read the professional advice on your skin management

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guide on your skin management

You may have been noticing the signs for a while: increased roughness, wrinkling, irregular pigmentation (coloration) or inelasticity. These are all normal changes in our skin as we age.

You may have enlarged sebaceous (oil) glands. Sometimes, precancerous and cancerous lesions can occur with aged and photoaged skin. Sunscreens and sun protection are important to prevent further progression of photoaging.

Your skin requires different skin care as you age. As we grow older, our skin doesn't produce new cells at the same pace. Environmental and biological factors take their toll. Often we develop enlarged pores, and the effects of the sun become evident in sunspots, freckles and wrinkles.

Here are two tips to enhance natural skin care as you grow older:

1. If you smoke, stop. Smoking has been shown to accelerate aging of skin, so quitting now is important for good skin health.
2. Eat a well-balanced diet -- with or without a multivitamin. A healthy diet helps the skin get the nutrition it needs to help repair ongoing damage from the sun and other environmental elements.

There are many topical nonprescription and prescription products available that help maintain and protect your skin's health. Ask your doctor or skin care specialist which medications are best for you.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Dermatology

Dry skin most often occurs on the shins, hands and sides of the abdomen. It is more common during the winter months, when humidity is low. Some people also have a genetic, or hereditary, tendency to develop dry skin. In addition, elderly people tend to have more trouble with dry skin due to the natural changes in skin that occur with age.

Treatment is important because extensively dry skin can lead to dermatitis, a more severe inflammation of the skin.

Dry skin may be prevented or treated by:

• Taking lukewarm baths or showers (instead of hot ones)
• Limiting baths/showers to 5 to 10 minutes
• Applying a moisturizer right after drying off from a shower or washing your hands
• Using a moisturizing body soap and hand soap
• Using heavier creams or ointments during the winter months and lighter lotions in the summer

How Do I know if I Have Dermatitis?

Dry skin is defined as flaking or scaling -- which may or may not be itchy -- when there is no evidence of dermatitis, or inflammation, of the skin. Some flaking along with redness, however, may be a sign of an underlying dermatitis. There are different types of dermatitis that may cause dry, itchy, flaking skin.

They include:

• Seborrheic dermatitis. This type involves a red, scaly, itchy rash on various areas of the body, particularly those areas that contain many oil glands. Seborrheic dermatitis can occur as scaling on the scalp, eyebrows and sides of the nose.
• Allergic contact dermatitis. This occurs when the skin comes into contact with a substance that causes an immune reaction, such as poison ivy. Allergic contact dermatitis of the hands often causes scaling on the fingers.
• Atopic dermatitis. Also known as eczema, this is a long-lasting type of dermatitis that often runs in families. It also may cause excessively dry, itchy skin.
• Athlete's foot. In many cases, athlete's foot, a fungal infection, shows up as dry flaking on the soles of the feet.
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