Columbia Aged Care Services

The Better Health Channel provides great tips on age-related skin conditions.
Some of the signs of ageing skin can include:
• Thinning – the basal cell layer of the epidermis slows its rate of cell production and thins the epidermis. The dermis may become thinner. Together, these changes mean skin is more likely to crepe and wrinkle.
• Sagging – older skin produces less elastin and collagen, which means it is more likely to sag and droop. Older skin is particularly vulnerable to the effects of gravity – for example, jowls along the jaw and bags under the eyes are simply skin that has yielded to gravity.
• Wrinkles – reduced elastin and collagen, and the thinning of skin, mean those ‘high traffic’ areas of the face (like the eyes and mouth) are especially prone to lines and wrinkles.
• Age spots – the remaining pigment cells (melanocytes) tend to increase in certain areas and cluster together, forming what’s known as age or liver spots. Areas that have been exposed to the sun, such as the backs of the hands, are particularly prone to age spots.
• Dryness – older skin has fewer sweat glands and oil glands. This can make the skin more prone to dryness-related conditions, such as roughness and itching.
• Broken blood vessels – blood vessels in older, thinner skin are more likely to break and bruise. They may also become permanently widened. This is commonly known as broken vessels.

Age-related skin conditions
Some skin conditions are more likely to develop as we get older. These can include:
• Seborrhoeic keratosis – a type of benign skin tumour that looks like a brown wart.
• Solar keratoses – spots of skin that are inflamed, scaly and dry. Common sites include the bridge of the nose, cheeks, upper lip and backs of the hands. Skin cancer (squamous cell) can develop in them, so examination by a doctor is advised.
• Bowen’s disease – a type of slow-growing and scaly skin patch. It may be a pre-cancerous change. Sun exposure is thought to be a cause.
• Skin cancer – including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.

Risk reduction strategies
Ways to reduce the signs of ageing include:
• Limit sun exposure – sun exposure leads to premature ageing of the skin, known as photoageing. If you want proof, compare the skin on your hands with that on your buttocks. Wear a hat, loose fitting clothes, sunglasses and SPF15+ sunscreen when outdoors, and avoid sunbathing.
• Don’t smoke – cigarette smoking promotes skin wrinkling and is thought to accelerate the damage caused by sun exposure. The action of puckering up for each drag on a cigarette increases the likelihood of wrinkles around the mouth.
• Eat a healthy diet – a healthy, well-balanced diet is as important for healthy skin as it is for a healthy body.
• Care for skin gently – avoid harsh skin irritants such as perfumed soaps, heavily chlorinated swimming pools and long hot showers. Use neutral pH balanced soaps, body washes or equivalents.
• Moisturise regularly – dry skin is more likely to show fine lines and wrinkles. Moisturise regularly if you have dry skin.
• Seek medical advice if necessary – skin complaints, such as acne or eczema, can be diagnosed and treated by your general practitioner or dermatologist.