Tips for skin care in the elderly - Nexofin

With age, the skin thins, loses fat and spots and wrinkles appear. In addition to thickness, the dermis loses elasticity, becoming more sensitive to external agents and increasing the presence of diseases such as herpes zoster, or keratosis, among others.

Aging will be more evident if you have sunbathed a lot throughout your life, if you smoke or if there are also other pathologies such as diabetes or kidney disease.

These are some of the most common skin problems in older people:

Photoaging: produced by exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Fine and coarse wrinkles, irregular pigmentation, roughness, brownish spots, yellowing, and small superficial blood vessels appear.

Pruritus or itching: it is usually caused by dry skin (xerosis), so it is recommended to be extremely hydrated in the elderly. Itching can also come from diseases such as contact dermatitis, scabies, anemia, liver diseases, etc. To prevent it, it is recommended to use mild soaps, Vaseline, emollients, creams and lotions with urea or lactic acid, which help eliminate flaking, keep the skin hydrated and relieve itching.

Herpes zoster: This is an infection caused by a virus and is characterized by the appearance of a reddish rash on the skin, on which painful vesicles appear, which dry and become scabs.

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Rashes: These are drug-induced, acne rosacea, venous ulcers, etc.

Benign tumors (especially keratosis or seborrheic warts), pre-malignant skin lesions, melanoma and malignant tumors are broadly the most frequent complications.

Tips to take care of it

Hydration: it needs extra hydration as water needs increase in old age. It is recommended to drink two and a half liters a day, increase the intake of fruits and vegetables and use specific moisturizing creams. It is advisable to avoid dry environments, using humidifiers at home.

Hygiene: it is recommended to use very mild soaps, shower and/or wash with lukewarm water, pat dry with a towel and apply moisturizing cream while the skin is still damp. Use exfoliants made with natural products applied through gentle massages.

Sun protection: the sun causes photoaging and its harmful effects are cumulative (the older you are, the greater the risk of developing melanoma or skin cancer). It is recommended to use very high sun protection factors and avoid the sun as much as possible by using hats and loose cotton clothing and light colors.

Source: Sanifarma