What Kinds Of Things Happen To Our Skin As We Get Older?

June 1, 2009 -- Question: What kinds of things happen to our skin as we get older?

Answer: There are many things that happen to our skin as we age. Firstly, the collagen in our skin, that is, the supportive structure, starts to break down and it's more difficult for our skin to build it back up again. Also, the supportive subcutaneous fat, which supports our skin, we tend to lose that with age. This makes our skin much thinner. That means that if you get a cut or an ulcer, your skin will also be less likely to heal as well as it did before.

Because of this loss of subcutaneous tissue more structures become prominent in the skin as we age, such as pores, follicles and oil glands. Our skin structures are less efficient, meaning that we sweat less with time and some people notice that their skin is more fragile meaning that it's more sensitive to the light and to heat and extreme temperature.

When we age we also notice the signs of photoaging more, such as sun freckles, liver spots, etc. Also, the incidents of skin cancer rises with age especially after the age of 50, or if you've had extreme sun exposure over your life or a genetic condition that predisposes you to skin cancer.