas. In case you weren't aware, people are in a frenzy buying these skin care products because their biological ingredients (such as mucous that garden snails secrete) have been found to enhance the production of new collagen and elastin within the extracellular matrix. If you haven't tried these natural products yet, make sure you check them out also, because if you apply them daily, and you protect yourself when you are outside, surely you will be able to aid damaged skin before it's too late!