Montagna, W., & Carlisle, K. (1979). Structural changes in aging human skin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 73(1), 47-53.

The paper is an assessment of the structural changes that happen on human skin with the process of aging. In fact, it is common knowledge that the human skin undergoes immense changes with the onset of aging. It is not only the exposed sections of the skin that undergo changes occasioned by the process of aging in humans. Rather, both exposed and protected areas of the underside of the epidermis continually become flattened out as people progressively become older. The flattening of the underside of the epidermis is one of the major signs of the progressive aging of humans and represents major structural changes. The flattening of the epidermis is followed by a significant rarefaction of the superficial blood vessels of the affected persons.

The article thus focuses on the happenings of the human skin I n relation to the process of aging and the structural effects it has on the affected persons. The architecture of the elastic fiber framework in the dermis of the skin that is protected from the sun gets particular attention in this review. Further, the changes that occur from the process of aging are less severe in skin protected areas as compared with those occurring in skin areas exposed to the sun. Obviously, the differences in the two sections of the skin are attributable to the extent of exposure to the sun as well as other natural agents. In addition, most of the cutaneous sensory end organs are not highly affected by the process of aging. However, the sensory end organs underneath the vaginal epithelium are bounds to disappear while others become smaller. Similarly, the cells in the external genitalia suffer the same fate of becoming smaller and disappearing.

BAKER, H., & BLAIR, C. P. (2008). Cell replacement in the human stratum corneum in old age. British Journal of Dermatology, 80(6), 367-372.

The article is a review of the process of aging with a focus on its impacts on the process of cell replacement in the human stratum corneum. Evidently, the aging process inhibits the process of cell replacement with a gradual decrease in the activity witnessed among older persons. In measuring the transit time of horny cells in the normal forearm skin of aged persons, fluorescent tetrachlorsalicylanilide is a common ingredient. Normally, the compound is used to stain the human stratum corneum in an in vivo experiment which has recorded success over time. Baker & Blair, (2008) used a similar experiment in recording the process of cell replacement among aged populations.

The thickness of the stratum corneum was estimated through the recording of the number of horny cell layers in the epidermis. Secondly, the same process was visualized through hydration of the epidermis specimen in an alkali solution. Following the results of the two attributes under study, the researchers were able to calculate the replacement rates of the stratum corneum. The study found out the transit time to be between 20 and 36 days with the average being 26 days among 6 aged men. The same sample produced replacement rates of between 30 and 47 hour per cell layer with a calculated average of 34 hour per cell layer. The results point to a reduction in the mitotic activity of the epidermis of older people. In aged women, however, the transit time was much faster with higher replacement rates.

Grove, G. L., & Kligman, A. M. (1983). Age-associated changes in human epidermal cell renewal. Journal of Gerontology, 38(2), 137-142.

The article is a summary of the results of a study focusing on the changes in the cell renewal process in aged human epidermis. The findings in the paper reflect similar results from past research in similar fields where the process of aging has been studied. In this research, a fluorescent marker dye was used to test the process of cell renewal in the epidermis. The assessment was conducted non-intrusively by monitoring the disappearance of the dye from the skin surface of human volunteers. While the cell transit time in young adults was lower, older adults recorded relatively higher transit times. In fact, the transit time of stratum corneum in older adults averaged at a length higher by 10 days compared to that of young adults that stood at 20 days.

In similar fashion, the number of horny cell layers was estimated to paint a clearer picture of the happenings. However, the number of horny cell layers does not change with the process of aging and is almost similar across different age groups. The results of the study therefore indicate that the increase in stratum corneum transit time is a result of the reduction in the proliferation of the epidermal cell. Further, the paper found that the reduction in epidermal cell renewal does not occur at a constant rate throughout the life span of an adult. Rather, it begins to drop dramatically after the age of 50 after remaining constant in younger years. Lastly, the results propose a linear-spline model as t6eh most appropriate in the determination of the analysis.

Holstein, M. B., & Minkler, M. (2003). Self, society, and the “new gerontology”. The Gerontologist, 43(6), 787-796.

The paper takes off from the normal study of the changes in epidermal cells to focus on a new concept of gerontology. In this paper, the focus is on the relationship between the individual, society and the new concept of gerontology. Ultimately, the new concept is built around the process of successful aging with an end result of the termination of the process. The paper outlines the focus of the process as one that is built around health and active participation in life. The new gerontology thus bestows power in individuals to attain the desirable state of successful aging. In addition, the successful aging model as formulated by Rowe and Khan is highly regarded in the paper. However, the research emphasizes a need for a better understanding of the model through a more thorough process of examination.

The concept of a new gerontology is critically analyzed with a focus on the consequences, values and assumptions that are normally unexplored and unarticulated.  The results of the paper identify a need for better scrutiny to avoid harming older people and especially older women. Strangely, the poor as well as people of color are also more vulnerable to this harm due to the marginalization they suffer. The paper, through its use of critical gerontology and the principles thereof, attains a clearer understanding of the process of aging. The study concludes by suggesting recommendations towards the prevention of older and poor people being harmed by the unexamined features.

Twigg, J. (2004). The body, gender, and age: Feminist insights in social gerontology. Journal of aging studies, 18(1), 59-73.

The paper is quite unique in the manner in which it tackles the process of aging. Indeed, the relationship between the body, gender and age is quite unique and provides a feminist insight in social gerontology. The paper is a critical evaluation of such interrelationship with the results providing better understanding of the processes. The study thus draws on feminist gerontology in discussing how the body, age and gender intersect. Ultimately, the paper lays arguments in support of the need for realizing the centrality of the body in the process of aging. That notwithstanding, the understanding of such intersections is only attained through the recognition of the body as a socially and culturally constituted unit.

In attaining the goals of the research, the paper explores three areas related to the body, age and gender. One of the focus areas in use in the paper focuses on the role of the body in the subjective experience of aging as a natural process. In addition, the problems and paradoxes of cultural resistance are also ascertained in relation to the problem. Secondly, the gendered form of care work as a form of bodywork is analyzed. Lastly, the study looks into the significance of the body in deep old age experiences. Still, the subjective experience of receiving personal care among the old people is analyzed to ascertain the different impacts on the body. In so doing, the study achieves a balance between the three attributes of age, gender and body to come up with a more detailed understanding of the process of aging. Ultimately, therefore, the intersection of the three attributes defines an interrelatedness of the aging process.

References

Montagna, W., & Carlisle, K. (1979). Structural changes in aging human skin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 73(1), 47-53.

BAKER, H., & BLAIR, C. P. (2008). Cell replacement in the human stratum corneum in old age. British Journal of Dermatology, 80(6), 367-372.

Grove, G. L., & Kligman, A. M. (1983). Age-associated changes in human epidermal cell renewal. Journal of Gerontology, 38(2), 137-142.

Holstein, M. B., & Minkler, M. (2003). Self, society, and the “new gerontology”. The Gerontologist, 43(6), 787-796.

Twigg, J. (2004). The body, gender, and age: Feminist insights in social gerontology. Journal of aging studies, 18(1), 59-73.

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