Common skin problems over-60s face

You might have noticed that your skin has undergone a few changes as you’ve reached your 60s and beyond. It’s natural and depending on the lifestyle you’ve led is just how dramatic those changes are.

The biggest cause of skin damage is obviously sun exposure. If you spent hours tanning under the sun’s rays as a youngster you will no doubt have noticed that your skin isn’t as tight as it once was. You might have a few more wrinkles than you would otherwise like, and you may have patches where you skin has been frozen, burnt or cut as a result of having cancers removed.

Read more: Six tips to soothe your sunburnt skin

Did you know that there are several skin changes that occur as you get older, including dry our rough skin, growths such as cherry angiomas, sagging skin, and transparent or thin skin.

Wrinkles

Obviously wrinkles are the most obvious sign your skin is ageing. They can occur as a result of your facial expressions, sun damage, smoking, dehydration, medication you might be taking, and even as a result of your genetic make-up.

There’s no way to ‘cure’ wrinkles, but if you are particularly concerned about the appearance of your wrinkles you can undergo treatment that will soften the look of them. Medications that contain retinoids derived from vitamin A are said to help, but there are also surgical options such as dermabrasion, laser therapy, botox, chemical peels and facelifts.

Read more: Natural ways to repair sun damaged skin

Dry skin

Dry skin can be uncomfortable, it can cause your skin to become itchy, scaly and even crack so while it might seem obvious, the best thing you can do is moisturise. Moisturisers are good at trapping the moisture thereby keeping your skin hydrated.

You can have naturally dry skin, but even those of you who have oily skin can develop dry skin every now and again. It’s most common on your hands, feet, arms and legs and can be caused by exposure to certain environmental conditions, hot water, or chemicals. Dry skin can also be a result of an underlying medical condition — such a diabetes, kidney disease or liver disease.

Read more: What your skin is telling you about your inner health

Age spots

You’ll know age spots by the brown patches that appear on your skin, but especially on the sun-exposed parts of your body (the face, hands, arms, legs). They occur when your skin is exposed to the sun and while they are generally harmless you might want to be rid of them because they don’t make you feel good about your appearance.

Read more: Five home remedies to tackle your age spots

Bedsores

Bedsores are more commonly found when pressure has been applied from lying in bed or sitting in a chair for a long period of time. If you have difficulty moving on your own this is a condition you need to be aware of. If you have diabetes you are also at an increased risk of developing bedsores because your circulation is diminished and you have a decreased sense of feeling in your skin.

Ensuring you don’t end up with bedsores is relatively simple though — keep moving. Be sure you rotate your sitting or sleeping position to help you prevent bedsores.

Have you encountered any of these common skin complaints? Do you have a routine you follow to keep your skin looking good? Share it with us.