The Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) aims to show the most common conditions that may suffer mature skin in older people and how to address them, for example, through healthy diet the whole year round, to achieve the best skin possible.
According to Dr. Manuel Ginarte, a member of this academy, in E.U. countries, the percentage of people over 65 years ranged between 13% in Ireland and 21% in Italy. In Spain, the figure is 18%, but with large differences between urban and rural areas. “By the year 2029, 25% of Spaniards will be more than 65 years old”.
From the dermatological point of view, Dr. explains that mature skin undergoes a physiological ageing associated with sun exposure habits. Other factors, such as smoking or pollution may also influence the skin ageing. This will cause several changes in the structure and function of the skin that result in the appearance of benign lesions, sometimes of only cosmetic nature, but other entail inconvenience and may decrease the quality of life.
These changes include thinning and skin dryness, itching, seborrheic keratoses, lentigines, hemangiomas, and other vascular problems, secondary alterations included. Moreover, some of these benign disorders can lead to complications such as infection or bleeding.
Albeit with ageing also increases the risk of skin cancer, especially NMSC (nonmelanoma skin cancer, mainly basal cell and squamous). This incidence increases especially after 60 years, depending on skin type and previous history of sun exposure.
In this sense, the AEDV emphasises primary and secondary prevention. This includes proper hygiene avoiding irritants, foot care and periodic review of the entire skin for early detection of premalignant or malignant lesions, either by the patient or, when this is not possible, by health workers or caregivers.