Skin Care For Older Adult Skin

For the first part of your life, you probably didn't care that much about your skin. You might remember wiggling around, anxious to get into the pool or run down the beach, while your mother attempted to smear sunscreen on your body. Sure, getting sunburned hurts, but otherwise, it didn't matter much to you. But skin changes as you get older -- just ask any adolescent whose baby-smooth, flawless exterior has been transformed by the arrival of acne. Even then, you might be worried more about how that pimple affects your chances of a date than the actual health of your skin.

Just about everything that you do to your skin during the course of your lifetime will leave some lasting impression, but the internal aging process is something that happens naturally. Wrinkles, thinning, sagging and dryness are all part of this process. As your skin ages, it doesn't replace itself as quickly. Elastin and collagen, the proteins that keep your skin strong and elastic, are produced more slowly. And you can't stop these changes from happening. Even at what age they start largely depends on your genes -- if your mother started getting wrinkles in her 30s, it's likely that you will, too.

External aging, however, is due to the factors we can control, like those childhood sunburns. Exposure to the sun definitely ages your skin -- and it can have even more devastating consequences beyond wrinkles, age spots and a leathery look. Smoking, your diet and repetitive facial expressions also play a part. If you furrow your brow a lot, for example, you'll probably get wrinkles on your forehead. We'll look at all of the ways that you can prevent some of the side effects of aging skin, as well as learn how to treat different skin conditions associated with aging skin. Let's start with the basics: a skin care regimen. If you check out the skin care aisle at your local drugstore, you might get overwhelmed, but taking care of your skin doesn't have to mean buying a ton of products or spending a lot of money. All you really need is a cleanser, a moisturizer and a sunscreen. Whether you choose to use other products is entirely up to you.

Keep in mind that taking care of your skin isn't just about facial skin. The skin on your body is very different from the skin on your face. If you have oily facial skin but are prone to dry skin on your arms, a single soap isn't going to work for both. Aging skin also tends to be thinner and more delicate on the face and hands. You may want to use a nonsoap cleanser on these areas. Soaps sometimes contain harsh detergents that strip away too much of your skin's natural oils, leaving it dry and tight. Many people don't think that they need to use a moisturizer because they have oily skin, but you need to restore whatever moisture has been removed through washing or external aging factors like the sun. If you have oily skin, look for a light, oil-free moisturizer lotion. People with dry skin need heavier creams. There are also heavy creams for areas of the body that are especially prone to dryness and flaking, such as the elbows, knees and heels. The skin is thicker in these places and is exposed to a lot of stress.

Sunscreen should be worn daily, no matter what your plans. You probably know to apply it to your face, ears and neck, but your arms and hands can also suffer from exposure. The skin on the back of your hands sometimes shows signs of aging faster than facial skin because it tends to be neglected. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15, but if you know that you burn easily or you're going to spend an extended amount of time in the sun, go with a higher number. You can usually find moisturizers with added sunscreen.

One of the biggest things you can do to keep your skin healthy is to avoid the sun, or more specifically, the ultraviolet radiation given off by the sun. Although we often associate sunburns with warm-weather activities like swimming or playing sports, you can just as easily get a sunburn in the winter. In addition to using sunscreen, you can minimize sun damage, called photoaging, by wearing hats and cover-ups when outside for long periods of time. Extreme photoaging can also lead to skin cancer, which can be fatal. While you're avoiding the sun (and tanning beds, too) you should put down your cigarette. The repetitive facial expressions that you make when you smoke -- pinching your lips around the cigarette, squinting when the smoke blows into your eyes -- cause wrinkles. In addition, nicotine damages the collagen and elastin in your skin and reduces the blood flow in the vessels near its surface.