Test Your Knowledge Here

by Gary Applebaum, M.D.
Special Advisor on Health Policy to Erickson

Our skin undergoes a lot of wear and tear. Complaints commonly voiced as people age include dry and itchy skin, sagging skin, color changes, wrinkles, and the infamous "age spots."

For this article, I’ll tackle two of the most common skin-related concerns among older people: dry skin and skin cancers.

Fighting Dry Skin

Dry skin becomes more common as we age. Skin loses oil glands, so frequent baths or showers (especially with harsh soaps) make the condition worse. Your skin may be sensitive to certain cosmetics or fabrics. Many medications can cause itchiness.

Whatever the cause of dry skin, here are some tips from Erickson HealthSM on how to take care of it:

• Not everyone needs a full bath or shower every day. Instead, try taking a sponge bath, especially in the winter. 
• Use a mild perfumed soap and apply a simple moisturizing lotion to itchy areas after bathing. Moisturizer may be needed up to twice daily.

If your medications are causing dry skin, speak to your physician about alternatives.

Take Skin Cancer Seriously

One of the greatest skin concerns is skin cancer. It affects 1.5 million Americans, with men over 50 among those at greatest risk.

The Skin Cancer Foundation says a person’s risk of developing skin cancer doubles if he/she has had five or more sunburns. Lighter skinned people, especially blondes and redheads, are most easily burned, but that doesn’t mean other ethnicities shouldn’t be careful. Even dark skin can experience skin damage.

The deadliest form of skin cancer are melanomas, which are almost always malignant. They are ten times more prevalent than they were 60 years ago, but the good news is they are still the least common form of skin cancer, affecting only about 51,000 people each year. Even better, melanomas can be 100 percent curable if caught early.

Sun Exposure: Foe . . . AND Friend