What characteristic can change in the skin as a person ages?

As individuals age, several changes can occur in the skin, one of which is the modification of the thickness of the subcutaneous layer. This layer, which is primarily composed of fat and connective tissue, helps to insulate the body and protect underlying muscles and organs. With aging, the amount of fat in this layer typically decreases, leading to a thinner appearance and a loss of volume in areas of the face and body. This thinning can contribute to a more pronounced appearance of wrinkles and an overall decrease in firmness and contour of the skin.

Additionally, although aspects like color saturation, elasticity, and cell count are also affected by aging, they do not encapsulate the impact on the subcutaneous layer specifically. The loss of fat in the subcutaneous layer has a direct visual and structural effect on the skin, making it a key aspect of the aging process.