Caring for Aging Skin

Our skin is the main thing other people see and is the first thing that most people are concerned about displaying signs of aging.

As our skin ages, it becomes thinner, which can add to the appearance of wrinkles. We lose fat, elasticity, and moisture. Scratches and bumps often take longer to heal and are more visible. Depending on the sun exposure we’ve subjected our skin to throughout our lives, we may see more ragged dryness, age spots, even cancer. The routine that we might have used when we were younger is no longer applicable.

Common Skin Changes

As we age, here are a few things we might notice about our skin. Most are normal and not usually cause for alarm:

• Drier

• Thinner and paper-like

• Itchy

• More age spots, wrinkles and creases

• Blotchier

• More easily irritated

• More susceptible to skin infections

• Bruises more easily

• Sweats less

• Heals more slowly

Some easy changes to make to your overall skin cleansing routine include:

• Switch from bar soap to a creamy, fragrance-free cleanser or emollient.

• Use warm, not hot, water.

• Change to a soft cloth rather than a brush or buff puff to clean skin.

• Shorten bath or shower time to 10 minutes.

• Pat rather than rub when toweling off – even leave a bit of water on the skin.

• Apply a creamy, fragrance-free hydrolyzing moisturizer for dry skin to moist skin immediately after bathing (then reapply as needed throughout the day).