In a recent blog, our skin care experts discussed common skin issues for teenagers. Now we wanted to turn our attention to seniors. The natural aging process can be hard on our bodies, and our skin is certainly not immune to the effects of aging. How a person’s skin ages over time depends on several key factors including their genes, skin type, lifestyle, diet, and how much sun exposure they’ve experienced through the years. Today, we wanted to discuss the most common skin problems for seniors and how they can effectively be dealt with.

Age Spots

Age spots (also known as lentigo senilis, brown spots, or liver spots) can be common in older people. Especially those with more fair skin and people who have spent plenty of time in the sun over the years. Age spots often appear as flat tan, brown, or black spot(s), on the face, hands, shoulders, arms, and legs. Age spots are harmless, but can sometimes be confused with more serious issues like skin cancer, which is why it’s important to have a dermatologist check out any new spots you notice right away. We offer different methods for treating age spots, including a wide variety of laser treatments like our newest MIRIA™ laser by Avana™, as well as chemical peels.

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer in older individuals is quite common and not something that should be taken lightly. Continued exposure to the sun’s UV rays can build up over the years, leading to the development of skin cancers like either basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, as well as melanoma, and even more common pre-cancers like actinic keratosis. Data collected by the CDC shows that the risk of developing skin cancer increases significantly for people in their 60’s and goes up even more every year from that point on. Thankfully, skin cancer is very treatable as long as it is detected in its earliest stages. Our board-certified dermatologists and physician assistants perform many highly trusted skin cancer treatments including Mohs surgery, cryosurgery, laser treatments, topical chemotherapy, and more.

Shingles

Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus. So if you have had chickenpox, you can get shingles. While shingles can affect people of all ages, it’s a fact that the majority of cases are found in people aged 50 and above. Shingles takes the form of a painful rash that appears as a patch of reddened blisters on the skin’s surface. The most common areas for shingles are the torso, scalp, and face, but they can appear elsewhere on the body too. Many people experience a tingling sensation on the skin before any physical signs of shingles appear. Getting vaccinated against shingles can help reduce the risk of occurrence. Once someone has developed shingles, there are effective over-the-counter and prescription medications that can help ease symptoms and shorten the outbreak’s duration. These treatments can also help prevent or improve postherpetic neuralgia, a complication of shingles that causes pain due to damaged nerve fibers. Postherpetic neuralgia can occur if you do not get on the proper antiviral medication within the first 72 hours of developing shingles, so it is critical to contact your dermatologist immediately.

Here at Dermatology Associates of Atlanta, our board-certified dermatologists and physician assistants take great pride in being able to treat a wide range of issues facing the skin, hair, or nails, for patients of all ages. For more information contact Dermatology Associates of Atlanta to schedule an appointment today. Don’t forget that you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more skin care tips and practice updates.