So, we have this skin. ALL this skin, from head to toe. Our body’s biggest organ!

As we age, our skin becomes thinner, loses fat, and no longer appears as plump or smooth as it once did. Our veins and bones become more visible. Scratches, cuts, or bumps can take longer to heal. Years of being out in the sun for lengthy periods may lead to wrinkles, dryness, age spots, and even melanoma.

Now don’t go thinking “it’s all downhill from here”, there are things you can do to protect your skin and to make it look and feel better. According to Mika Meyunger, Beautician at YESWellness, here are 6 Healthy Skin Care Tips for older women:

Dry Skin and Itching

As the skin ages, it is more prone to dry patches or itching.

• Not drinking enough liquids
• Spending too much time in the sun or sun tanning
• Being in very dry air
• Smoking
• Feeling stress
• Losing sweat and oil glands, which is common with age

Dry skin also can be triggered by health complications, such as diabetes or kidney disease. Using too much soap, antiperspirant, or perfume, and taking hot baths can make dry skin worse.

Here are some ways to help dry, itchy skin:

• Use moisturizers, like lotions, creams, or ointments, every day.
• Try an Active Collagen supplement, which will attempt to improve skin elasticity and reduce deep wrinkles or lines.
• Guzzle that H2O! It’s important for your body to have plenty of fluids each day. Water helps you digest your food, absorb nutrients, and then get rid of the unused waste.

Age Spots and Skin Tags

Age spots once called “liver spots,” are flat, brown spots often caused by years in the sun. They are larger than freckles and usually show up on areas of the face, hands, arms, back, and feet.Skin tags are small, usually flesh-colored growths of skin that have a raised surface. They become common as people age, especially for women. They are most often found on the eyelids, neck, and body folds such as the armpit, chest, and groin.

Here are some ways to help:

• Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that helps protect against two types of the sun’s rays may prevent more age spots.
• Darkspot cream uses a unique combination of 5 Natural and Effective Ingredients that tackle dark spots either by blocking melanin (the skin pigment) production or by absorbing darkening UV rays - See more at YESWellness

Wrinkles

There are so many claims that are made about how to make wrinkles go away, so many of them don’t work, and some methods can be painful or intrusive.

How to Reduce Wrinkles:

• Avoid the sun
• Wear sunscreen
• Don’t smoke!
• Get enough sleep. (sleep produces more HGH, which helps skin remain thick or more elastic)

Skin Ager: Hormones gone wild

Whether you're dealing with PMS or menopause, if you're continually turning to refined carbs and sugar for a boost in mood and energy, you’re triggering hormonal insulin surges. This increases the inflammation in the body and that inflammation produces enzymes which break down collagen and elastin.

• Steer clear of added sugars
• Help maintain healthy estrogen-to-progesterone balance by trying a supplement similar to Estrosmart
• Calm hot flashes, night sweats or mood swings with a supplement like MenoSmart

Women all over the world are proving you can age well and elegantly, and you don’t have to go under the knife or spend your entire paycheck on a fancy new anti-aging cream. There are a number of natural ingredients and affordable options around to clear complexions and to halt the signs of aging. Many teas, for instance, are high in anti-aging antioxidants and can be mixed with green tea powder to create a face mask.

It’s never too late to start a healthy skincare habit, reduce skin cancer risk or to keep your complexion looking brighter and younger. A healthy diet promotes healthy skin, always try to remember the 80/20 rule – 80% of your nutrition should be “good”, leaving the remaining 20% for you to indulge in the odd “bad” food craving. If you want to include anti-aging skin care products in your plan, dermatologists recommend that you select these products carefully.

So, love the skin you are in and it will love you in return for years to come.

Author's Bio: 

Author, Freelance writer