Why is it Important to Moisturize Aging Skin?

December 19, 2016

Aging can take a detrimental toll on your body. The effects of aging can be clearly seen when you look at a person’s skin. The reason why a person’s skin changes as they age involves a mixture of a bunch of physical processes within the body that are either starting to break down or starting to slow down.

For one thing, your body stops producing as much collagen as you get older. Collagen is key to keeping your skin looking healthy and elastic. Your body starts producing less elastin, and it also starts to produce less hyaluronic acid.

Hyaluronic acid is directly connected to your skin’s ability to maintain or to retain moisture. It is your body’s inability to produce a sufficient amount of hyaluronic acid that causes your skin to start to look rough, flaky or cracked as you get older. This is one of the reasons why it is so beneficial to moisturize aging skin.

Of course, just getting older is not a guarantee that you’re going to have dry skin. Dry skin also comes as a result of the environment that you are in. If you are in the sun a lot, your skin may dry out. If you are in an area that is full of pollutants, your skin will dry out. Other factors such as genetics and ethnicity also play a role.

The loss of moisture in your skin can begin as early as the age of 40. For this reason, it is important that early on you start to take steps to moisturize your skin. Skin moisturizers do not need to be expensive in order to work.

Most dermatologists recommend that older individuals use thicker moisturizers, as these tend to produce better results than thinner moisturizers, which are usually water-based. A water-based lotion, for example, is going to do very little to help you retain skin moisture.

One of the most important times to moisturize your skin is once you get out of the shower. Dermatologists often recommend that older individuals apply moisturizer to their aging skin about three minutes after they take a shower or after they take a bath. It is also recommended that they apply moisturizer to their skin more than once a day.

An important part of keeping your aging skin moisturized is using cleansers and soaps when you are in the shower. You do not want to use soaps that have a harsh detergent since these will suck the moisture right out of your skin.

It is also recommended that older individuals with dry skin avoid soaps that have a strong fragrance. Many of these include chemicals that can have a damaging effect to your skin’s moisture.

Generally speaking, aging skin tends to be rougher and drier. Taking steps to regularly moisturize your skin as you age is one of the best ways to keep your skin healthy. Schedule a consultation at Dr. Yeoman’s Dermatology Office in Poplar Bluff or Paragould so that our team can assess your skin and make recommendations for you. Contact us today to book a dermatology appointment.

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