Skin conditions can affect us at any stage of our life – and some babies are even born with certain skin conditions that can be unpleasant and painful. But, the reality is, as we age, our skin changes and becomes more prone to developing certain types of dermatological disease.
In this article, we’ll explain why Baby Boomers are prone to developing certain skin conditions and what you can do to keep your skin in good condition as you grow old.
Why Are Boomers More Prone to Skin Conditions?
We’ve already mentioned that changes to our skin as we age make us increasingly prone to developing certain types of dermatological disease – but what changes are we referring to exactly?
The main changes we’re talking about are our skin becoming less elastic, thinner, and less oily. All of these changes mean that our skin can get damaged more easily, takes longer to repair itself, and is more vulnerable to certain skin conditions.
Due to our skin becoming less oily, dry and itchy skin is much more prevalent among Baby Boomers than younger generations. Eczema and skin infections are also more common among older people for similar reasons.
Finally, non-cancerous tumors are also considerably more prevalent among Boomers and Generation Xers than younger Americans, so while it’s always important to get any tumor or lump on your body checked by a medical professional as soon as you discover it, you should try to remain calm and remember that there’s a good chance it might be benign.
How Can I Look After My Skin?
To have better and healthier skin as you grow old, you should start taking care of it as soon as possible. You should invest a good amount of time to develop a skincare regimen that works well for you – and this will invariably involve some level of trial and error until you find the perfect mix of products and frequency of applying these skincare products.
The easiest aspect of skin health to manage is to prevent it from becoming too dry. As mentioned, this becomes more of an issue as we age and it can contribute to a number of skin conditions, so it’s well worth taking this aspect of your skin’s health seriously.
Here are some things you can do to prevent your skin from drying out and becoming less elastic:
Moisturize
This is admittedly quite an obvious point to make, but if you want to avoid dry skin, using moisturizer should definitely be a core component of your skincare regimen. There are countless moisturizers out there, from formulated moisturizer products to things like castor oil and coconut oil.
The only way to find out what works well for you is by experimenting and keeping track of how effective each individual product is. It’s usually best to moisturize just after the shower, as this is typically when your skin is prone to becoming very dry.
In addition to preventing your skin from drying out, moisturizing can also help it retain some of its elasticity as you age.
Don’t Shower Too Frequently
Showering too often is a sure-fire way to upset your skin’s PH and dry it out. If you shower too frequently, you are likely to end up with dry skin regardless of how frequently you moisturize.
Everyone is different, but most experts agree that showering every other day is a good rule of thumb to stay clean without drying your skin out.
Use Alcohol Free Products
Alcohol is a solvent, so if you use a lot of products – like creams, body wash and shampoo – that contain alcohol, you’re likely to dry your skin out very quickly. So, it’s advisable for Baby Boomers to use alcohol-free products whenever possible.