It is natural that our skin changes as we become older. Precisely speaking, as we age our skin loses fat, becomes thinner and does not appear to be as smooth and plum as it used to be before. In addition, it takes much longer for cuts, scratches or bumps to heal. At the same time, exposure to sunlight as well as tanning for long periods may even result in the skin becoming dry, development of wrinkles, age spots and also cancer.
The manner in which one's skin will age largely depends on various different factors, including his/ her diet, lifestyle, and hereditary as well as personal habits. For example, smoking possibly will generate detrimental free radicals - which were healthy molecules once, but have now become overactive and very unstable owing to the lack of an electron. These free radicals are very harmful for our health, as they damage the cells in our body, resulting in development of premature wrinkles, besides other skin issues.
Aside from the above mentioned reasons, there are other causes for the aging of our skin. The main factors responsible for spotted and wrinkled skin include the normal aging process, coming in contact with the sun for prolonged periods (photo-aging) as well as pollution. In addition, absence of subcutaneous support (which is actually fatty tissue between the muscles and skin) is also responsible for the changes that take place in our skin as we age. There are several other factors that are responsible for the aging of our skin too - such as gravity, stress, obesity, and daily facial movement. Although it may appear to be surprising to many, even sleep position is also sometimes responsible for the aging of our skin.
Several aged people usually endure dry spots that appear on their skin, generally on their elbows, lower arms and the lower portion of their legs. These dry skin patches make the areas rough and scaly. Several possible factors are responsible for dry spots or dry skin. These factors include drinking insufficient liquids, exposing oneself to extremely dry air, feeling stress, smoking and also spending excessive time out in the sun or spending prolonged periods for sun tanning. Even lack of adequate sweat glands, which occurs naturally with age, is another factor responsible for dry skin.
A number of health conditions like kidney disease and/ or diabetes may also contribute to dry skin. Employing excessive soap, perfume or antiperspirant and even taking hot baths may cause dry skin to become worse.
In addition, use of specific medications can also make the skin irritated. Since the skin of older people is relatively thinner, they may often experience bleeding due to scratching. Such bleedings may in turn lead to infections. Hence, it is important to consult your physician if you have an extremely dry and itchy skin.
However, there are a number of means which can help you to alleviate the problems associated with dry skin and keep the skin more hydrated. First and foremost, you should always use moisturizers like creams, lotions and/ or ointments daily. At the same time, you need to take fewer baths and also use soaps that are relatively milder. Using warm water instead of hot water will prove to be helpful in alleviating dry skin. Moreover, if you have dry skin, you should ensure that you never add any bath oil to your water, as it will make the water very slippery. If it is possibly, you should use a humidifier, which is basically an appliance that increases the amount of moisture in a room.
Earlier known as "liver spots", age spots are actually brown spots that are usually attributed to spending long hours in the sun. These spots are larger compared to freckles and usually appear in the body areas like the face, hands, feet and back. You may be successful in avoiding more of such spots form appearing by using a wide range of sunscreen that is useful in protecting us against two different types of sun's rays.
Skin tags are another sign of aging skin. They are small and generally flesh-colored skin growths having an elevated surface. As people age, they become very widespread, especially among women. Usually, skin tags are present on the eyelids, and body folds like the chest, armpit and groins. In addition, they are also common on the neck.
While skin tags and age spots are generally harmless, at times, the skin tags may turn out to be aggravated. In case you are bothered by skin tags and age spots, it is advisable that you consult your physician and get them removed.
In addition, you can include creams and lotions containing natural ingredients in your anti-aging skin care regimen. You will find them to be beneficial in diminishing wrinkles and fine lines as they are made from natural ingredients. Apart from reducing the fine lines and wrinkles these creams and lotions may also help to tighten and firm up the sagging skin.
It is worth mentioning here that Elma Skin Revitalizer is an excellent skin care product for naturally aging skin. This cream contains amazing natural ingredients like coconut oil, calendula, shea butter, jasmine oil, plantain and narrow leaf plantain.