Elderly Skin Care - What You Need To Know

Elderly people and their caregivers should know about elderly skin care. It is important to realize some of the common traits, problems and solutions. Elderly people will have some specific issues that need to be recognized and treated effectively. This page will help you care best for elderly skin.

Elderly Skin Traits

The most common factor among elderly skin is the fact that it is usually always dry. This is because as we age, our skin begins to thin. As it thins, it is less able to retain moisture, thus leading to dry skin.

Dry skin can lead to problems in a younger person, but can cause even more problems for the elderly. The thin skin is easier torn, and that lets bacteria get in. The elderly have a harder time fighting bacteria off, so you don't want anything to increase their chances of infection.

Treating Elderly Skin

Elderly skin care will always include caring for dry skin. Treating dry skin is not hard; it just requires astute attention and getting in the habit of taking care of it.Here's how you do it.

Keep It Clean: Always keep the skin clean. This applies especially to the feet, groin, underareas and armpits. Individuals who sweat should wear loose, absorbent clothing that will wick the wetness away. If skin stays wet too long, it can become prone to fungal infection, rashes and even become extremely dry.

However, avoid hot baths or too frequent showering/bathing. This will dry skin out further. Warm water is the most effective, and bathing every other day is probably the most frequent to get.

Cream based cleansers for face and body are perfect. Often, only localized areas need to be soaped; the rest of the body can be flushed with warm water. Avoid very bubbly products, as they usually contain harsh detergents that dry out skin.

Keep It Hydrated: Keeping dry skin hydrated is the best way to avoid potential problems like cracking, pain and itchiness (which we'll discuss below). After showering or bathing, lather all over with a thick hydrating cream. This will help seal in the body's natural moisture, and help skin be more comfortable.

For the day, invest in a heavy-duty moisturizer with sunscreen. At night, use a hydrating night cream before going to bed.