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Diseases & conditions
Featured
Molluscum contagiosum: How to safely treat it Both the CDC and the FDA warn against treating this common childhood condition on your own with non-prescription treatments. See what they recommend.
JAK inhibitors: A newer type of medication JAK inhibitors are helping patients with alopecia areata, eczema/atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and vitiligo. Here’s what you need to know.
Everyday care
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Practice Safe Sun Everyone's at risk for skin cancer. These dermatologists' tips tell you how to protect your skin.
Relieve uncontrollably itchy skin Find out what may be causing the itch and what can bring relief.
Darker Skin Tones
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Fade dark spots Find out why dark spots appear and what can fade them.
Untreatable razor bumps or acne? If you have what feels like razor bumps or acne on the back of your neck or scalp, you may have acne keloidalis nuchae. Find out what can help.
Cosmetic treatments
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Laser hair removal You can expect permanent results in all but one area. Do you know which one?
Scar treatment If you want to diminish a noticeable scar, know these 10 things before having laser treatment.
Botox It can smooth out deep wrinkles and lines, but the results aren’t permanent. Here’s how long botox tends to last.
Public health programs
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Free materials to help raise skin cancer awareness Use these professionally produced online infographics, posters, and videos to help others find and prevent skin cancer.
Dermatologist-approved lesson plans, activities you can use Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying.
Find a dermatologist
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Find a Dermatologist You can search by location, condition, and procedure to find the dermatologist that’s right for you.
What is a dermatologist? A dermatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating the skin, hair, and nails. Dermatologists care for people of all ages.
During our 60s and 70s, skin can feel dry and irritated. This happens for many reasons, including that skin is thinner and loses water more easily. Medications and medical conditions can also play a role.
There is good news. The right skin care can improve how your skin feels — and looks.
Skin becomes drier with age
If your skin feels dry and irritated, the right skin care can help you feel more comfortable.
Skin care changes dermatologists recommend
When it comes to skin care in our 60s and 70s, dermatologists recommend making the following lifestyle changes if you haven’t already done so.
Bathe to relieve dry skin. Some simple changes to your bath time can reduce (or alleviate) dry, itchy skin and prevent dry, itchy from becoming a serious problem. Here’s what you can do:
- Wash with a gentle, fragrance-free, moisturizing bar soap, cleanser, or body wash. Doing so will help soothe rather than dry your skin. Moisturizing ingredients that can help reduce dryness include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and lanolin.
- Use warm (not hot) water. Hot water strips skin of its natural oils, which can increase skin dryness.
- Use a soft cloth to wash your skin. A buff puff or bath brush can irritate your skin.
- Keep your bath or shower short. You may find that you don’t need to bathe every day. When you bathe, keep it short. Take a 5- to 10-minute bath or shower.
- Pat water gently from your skin after bathing, but leave a bit of water on your skin. Having some water on your skin when you apply moisturizer (next step) helps hydrate your skin.
- Apply a creamy, fragrance-free moisturizer formulated for dry skin within 3 minutes of bathing and throughout the day. Moisturizing helps ease the dryness and restore your skin’s protective barrier. When your skin feels very dry, dermatologists recommend using an ointment instead of a cream. An ointment does a better job of holding water in your skin than does a cream.
Skip the bath oil
You increase your risk of slips and falls when you use bath oil to moisturize your skin, so it's best to avoid bath oil.
Use a humidifier when the air feels dry. Heating and air conditioning can strip humidity from the air. Dry air can make your skin feel dry and itchy.
Keeping indoor humidity between 45% and 60% can reduce dry, itchy skin. You can easily measure the humidity in the air with a hydrometer, which you can buy at a hardware or home-improvement store.How skin can change in your 60s and 70s
Everyone ages differently, but during this time in your life, you may notice that your skin is:
- Drier
- Thinner and starting to look paper-like
- Itchy
- Developing more age spots, wrinkles, and creases
- Blotchier
- Irritated easily
- More susceptible to skin infections
- Bruising more easily
- Sweating less
- Healing more slowly
Wear gloves while doing housework and gardening. Working around your house and in your garden can expose your skin to harsh chemicals, sunlight, and other things that can irritate and dry your skin.
When you wear gloves, you also reduce your risk of injuring your skin.Protect your skin from the sun. If you’re seeing more wrinkles, age spots, bruises, and blotches of discolored skin, you may wonder if you still need to protect your skin from the sun.
You do! At this stage in your life, sun protection still offers many benefits. It helps to prevent new age spots and blotchy skin. It can reduce dry, thinning skin. It also reduces your risk of developing skin cancer.To protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, dermatologists recommend that you:- Seek shade when outdoors. Seek shade when appropriate, remembering that the sun’s rays are the strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
- Wear clothing that protects your skin from the sun. Wear a lightweight and long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses with UV protection when possible. For more effective protection, select clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) number on the label.
- Apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. You want to apply this to all skin that clothing won’t cover while you’re outside.
Go fragrance free. Fragrance can irritate your skin. To help heal dry, itchy skin and prevent it from coming back, stop using perfumes, colognes, and skin care products that contain fragrance.
Products that are fragrance free say “fragrance free” on the package.
“Fragrance free” and “unscented” have different meanings
Unscented products can irritate dry skin, as unscented products generally contain a chemical that covers up the smell of other ingredients so that you cannot smell them. Be sure to use fragrance-free products.
Examine your skin for signs of skin cancer. Around 50 years of age, your risk of developing skin cancer and pre-cancerous growths increases. As the years pass, this risk rises.
When skin cancer is found early and removed, that’s often the only treatment you’ll needed. If the cancer spreads, treatment becomes more difficult.Learning how to examine your skin for signs of skin cancer can help you to find skin cancer early. To learn how to examine your skin, watch How to perform a skin self-exam.
If you notice a spot that is different from others, or that changes, itches, or bleeds, you should make an appointment to see a board-certified dermatologist.
Dermatologist examining patient’s skin for signs of skin cancer
If you notice a spot that is different from others, or that changes, itches, or bleeds, you should make an appointment to see a board-certified dermatologist.
When to seek a dermatologist's help
While the right skin care can help, medications, surgery, and health problems can take a toll on your skin. A board-certified dermatologist understands the effects each of these can have on your skin and can create a treatment plan tailored to your skin’s needs.A dermatologist can also help you safely treat skin changes, such as age spots and wrinkles.
Related AAD resources
Images
References
Cowdell F. “Care and management of patients with pruritus.” Nurs Older People. 2009;21(7):35-41.
Cowdell F. “Promoting skin health in older people.” Nurs Older People. 2010;22(10):21-6.
Murphree RW. “Impairments in skin integrity.” Nurs Clin North Am. 2017;52(3):405-17.
Thiele JJ and Gilchrest BA. “Aging skin.” In: Nouri K. Skin Cancer. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., China, 2008:17-29.
Van Onselen J. “Skin care in the older person: identifying and managing eczema.” Br J Community Nurs. 2011;16(12):576, 578-80, 582.
White-Chu EF and Reddy M. “Dry skin in the elderly: complexities of a common problem.” Clin Dermatol. 2011;29(1):37-42.
Written by:
Paula Ludmann, MS
Reviewed by:
Bassel H. Mahmoud, MD, PhD, FAAD
Kesha Buster, MD FAAD
Sandy Marchese Johnson, MD, FAAD
Last updated: 9/8/21
I am not an expert or enthusiast in dermatology, but I can provide information on the concepts mentioned in the article you shared.
The article covers various aspects of dermatology, focusing on everyday care, darker skin tones, cosmetic treatments, public health programs, and finding a dermatologist. Here's a breakdown of the concepts used:
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Everyday Care:
- Provides tips for caring for the skin, especially for individuals in their 60s and 70s.
- Emphasizes changes in skin as it ages, including dryness, thinning, and susceptibility to various conditions.
- Recommends lifestyle changes such as using moisturizers, avoiding hot water, and using gentle cleansers.
-
Darker Skin Tones:
- Addresses specific concerns related to individuals with darker skin tones.
- Discusses skincare secrets, hair care, and common dermatological conditions for people with darker skin.
-
Cosmetic Treatments:
- Focuses on safety considerations in cosmetic treatments.
- Covers various treatments like laser hair removal, scar treatment, and Botox injections.
- Discusses the temporary nature of Botox results and the permanence of laser hair removal in certain areas.
-
Public Health Programs:
- Highlights skin cancer awareness programs, free screenings, and educational initiatives.
- Mentions campaigns, grants, and activities aimed at promoting good skin knowledge and preventing skin cancer.
-
Finding a Dermatologist:
- Explains what a dermatologist is and how to select one.
- Covers digital health aspects, prior authorization, and collaborative efforts among dermatologists to improve patient care.
-
Specific Dermatological Conditions:
- Provides information on various skin conditions such as acne, eczema, hair loss, psoriasis, rosacea, and skin cancer.
- Offers insights into causes, treatments, and insider tips for managing these conditions.
-
Age-Specific Skin Care:
- Offers specific recommendations for individuals in their 60s and 70s, addressing dry and irritated skin.
- Recommends changes in bathing habits, moisturizer selection, and the use of humidifiers.
Remember, if you have specific questions about dermatology, it's advisable to consult with a qualified dermatologist for personalized advice and treatment.
