Signs of Ageing
From:
Luke Teoh

10 visible signs of ageing
1 Hair When it ages: Anytime after puberty for hair loss, 30s for the appearance of white hairWhy: Hair is in its 'growth phase' for about four years before it is shed.About 90 per cent of men's hair loss is due to androgenic alopecia, or male pattern baldness. This hereditary condition occurs when hair follicles are sensitive to the presence of the male hormone, testosterone.Testosterone shortens the hair growth cycle and shrinks hair follicles such that the next hairs which grow out are smaller and finer. reconstruction and aesthetic surgery at Singapore General Hospital , said that hair follicles are genetically predetermined to undergo detrimental changes as one ages. White hair also starts cropping up as one ages. Hair colour is controlled by the amount of melanin in it. By age 30, melanin production drops and hair colour lightens. Turning grey is hereditary which explains why some people grey faster than others. Treatment: Topical creams like minoxidil or oral medication like finasteride for hair loss. Hair transplants can also be considered. Hair can be dyed to mask the appearance of white hair

2 Eyes When they age: 40 and aboveWhy: When you age, the lens of the eye hardens and the muscles used for focusing weaken.This causes presbyopia or what the Chinese commonly call lao hua yan - a condition where it is more difficult to focus at close range.Besides hardening, the lens also thickens and the pupil gets smaller. This makes it harder to see in the dark as less light gets into the eye. Colour perception and contrast are also reduced as the ageing lens causes the light that does enter the eye to scatter more.Age-related eye problems like cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy may also occur. Treatment: Dr Hoh Sek Tien, consultant eye surgeon at Ophthalmic Consultants at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said the most effective way to treat presbyopia is to wear spectacles.Age-related eye diseases can be managed with surgery, eye drops or lasers
3 Ears When they age: 60 and aboveWhy: What contributes most to age-related hearing loss is the degeneration of sound receptor hair cells in the inner ear.Associate Professor Low Wong Kein, director of the Centre for Hearing and Ear Implants at Singapore General Hospital , said: 'We have a finite number of hair cells in our inner ear and these cells cannot be regenerated. Once they degenerate, they're gone forever.'Each ear possesses about 15,000 of such hair cells and those which allow you to hear high frequencies usually die first.Dr Stephen Lee, ear, nose and throat specialist at Raffles Hospital , said one in three people above 60 will develop significant hearing loss.Associate Professor Lynne Lim, consultant in the department of otolaryngology - head and neck surgery at National University Hospital , added: 'As the hearing loss is gradual, it can be missed without formal hearing tests.'People may not know they have hearing loss. They may turn up the volume on the TV, exposing family members to over loud noise risk.' Treatment: Hearing can be checked in most hospitals and shops selling hearing aids. Such aids, priced between $1,000 and $5,000, should be fitted by ear professionals. Cochlear implants, which are small electronic devices designed to provide a sense of sound to those who are profoundly deaf by directly stimulating the auditory nerve, are used only in cases of severe hearing loss and cost more than $40,000
4 Teeth When they age: 40 and aboveWhy: When we age, less saliva, which removes bacteria, is produced and teeth and gums become more susceptible to decay. There will also be some degree of bony resorption, or loss of bone, and gingival recession, when the gum starts to expose the root of the tooth.Dr Boey Sean Kuan, consultant dental surgeon at Pacific Healthcare Specialist Centre, said: 'It's part of normal wear and tear. Deterioration often happens when the body's immunity is compromised and this is more common when one ages.'Treatment: Regular dental check-ups are key in preventing teeth from ageing badly. Deep cleaning, restoration of teeth, gum recontouring and prevention of excessive wear using occlusal splints are standard treatments
5 Facial skin When it ages: Mid-20s and aboveWhy: The production of collagen and elastin in the skin decreases with age, resulting in skin losing its natural elastic recoil and bounce. Collagen is a fibrous protein which is the basic building block of connective tissues. Elastin is a protein similar to collagen.Blood vessels decrease in density and skin takes on a yellowish hue. Less sweat and oil is produced by the glands in the skin, making skin drier. Fine lines and wrinkles start to show and skin sags.Wrinkles appear not only due to the drop in collagen production but also the habitual movements of certain muscles, as well as the loss of fat and bone from the face. Smoking and sun exposure also make you look older because they cause free radical damage which can lead to the destruction of collagen and elastin fibres.Some women may also start to see melasma, a type of pigmentation which is related to hormonal changes. Treatment: Microdermabrasion treatments and chemical peels can help to exfoliate and slough off dead skin cells, which can make the skin look dull.Topical medicines containing vitamin C, E or hyaluronic acid help to deliver concentrated antioxidants into the skin, stimulating collagen production. Cosmetic treatments like fillers and Botox injections to plump up wrinkle lines and surgical procedures like facelifts can also be considered.Asked if anti-ageing creams work, Dr Patricia Yuen, consultant dermatologist at Pacific Healthcare Specialist Centre, said: 'Yes. Antioxidants, the main ingredients in anti-ageing creams, reverse and retard the ageing process.'
6 Breasts When they age: 35 and aboveWhy: As a woman ages, glandular tissue in the breast is broken down due to changes in hormone levels and is increasingly replaced by fat, which is softer and contributes to the sagging of the breast.Dr Ivor Lim, consultant plastic and cosmetic surgeon at The Plastic & Hand Surgery, said: 'Breasts can sag from skin being lax as their sheer weight will pull skin down.'He added that a secondary reason for breast sag is breastfeeding.Breast sag is worsened by ligaments of Astley-Cooper - the ligaments which connect chest muscles to the skin and help breasts to maintain their shape - weakening and stretching with age. Treatment: A bra is your breasts' best buddy. Dr Lim said a well fitting bra is needed to support the Astley-Cooper ligaments and prevent them from stretching out.Breast skin can be tightened via surgical or radio frequency treatments. Surgical procedures like breast augmentation and breast lift, which involves the rearrangement of breast tissue, can also be considered.A new alternative is Macrolane, a non-permanent injectable body filler which can be used to plump up ageing breasts. Exercises like push-ups and those which work your mid-back and chest can also firm up your bustline
7 Body skin When it ages: Mid-20s and aboveWhy: Like facial skin, body skin loses collagen and elastic fibres as a person ages. The skin becomes saggy, thinner, less elastic and easier to injure and tear.Age spots may also develop.The neck is another giveaway of age. The platysma muscle, a sheet-like muscle found in the front of the neck, becomes loose and splits down the middle, causing neck fat to collect and create the appearance of what is commonly known as a turkey neck. Some people may appear to develop stringy necks which is a combination of loose skin and the platysma hanging down vertically like a curtain. Treatment: Laser and radio frequency therapies like Refirme ST and Thermage can help remove pigmentation, stimulate collagen production and tighten the skin. In the case of a weakened platysma, Botox can be used to improve the neck's appearance, while a facelift can be considered to make the sheet muscle look more continuous
8 Buttocks When they age: 35 and aboveWhy: Both skin and butt tissue will be affected by gravity. The well-developed muscle of the buttocks loosens and becomes flabby, creating a saggy bum. Treatment: Cosmetic procedures like liposculpturing, which uses liposuction to shape the body, can be considered to remove and rearrange fat in the buttocks. Surgical procedures like gluteal implants and butt lifts can restore the perkiness and volume of buttocks. Exercises like reverse lunges, step-ups and squats can also help to tone buttocks
9 Veins When they age: 45 and aboveWhy: Varicose and spider veins usually develop in legs with age. The former are abnormal dilated veins measuring more than 3mm in diameter while the latter are small clusters of pink and purple thread-like veins lying near the surface of the skin.The weakened veins are unable to transport blood back up the body to the heart and the blood pools in veins, enlarging them.The condition is less common in men as it is female hormones which have a dilatory effect on veins. The biggest cause of varicose and spider veins is pregnancy, which puts a lot of stress on veins. Treatment: Regular exercise; avoiding obesity, the wearing of high heels and the crossing of legs when sitting; as well as flexing your leg and foot muscles occasionally, will help prevent the development of varicose and spider veins.Varicose veins can be treated with endovenous laser treatment, which involves using laser energy to destroy the veins. Spider veins can be treated by injecting them with a cocktail of chemicals.Dr John Tan, consultant general and vascular surgeon at The Vein Clinic, said: 'The treatment of varicose veins is not purely cosmetic. If left untreated, varicose veins can lead to ulcers or deep vein thrombosis.'Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body
10 Muscles and bones When they age: For muscles, 65 and above in both genders. For bones, late 30s in women, late 40s in men.Why: Muscle mass decreases with age as muscle fibres are lost and individual muscle fibres are reduced in size.As bones deteriorate, they become less compact and lose their calcium content. Women are more susceptible to bone loss due to their biological make-up and the lack of oestrogen during menopause.As bones shrink, we lose height as bones in the back crumble between the vertebrae and we end up about 5cm shorter by the time we hit 80.Treatment: Exercise is key in maintaining muscle and bone strength. Resistance training in the form of light weights preserves muscle mass and improves balance and bone density.Dr Sittampalam Krishnamoorthy, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Raffles Hospital , said that taking regular exercise and a balanced diet which is high in calcium and vitamin D will have a positive effect on bones and joints. This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times, on July 30, 2008.Associate Professor Colin Song, head and senior consultant in plastic,