How to treat aging skin

Changes in our skin as we age

As we get older the skin can become drier, less supple and elastic with some degree of thinning. In part this is due to changing hormone production. The thinner skin can be susceptible to bruising and tearing while itching, cracking and scaling can all be a problem. The signs of aging become more evident on our skin with increased roughness and wrinkling and uneven pigmentation.

Care should be taken that so called age spots are checked carefully as precancerous and cancerous lesions can occur in aged and photo aged skin – if you are unsure, get your skin checked by your doctor. Age spots are more related to accumulative sun damage than due to aging.

Skin care for older skin

Your skin requires different skin care as you age. If you had oily skin when you were younger it is now this becomes a benefit more than a problem. Your skin will be less prone to dryness from aging and may well have developed less lining and wrinkling. As we grow older, our skin doesn’t produce new cells at the same pace and this reduced cell turnover rate means our skin does not have the fresh glowing look of when we were younger. Daily moisturising with a moisturiser that effectively hydrates will plump the skin cells and give a fresher look.

What to do?

• If you smoke – stop smoking and help not to accelerate the aging of your skin.

• Good nutrition is important – try to eat a healthy well balanced diet with the good oils included such as olive oil, fish oils from salmon and tuna, flaxseed oil and avocado fruit or oil. All will help to keep aging skin supple and smooth.

• Treat your skin gently with an effective moisturiser that will help provide all day hydration – hydrate your body as well, dehydration shows on the skin.

• Changing hormone production can be treated naturally with certain herbs and supplements or hormone replacement therapy can be sought through a doctor.  Balancing hormones can have a positive effect on the skin.

• Use cleansers that are creamy and have no drying ingredients such as soap and detergents.

• Sun protection is as important now as it ever was – use a sunscreen when outdoors.

A Winter Dry Skin Plan

Why does the skin dry out in winter?

Some of us suffer from dry skin all year round but for some people dry skin only becomes a problem in winter, in the coldest months of the year. Cold weather can wreak havoc with our skin making it dry, itchy and uncomfortable.  In fact there is a skin condition commonly called winter itch that happens when the skin becomes dried out and irritated in the winter months. Even though the weather can be wet and cold the skin often becomes dried out as we live with central heating which sucks all the moisture out of the air. If we use alternative heat sources, we often sit too close which also has a drying affect on the skin – particularly our faces as this is the part that is uncovered and exposed.

Often we don’t think about moisturising our skin in winter as it is not exposed and on show as it is in the summertime but one of the best things we can do is to moisturise daily. Dry skin is due to lack of moisture so we are adding this back. If we moisturise when the skin is damp after a bath or shower, it will help to trap moisture in the skin. Winter itch can be aggravated by hot water and cleansers that have soaps and detergents as ingredients as these dry out the skin making it worse

Dry Skin Treatment Plan

• Moisturise daily, choose a creamy moisturiser that fully hydrates the skin.

• Dry skin can often be sensitive too, so choose a moisturiser with no irritating ingredients such as colours or perfumes.

• Cleanse gently with a cleanser that does not strip the skin of natural oils that help keep it supple and smooth in the winter months.

• Have lukewarm baths and showers – we tend to have longer, hotter ones in winter that dry out the skin.

• Have a humidifier in the home or at the least bowls of water in the bedroom to help counteract the drying affects of heating in the home.

• Protect your face from the wind and re apply an effective moisturiser if you do need to be outside.

• Treat the skin gently when washing and pat rather than rub dry.

• Seek medical advice if the skin if the mild discomfort of dry skin becomes more severe or the skin cracks or bleeds.

Dry Skin Treatment

What are some of the causes of dry skin?

The medical term for dry skin is Xerosis and can be both hereditary and experienced from birth, or may develop later in life. Some people suffer from dry skin all their lives caused by a condition called ichthyosis, commonly called fish- scale skin often seen on the lower legs. The skin forms large dry scaly patches, hence the name. Long standing skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis can cause itchy, dry skin and can be a problem from childhood on.

Getting older itself can cause skin to dry out as our hormones levels change and the condition of our skin changes with it. Prescribed and non prescribed medications can cause the skin to be dry and therefore irritation and itching of the skin can happen or make existing dry skin conditions worse. Other causes of dry skin relate to environmental and lifestyle choices we make that we do have some control such as the ones  listed below.

Where does dry skin most commonly occur?

Dry skin can affect all areas of the body and is most common in the exposed parts of the body. Dry skin is most common on the face, legs, elbows, hands, forearms and between the shoulder blades on the back.

Dry Skin Treatment – What makes dry skin worse?

• Dry air from central heating or air conditioning
• Swimming in chlorinated water
• Dehydration
• Smoking
• Long, hot showers or baths
• Over exposure to the sun
• A moisturiser that is not effective for dry skin
• Using cleanser with harsh drying detergents
• Hot and cold winds
• Skin products with alcohol
• Excess alcohol

Dry skin and Ayuvedic Medicine

According to the principles of Ayuvedic  medicine, a traditional form of Indian healing, dry skin is caused by vata dosha. Increased vata dosha reduces kapha in the body which is what keeps the skin soft and oiled, supple and smooth. Vata dosha has the opposite effect and an excess makes the skin rough and dry.

Conditions which raise vata dosha

• Late nights and not enough sleep.

• Eating irregularly.

• Excess physical exertion.

• Excess mental exertion.

• Eating too much spicy, dry, hot and bitter foods.

• Exposure to cold and dry climates.

Ayuvedic advice for Dry Skin

• Do not overheat the body by the fire.

• Do not have prolonged exposure to cold weather.

• Avoid, fried, stale and dried out foods.

• Include salt and sour foods in the diet.

• Include a little oil or ghee in each meal.

• Eat fruits that are sweet and juicy such as mangoes and oranges.

• Moisturise the body with massage oils.

• Drink warm water as cold water increases vata in the body.

Dry skin and diet

If dry, flaky skin is a problem for you, then apart from external factors such as wind, exposure, heating and air conditioning, excessive bathing and using harsh soaps, you also need to consider internal factors such as diet. ‘We are what we eat’ also holds true for the skin. Internal causes include reduced functioning of the glands that provide oil to the skin caused by a poor diet.

How does diet affect my skin?

A diet that is low in healthy foods and high in overly refined and processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, sugar and ‘bad’ fats will result in unhealthy skin. The better we eat – the better our skin will look. Foods that are high in water content and an adequate water intake will all help to hydrate and therefore plump the skin cells.

Fresh unprocessed foods have vitamins and minerals that help promote optimal functioning of the oil glands, keeping the skin supple and smooth. Supporting the lipid barrier keeps the skin supple and smooth and therefore less moisture is lost and the skin is less dry.

What to avoid:

• Highly refined processed foods.
• Excess caffeine and alcohol as they have a diuretic action.
• Low daily water intake.
• A diet high in fat and sugar, avoid fried foods.
• Artificial sweeteners.

What to include:

• Eat raw foods for the high water content.
• Water based fruit such as watermelon, cantaloupe and oranges.
• Water based vegetables such as cucumber, tomatoes and peppers.
• Foods that contain sulphur like eggs, garlic and asparagus.
• Flaxseeds, ground or as an oil, extra virgin cold pressed oil.
• Avocados – that help the oil glands to lubricate the skin.
• Adequate hydration, particularly in hot climates or when exercising.
• Foods from all the spectrum of colours for antioxidants to help fight free radicals that damage the skin.

What do I avoid if I have dry skin?

Mild dry skin can feel tight and uncomfortable but when it becomes more severe can have patches of red and flaking skin that are more obvious and embarrassing.  The skin can be quite sensitive as well so care should be taken to avoid irritating the skin as well as avoiding products that will dry out the skin. External causes or what are called environmental factors are things we can avoid to help our dry skin becoming worse Some of these include hot and cold winds, excessive sun exposure, showers or baths that are too long or too hot, air conditioning and central heating and using skin care products that are not suitable for dry skin.

There are causes of dry skin that we can control that are  internal such as hydration and diet. Avoiding dehydration is a must for people with dry skin. Drinking adequate water is essential and the amount should be enough to combat the amount of water our bodies naturally lose each day. If we are in a hot climate or exercise, the amount of water we drink needs to compensate for this. Choosing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables to include in our daily food intake will also increase our water intake.

• Keep your baths and showers short.  Baths and showers can actually be drying for the skin – it temporarily adds moisture but we lose some of the lipid layer and this causes the skin to become even drier.

• Use lukewarm rather than hot water for the same reason

• Pat dry gently rather than rub with a towel.

• Avoid using skin care products with alcohol, perfumes, colourings and other ingredients that may be irritating. Dry skin is often sensitive.

• Avoid cleansers with soap or detergents in them.

• Prolonged exposure to heating and air conditioning and winds.

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