AGING

According to WHO, health is a "state of complete physical, mental and social".

Aging is a "process normally associated with impaired progressive responses the adaptive homeostatic body, leading to changes in the structure and function of the different systems. Also increases the vulnerability of individual to environmental stress and the disease".

Aging can be seen from three points: biological, social and psychological.

Within the biological standpoint, there are changes in: cells, skin and appendages, bones, muscles, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system, genito-urinary system, endocrine system, immune system, in the sense organs and nervous system.

In this case I decided to focus on the integumentary system and explain the changes it undergoes.

CHANGES IN THE INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

The skin due to its large size, is the organ most susceptible to environmental damage, especially by exposure to sunlight. Due to this exposure to the sun, appears the liver spots.

Over time, skin gets thinner, drier, more transparent. Loses elasticity, wrinkles and has a yellowish color.

In the epidermis: keratinocytes lose their polarity. There is also a decrease in the number of melanocytes and no increased risk of dysplasia.

In the dermis: there is a loss of collagen that leads to wrinkles. There is also a loss of elastin, which produces an increase of glycosaminoglycans which lead to the formation of a pseudo elastin that is what gives yellowish color to the skin.

In the hypodermis: the amount of fatty tissue so it loses dense.

Hair follicles, eventually lose density and atrophy. Also pigment production lost due to the decreased number of melanocytes. Some women experience the growth of facial hair, particularly after menopause.

The nail growth decreases, turning these more opaque, hard and thick. This is due to an increase of keratin.



            ROSACEA                                                                          LIVER SPOTS

   

As the skin is more sensitive, is more exposed to the appearance of ulcers, inflammation and infection.

Finally, a video of the WHO, which I found very interesting because I totally agree with the message of healthy aging.

I think that aging is natural, that at one time or another will affect us, because time passes for everyone. We must also think that from birth we're older, that's what life. Born, grow and die.

There should be no rejection or stereotypes, and that aging does not make us different.

We will all grow old, but we will decide as. if we live a life saluble from the beginning ,our life expectancy should be greater.

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Bibliography:

1. Introducción al concepto de envejecimiento. Disponible en: http://www.ujaen.es

2.Algunos cambios asociados al envejecimiento. Disponible en:

 http://escuela.med.puc.cl/publ/manualgeriatria/PDF/CambioEnvejec.pdf