Leather after “40”. What’s on it? What do these skin changes mean?

Proven content

Today forty is the old thirty – because there is still so much life ahead of us. However, in order to enjoy this added time, it is worth supporting the body, and it will bravely keep pace with us. Leather deserves special care. As our largest immune organ, she is the first to show signs of fatigue. How to interpret them?

1. When we finish the fourth decade of life, we open a chapter where we have greater insight into what we really want and need
2. There is space to analyze lifestyle and the first signs of aging
3. At this stage, they can be seen especially on the skin, which begins to bill for all the mistakes made: it is tired, wrinkles, discoloration, birthmarks appear.
4. ARTICLE FROM MAGAZINE: NEWSWEEK ZDROWIE & MEDONET 3/2021
5. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Where did these stains come from?

A common skin lesion in women over 40 are sun lentil spots (called age spots or, incorrectly, liver spots). With age, the skin loses its strength to deal with radiation, and the protective pigment, melanin, accumulates irregularly. As the years go by, their number grows. Over time, they turn into seborrheic warts – rough, raised, darker. Most often on the face, but also on the body: in sunny and / or irritated places. Initially flesh-colored, then they darken, especially in summer. They arouse our anxiety and are one of the most common reasons for visiting a dermatologist.

– This is a type of benign growth of the epidermis – its keratinocyte cells, which cannot turn into melanoma, which is caused by pigment cells (melanocytes). A seborrheic wart and sun lentil spots can be treated as a cosmetic defect. However, it is worth getting rid of them to make it easier to notice the emergence of new changes, not all of which have to be benign – says Dr. n. med. Bartłomiej Kwiek, prof. Lazarski University, dermatologist. Flat age spots are most effectively removed with a laser, and convex seborrheic warts with a laser or classically: cryotherapy, electrocoagulation, curettage. The dermatologist will first check the lesion in a dermoscope (dermatological magnifier) ​​to make sure that the lesion is harmless.

Moles can be different

The so-called moles are actually monocytic birthmarks. It is a myth that in adulthood they need to be removed prophylactically. Like the myth that, on the contrary, it is better not to cut the birthmarks because we will spread the cancer all over the skin.

– We remove a suspicious lesion that shows certain features under a dermoscope. There is no mechanism by which removing it would increase the risk of melanoma, explains the dermatologist. The belief that an irritated mole, e.g. located near the waist, will lead to the formation of melanoma is also untrue. However, if the nevus becomes irritated, especially when the birthmark is scratched, it should prompt us to visit a dermatologist. Melanoma is more easily scratched and irritated than an ordinary birthmark – this may be the first symptom of it. If the doctor determines that the nevus is harmless, you can consider removing it from the place exposed to trauma, so as not to worry in the future – says Dr. Bartłomiej Kwiek.

1. Also check: She thought it was just a pimple. She came to the doctor at the last minute

After summer, moles can be irritated, itchy, more convex, and darker. – Despite the fact that it is a natural reaction to the sun and usually passes within two weeks, just like when a birthmark is cut, it should be shown to a dermatologist. If the birthmark is severely irritated, the doctor may recommend a soothing cream or even a small bandage on an ad hoc basis and re-consultation after 2 weeks. – We do not usually cut birthmarks freshly irritated by the sun, it is difficult to assess whether it is necessary – says Dr. Kwiek.

The sun is aging

After our fortieth birthday, we also notice vascular changes more often. This is one of the elements of photoaging. In predisposed people who abuse the sun, it happens that rosacea develops 10-15 years earlier. It usually begins with erythema and becomes papular, with purulent eruptions. How to deal with visible capillaries? Apart from the fact that we can remove them, prophylaxis is necessary. – It is a pity that summer hats are not back in fashion. We are left with sunscreen, but sometimes they irritate rosacea-prone skin. You have to protect yourself from full sun exposure. – But not completely – the production of vitamin D in the skin under the influence of sunlight has a systemic effect, but is also beneficial for the skin itself, locally – says Dr. Kwiek. Therefore, for most people, a little exposure to the sun in the morning and afternoon hours will not hurt.

1. Learn more: Five atypical signs of skin cancer

Exposure to sunlight is responsible for the early aging of the skin. The time and intensity of sun exposure counts. So prophylactically summer sunscreen is as obvious as toothpaste in caries prophylaxis. Lucky ones born with more sebaceous glands in their skin are less likely to experience early sun-lines. The tallow acts a bit like a natural filter. However, they will be more likely to have adult acne. It is a disease that affects women more often, appears after the age of 25 and lasts even after XNUMX. Often the symptoms of adult acne overlap with those of rosacea. They worsen as a result of stress, overuse of masking cosmetics and changes in the weather, e.g. when it gets hot and the sebaceous glands are activated.

Economical care

After forty, the skin is prone to irritation and allergies. It is associated with long-term damage to the epidermal barrier. The skin is chronically irritated by external factors – mainly cosmetics and detergents. – We wash our face with them, then we put something on it again. The list of chemicals that we put on our face throughout our lives is huge, says the dermatologist. The substances contained in them penetrate the skin, irritate, which intensifies drying. The repair systems of such skin are broken, and this accelerates the aging process – she adds. In addition, there is smog that causes inflammation and irritation. Together with detergents, they are responsible for damaging the epidermal barrier, which allows harmful factors to pass through. This leads to intolerance and allergies to more and more substances. The skin is red, rough and loses its glow.

1. See also: Liver spots – how do they arise and how to eliminate them?

Let’s limit the amount of cosmetics, e.g. colored ones, during holidays or weekends, in addition to the moisturizing cream. – For washing, especially after the night, water is enough, while on vacation the one from the lake – it is soft. Of course, cosmetics are sometimes labeled with information: 99 percent. nature, because they contain a lot of water, which is natural. This facilitates marketing maneuvers – says the dermatologist. A mild detergent is one that does not make the skin feel tense or stinging. It should have an acidifying effect, because the skin has such a natural reaction (and ordinary soap, e.g. alkaline). It is also worth limiting colored cosmetics, today we can do makeup electronically – e.g. when working remotely. We should also avoid contact with polluted air and use protective cosmetics, e.g. containing the so-called anti-smog filters.

Treatments for health and beauty

Or maybe it makes no sense to save your beauty, because aging processes are part of nature? – After forty, most skin lesions are sun damage. Photoaging is a parallel process with photocarcinogenesis (the formation of malignant lesions after exposure to ultraviolet light). So if we have numerous small wrinkles and discolorations – treatment is important. To rejuvenate mature skin, topical retinoids, peels, dermabrasion and CO2 fractional laser are used. It has recently been discovered that it not only reverses lesions, but also prevents the formation of new precancerous lesions and skin cancers.

– A beauty treatment is also a method of cancer and skin aging prevention – says Dr. Kwiek. Another discovery is the fact of the influence of blue light (sun, screens of electronic devices) on the intensity of melasma discoloration on the skin. It occurs mainly in women (30-50 years of age) and manifests itself by extensive dark patches of irregular shape, often on the forehead, around the cheekbones and above the upper lip. Therefore, sunscreens that prevent it should protect not only against ultraviolet light, but also against violet and blue light. Besides, blue light in screens of electronic devices should be avoided.

To take care of your skin and enjoy your youth for longer, order Pro-Beauty Hyaluronic Acid – YANGO dietary supplement available on Medonet Market. It is also worth supporting yourself with herbs. We recommend, for example, Pukka Blackcurrant Beauty – a currant tea that restores the skin’s radiance and improves its color.

Also read:

1. Is a scratched mole dangerous?
2. Moles and benign tumors
3. Melanoma – starts with an innocent mole
4. She ignored the small spot on the buttock – the star warns of melanoma

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