Aging Skin Conditions

As you get older, there are a number of conditions that can affect your skin, most of which don't occur until middle age, including:

• Actinic keratoses (AK): Caused by the sun, these spots are rough, scaly patches that crust or look like sores. They can be tiny or the size of a quarter, and may be red, skin-colored, brown, gray or yellow. If you think you have one, see a dermatologist because AKs are considered the earliest possible stage in the development of skin cancer. For more information, visit ActinicKeratosisNet.
• Age (liver) spots: Blame the sun — not the liver — for these usually harmless, flat, brown spots. They typically appear on places that receive the most sun exposure: the face, chest, back, back of the hands and tops of the feet.
• Bruising: Everyone gets bruises, but they are more common in older people. That's because aging results in less fat and other tissue to protect blood vessels, so you can be more easily injured. Also, the skin is thinner, so bruises show up more easily.
• Cherry angiomas: These small, raised, red bumps are caused by dilated blood vessels. They're not dangerous, and they're very common. More than 85 percent of people who are middle aged and older get them. They can be hereditary, are most common on fair-skinned individuals and are often seen on non-sun-damaged skin.

• Dilated blood vessels: Known as telangiectasia (pronounced tell-ann-jeek-tay-zhuh), or broken capillaries, these small vessels may appear on the face as a result of sun damage.
• Dry and itchy skin: As you age, your skin doesn't produce as much oil to keep it soft and smooth. Dry skin can lead to flaky, itchy skin, too.
• Nummular eczema: These round or oval-shaped patches are red, brown or pink, and usually have a ring around the outside edge. They can be itchy and burn. Men are more likely to get it, and usually have the first outbreak between 55 and 65 years old.
• Seborrheic dermatitis: This condition appears as greasy-looking scales, which are reddish in fair skin and darker brown in skin of color. The scales usually appear on the scalp, sides of nose, eyebrows, eyelids, behind the ears or middle of the chest, but can show up in other places. The condition can be unsightly and can recur.
• Seborrheic keratoses: These spots usually are brown or black, and often look like warts or irregular moles. They are not dangerous and usually can be distinguished by their waxy, “pasted-on” or “stuck on” appearance.
• Shingles: If the virus that causes chickenpox is reactivated, it can lead to this very painful infection of the nerves. Shingles is more common in older adults. Besides headache and fatigue, shingles causes a painful line of blisters. Treatment is most effective if started within three days, warranting a call to the dermatologist as soon as shingles is suspected.

• Skin cancer: There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma. All types of skin cancer should be treated as soon as possible, particularly melanoma, which is the most deadly, but can be successfully treated if it's found early. For more information, visit SkinCancerNet.
• Stasis dermatitis: Poor blood flow is a common problem in older people and can lead to several problems, including stasis dermatitis. When poor blood flow occurs in the legs, it can lead to patches of itchy, dry and scaly skin that often are reddish brown.
• Varicose ulcers: A cut on the leg — often at the ankles — can develop into a sore, called an ulcer, if it fails to heal because of poor blood flow.
  
  
• Varicose veins: Large, blue, ropy-looking veins caused by blood pooling often appear on the legs, but can appear on other parts of the body, too. Smaller versions are called spider veins.
  
  
  

Dermatologists treat all of these conditions. For more information, visit AgingSkinNet.

Next: Caring for Aging Skin

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Photo references:

Actinic keratoses: This photo was previously published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2002 Oct;47(4):571-577. Salasche S, Levine N, Morrison L. “Cycle therapy of actinic keratoses of the face and scalp with 5% topical imiquimod cream: An open-label trial.” Copyright Elsevier (2002).

 

Liver spots, Telangiectasia, Seborrheic dermatitis, and Varicose veins: Photos used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides.

 

Cherry angiomas: This photo was previously published in Dermatology DDxDeck, Vol 1, Pg 142. Habif T, Campbell J, Chapman M et al. “Cherry angioma.” Copyright Elsevier (2006).

 

Nummular eczema: This photo was previously published in Dermatology DDxDeck, Vol 1, Pg 15. Habif T, Campbell J, Chapman M et al. “Nummular eczema.” Copyright Elsevier (2006).

 

Seborrheic keratoses: This photo was previously published in Dermatology DDxDeck, Vol 1, Pg 115. Habif T. Campbell J, Chapman M et al. “Seborrheic keratosis.” Copyright Elsevier (2006).

 

Shingles: This photo was previously published in Dermatology DDxDeck, Vol 1, Pg 65. Habif T. Campbell J, Chapman M et al. “Herpes zoster (shingles).” Copyright Elsevier (2006).

 

Stasis dermatitis: This photo was previously published in Dermatology DDxDeck, Vol 1, Pg 18. Habif T. Campbell J, Chapman M et al. “Stasis dermatitis.” Copyright Elsevier (2006).

 

Vericose ulcers: These photos were previously published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2001 Mar;44(3):401-421. Valencia I, Falabella A, Kirsner R et al. “Chronic venous insufficiency and venous leg ulceration.” Copyright Elsevier (2001).