There’s no question that your skin changes with age. Gradually, you feel skin become drier, thinner, more delicate and less elastic. You may see shifts in your skin tone and develop unwanted brown spots.
Benign growths may appear, as well as skin cancers arising from years of accumulated sun exposure. Medications and chronic health conditions can make skin more vulnerable to bruising and bleeding. Here’s a breakdown of different ways that aging can affect your skin and practical ways to protect it.
[See: 10 Seemingly Innocent Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore.]
Sun exposure takes a major toll on skin’s appearance. You’re likely to see more dark spots on areas continually exposed to the sun, such as your arms and legs rather than your chest or belly. Elasticity loss may be increased and skin can look weather-beaten. Be sure to use sunscreen and wear a hat when facing the sun’s rays.
Skin cancer is common among older adults, says Dr. Margaret Parsons, an associate clinical professor at the University of California-Davis, and a dermatology consultant in Sacramento. She sees non-melanoma types of cancer, such as basal and squamous cell cancer, but also melanoma, which can be lethal. “We’re always screening for melanoma, because we see a lot of skin cancer in our 70-and-older crowd,” she says.
Smoking is notorious for its aging impact on skin — a combination of thinning, discoloring, drying and wrinkling. Preserving healthy skin is yet another reason to quit smoking.
Moisturize, Don’t Scratch
Dry skin, also known as xerosis, can affect anyone but it’s especially common with aging, often showing up on the forearms and lower legs. Dry skin feels rough and looks flaky and dull. As dryness increases, fine cracks or fissures can form in the skin.
Itchiness, or pruritus, often goes along with dry skin. “If our skin gets dry, we itch and we scratch at it,” Parsons says. “When we scratch, we traumatize the skin.”
Moisturizing regularly with lotion helps prevent dry skin. Lotions containing alpha hydroxy acid, such as lactic acid or glycolic acid, may offer added protection, Parsons says.
Good moisturizing creams for dry skin include Vanicream, CeraVe and Cetaphil, according to the Mayo Clinic website.
Also, take it easy on your skin. If possible, take fewer baths, and use lukewarm rather than hot water. Be gentle instead of rubbing with a washcloth, and avoid harsh skin cleansers and irritating soap. If you live in a dry climate, consider using a humidifier at home.
Layer by Layer
Skin cells, protein and pigment cells, or melanocytes, make up the outer layer of your skin, or epidermis. With age, the epidermis grows thinner.
Blood vessels, hair follicles, nerve cells and oil (or sebaceous) glands make up your middle skin layer, or dermis. Blood vessels gradually decrease in number, reducing circulation to the skin. As glands become less active, skin gets dryer.
Fat cells and sweat glands help make up the inner, or subcutaneous layer. As the fat pad shrinks with age, your skin loses protection from damage (and insulation against the cold). Collagen fibers throughout the three layers, which keep the skin elastic and toned, are also affected. Changes in skin collagen can cause lines and wrinkles to form.
In women, hormonal changes after menopause also lead to skin thinning and loss of elasticity. That may pave the way for wrinkles and sagging skin.
[See: 11 Changes Women Go Through in Menopause.]
Many patients have questions about benign, age-related growths, Parsons says. Seborrheic keratoses is the medical term for tan or brown wart-like growths that often occur on the head, neck, back or chest. While these growths don’t pose a health hazard, she says, if appearance is a concern, they can be treated by freezing with liquid nitrogen, known as cryotherapy.
Even young adults can notice indications that their skin is becoming more fragile, says Dr. Joel L. Cohen, director of AboutSkin Dermatology in Greenwood Village, Colorado. It depends on exposure to the elements, he says: “Living in Colorado with 320 days of sunshine, we see people starting to be concerned about lines and wrinkles really in their 20s.”
With older adults, he says, motivation to seek help for cosmetic concerns often results from “brutally honest” comments from grandchildren, like, “What’s that big brown spot you have?”
“The first important thing is to come see a dermatologist and make sure it’s OK and the pigmented lesion is not a melanoma,” Cohen says. Benign pigmented lesions don’t need to be removed for medical reasons, he says, but it’s common to remove them cosmetically.
Beware of Bruises
It’s unsettling when arm or leg bruises seem to appear out of nowhere and take forever to heal. “It may be deep, purple bruising that takes a month to clear,” Parsons says. “It can happen from bumping into the doorway while walking down the hall.”
Aspirin and other blood-thinning medications such as Coumadin, Xarelto or Eliquis — often prescribed to seniors — make people more susceptible to bruising and bleeding. So, bumping a shin or forearm on a doorway becomes more problematic.
[See: 10 Health Pros and Cons of Aspirin.]
Long sleeves and long pants provide a layer of protection for seniors at risk of bruising, Parsons says. People with mobility issues should consider using canes or walkers as needed to prevent injuries and falls.
In some cases, Cohen says, bruising could be due to an undiagnosed medical condition like von Willebrand disease, a bleeding disorder. In another scenario, he says, a rash-like breakout on the skin could turn out to be mycosis fungoides, a type of lymphoma that affects the skin. Dermatologists can make the diagnosis.
When you’re not sure what skin condition you really have, it’s best to have it evaluated, Cohen says: “People can find out whether it’s benign and OK with no need for treatment — unless they want to discuss cosmetic options — versus things that may actually be concerning and need a biopsy to figure out exactly what’s going on and the next therapeutic steps.”
Talk to Your Doctor
Diabetes, thyroid problems and other medical conditions take an added toll on aging skin. With diabetes, a blister or break in the skin of the feet can lead to serious complications. If you have diabetes, see your primary care provider or your podiatrist for regular skin checks.
A variety of medications can compromise the skin. For instance, oral steroids to treat arthritis or asthma, or topical steroid creams, can make skin thinner and less elastic. Some drugs to treat high blood pressure or seizures can make skin more sensitive to the sun. Ask your doctor about related side effects from current medications or new prescriptions.
If you’re a young adult, it’s not too soon to think about skin aging, Parsons says: “It’s about protecting our skin proactively when we’re younger, so we don’t have as many issues as our parents and grandparents.”
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Paper-Thin Skin Care for Seniors originally appeared on usnews.com
