Another age-related skin symptom: itchiness.
According to a2013 studypublished in Dermatologic Therapy, itchiness is the most common skin issue elderly patients face.
So why does your skin feel itchier as you get older?
Here’s what the science says and what to do about it.
Feeling itchy?
Here’s why
Itchiness that worsens with each birthday could be related to several factors.
First,Mayo Clinicexplains that skin gets drier with age, which can cause irritation and pruritus.
For women, the cause often comes down to hormones, explainsWebMD.
Before and during menopause, estrogen, the hormone responsible for oil production in the skin, significantly drops.
As hormone levels change, the skin often struggles to retain moisture, leading to dry, itchy skin.
Besidesdry skin, itchiness can happen due to changes in histamine reactivity in the body.
Histamines are the chemicals produced by the immune system to fight off allergens (perWebMD).
A 2011 study published inAllergy, Asthma & Immunologyfound that older women have less histamine skin reactivity.
You might notice more flare-ups when facing an allergy trigger as you age.
Sciencealso points out that some older adults with alloknesis suffer from chronic itch.
Alloknesis causes skin sensitivity in older people, where even the lightest touch can provoke irritation.
Avoid repeatedly scratching chafed spots WebMDwarns that doing so might cause infections, broken skin, and scarring.
Also, consider taking lukewarm not hot!
showers and turning on a humidifier in your home.
Restore hydration by upping your vitamin C, sulfur, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D intake.
