WHAT CHANGES AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
You probably expect a few things to change as you get older. Your hair may turn gray. You may need reading glasses. And somehow, getting up from the floor becomes a little more interesting than it used to be.
Your skin ages too.
Wrinkles and age spots are the obvious changes, but there is much more happening underneath the surface. Skin becomes thinner, drier, less elastic, and easier to injure. Cuts may take longer to heal. Bruises seem to appear after bumps you barely remember.
Some of this is simply biology. But—and this is the important part—you have more control over how your skin ages than you might think.
Let’s look at what happens to your skin after 50 and what I recommend doing about it.
Why Does Skin Change as We Age?
Think of young skin as a thick, well-padded mattress. It contains plenty of collagen for strength and elastin to help it spring back into place.
As we age, some of that support structure gradually disappears.
The skin produces less collagen and elastin. The layer of fat beneath the skin becomes thinner in some areas. Oil and sweat glands become less active, and the skin holds onto moisture less effectively.
The result?
Skin gradually becomes thinner, drier, looser, and more fragile.
Blood vessels also become more delicate. That is one reason you may look down at your hand or forearm and wonder: Where did that bruise come from?
Often, you honestly have no idea.
The Sun Has a Long Memory
There are really two major forces aging your skin.
The first is intrinsic aging—the normal biological aging process.
The second is photoaging, or damage caused by years of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Those afternoons at the pool when you were 25 may have seemed harmless. Your skin remembers them even if you don’t.
Over decades, ultraviolet exposure contributes to wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, age spots, loss of elasticity, and the rougher texture we associate with older skin.
More importantly, accumulated UV exposure increases the risk of skin cancer.
Dr. Mike’s Take
You cannot change how much sun you got 30 or 40 years ago. But protecting your skin today still matters. It is never too late to start taking better care of your skin.
What Can You Actually Do?
You don’t need a bathroom cabinet filled with expensive anti-aging products.
I would concentrate on a handful of things that actually matter.
1. Protect Your Skin From the Sun
If you do only one thing for your skin, make it this.
Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 on exposed skin when you are going to be outside. Don’t forget commonly missed areas such as your ears, neck, scalp if your hair is thinning, and the backs of your hands.
And remember that sunscreen isn’t your only defense. A hat, sunglasses, long sleeves, shade, and avoiding prolonged exposure during the strongest sunlight can all help.
This isn’t about avoiding the outdoors. I want you outdoors, walking, gardening, exercising, and enjoying your life.
Just protect your skin while you’re doing it.
2. Moisturize—Especially After Bathing
Older skin loses moisture more easily, which is why dry, itchy skin becomes increasingly common with age.
A good moisturizer doesn’t have to be fancy.
Creams and ointments generally retain moisture better than thin lotions. Ingredients such as ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid can help the skin retain water.
One of the best times to moisturize is right after bathing, while the skin is still slightly damp.
You’re essentially helping lock that water into the skin.
3. Stop Taking Very Hot Showers
I know. A long, steaming shower feels wonderful.
Your skin may disagree.
Very hot water can strip away some of the natural oils that help protect your skin. If dryness and itching are becoming problems, try shorter showers with warm rather than very hot water.
Use a mild cleanser rather than aggressively scrubbing your entire body with harsh soap.
Your skin doesn’t need to be squeaky clean.
It needs its protective barrier.
4. Don’t Smoke
If you smoke, your skin is another reason to quit.
Smoking accelerates skin aging by contributing to collagen breakdown and reducing healthy blood flow to the skin. Over time, that can contribute to premature wrinkles and poorer wound healing.
Of course, skin aging isn’t the biggest reason I want you to stop smoking. Your heart, lungs, brain, and blood vessels have a much stronger argument.
But your skin will appreciate it too.
5. Eat Like Your Skin Matters
There isn’t one magical “anti-aging food.”
Your skin benefits from the same eating pattern that benefits the rest of your body.
That means plenty of fruits and vegetables, adequate protein, whole grains, nuts, healthy fats, and relatively few highly processed foods.
Protein deserves special mention as we age because your body needs amino acids to maintain and repair tissues—including skin.
Vitamin C, zinc, vitamin A, essential fatty acids, and other nutrients also play roles in normal skin function.
But don’t assume that means you need a handful of “skin supplements.”
For most people, a nutritious diet is the place to start.
6. Be Skeptical of Anti-Aging Claims
The skin-care industry is very good at marketing.
A $150 jar with words like rejuvenating, age-defying, and cellular renewal printed on the label may sound impressive.
That doesn’t necessarily mean it can turn 70-year-old skin into 30-year-old skin.
No cream can completely reverse biological aging.
Some topical products do have evidence behind them. Retinoids, for example, can improve fine wrinkles and certain signs of sun damage. But they can also irritate the skin, particularly when you first begin using them.
If you are interested in stronger anti-aging treatments, talk with a dermatologist rather than buying products based entirely on advertising.
Your wallet may age more gracefully too.
7. Pay Attention to Your Skin
This may be the most medically important recommendation in this article.
Get familiar with your skin.
Watch for a mole or spot that is:
- New
- Changing
- Growing
- Bleeding
- Not healing
- Different from your other spots
One useful memory tool for melanoma is ABCDE:
A — Asymmetry
One half doesn’t match the other.
B — Border
The edges are irregular or poorly defined.
C — Color
There are multiple or changing colors.
D — Diameter
Larger lesions deserve attention, although melanomas can also be small.
E — Evolving
The spot is changing in size, shape, color, or appearance.
A sore that repeatedly crusts, bleeds, or simply won’t heal also deserves evaluation.
When in doubt, show it to your doctor or dermatologist.
Remember This
A changing skin lesion is more important than a wrinkle.
Cosmetic changes may bother us, but identifying skin cancer early can make a major difference.
What About Wrinkles?
Wrinkles are part of aging. I wouldn’t make eliminating every wrinkle the goal.
Instead, concentrate on keeping your skin healthy, comfortable, protected, and functioning well.
Sun protection can slow additional photoaging. Moisturizer can improve dryness and temporarily improve the appearance of fine lines. Retinoids and certain dermatologic procedures can improve some signs of aging if that is important to you.
But wrinkles themselves aren’t a disease. They are partly the receipt for having lived a few decades.
The Bottom Line
Your skin changes as you age. It becomes thinner, drier, more fragile, and more vulnerable to the cumulative effects of sun exposure.
You can’t stop that process completely. But you can influence it.
Protect your skin from the sun. Moisturize regularly. Avoid very hot showers and harsh soaps. Don’t smoke. Eat a nutritious diet with adequate protein. Be skeptical of miracle anti-aging products. And pay attention to new or changing skin lesions.
You don’t need perfect skin at 60, 70, or 80. You want healthy skin that will continue protecting you for the years ahead.
And that is a goal worth working toward.
Dr. Mike’s Prescription
This week, make one simple change: put a bottle of SPF 30+ broad-spectrum sunscreen somewhere you will actually see it before you go outside.
Next to your walking shoes, golf clubs, gardening gloves, or front door works just fine.
The best skin-care routine isn’t the most expensive one.
It’s the one you’ll actually follow.