Abstract
Skin aging is a multifactorial process driven by a combination of intrinsic genetic programming and extrinsic environmental exposures. Recent advances in epigenetics have illuminated how changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs regulate skin aging, with the epigenetic clock emerging as a powerful tool to quantify biological age. This review aims to synthesize current evidence on how environmental and lifestyle factors – particularly ultraviolet radiation, pollution, smoking, diet, and stress – accelerate skin aging through epigenetic mechanisms, while also evaluating the potential of skin-specific epigenetic clocks as biomarkers for early detection of premature aging and for guiding therapeutic interventions.
