I thing that desiccation might answer the original question. I was told some time ago that that getting older was largely to do with desiccation!

des·ic·ca·tion ('des-i-`kā-shən)
n.
The act or process of desiccating or the state of being or becoming desiccated ;esp
A complete or nearly complete deprivation of moisture (as by vaporization or by evaporation) or of water not chemically combined
dehydration <from the long-wave diathermy machine two distinct currents are obtained which produce ~ and electrocoagulation respectively - W. H. Schmidt> (Gurunet)