Mature skin

Mature skin is like a canvas that tells your life story. But what exactly makes mature skin look old and how can you make it glow again? You can find that and more here.

  • Natural skin ageing cannot be stopped. However, your lifestyle and skincare habits have an influence on when and to what extent the typical signs of mature skin appear.

  • Mature skin benefits from daily basic care with moisturizer and sun protection. Special anti-ageing ingredients can further improve the appearance of your skin.

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From Head of Cosmetics:

From Head of Cosmetics:

Nathalie Herndlhofer
Medically reviewed by:

Medically reviewed by:

Dr. Peter Herndlhofer

Mature skin: simply explained!

It happens gradually, but at some point the signs of time are unmistakable: Your skin becomes flabbier, thinner and drier, with fine lines and wrinkles appearing, especially on your face. Although all of our body’s organs are affected by ageing processes, it is here, on the surface of the body, that we often notice them first.

Age-related changes to the skin are absolutely normal. From around the age of 25, the skin’s elasticity begins to diminish – barely noticeably at first. When the first signs of mature skin become visible also depends on your lifestyle.

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What does mature skin look like?

While youthful skin appears fresh, plump and firm, mature skin increasingly loses firmness and elasticity. This initially leads to fine lines and wrinkles, later to folds and sagging, drooping areas of skin.

Mature skin is often also
dry
 and can therefore look dull and flaky. At an advanced age, it sometimes looks as thin as cigarette paper. Pigmentation also becomes uneven: sun-exposed areas of skin such as the face, décolleté and hands are often affected by smaller or larger age spots.
age spots
 littered. Redness or visibly dilated veins may also occur.

If areas of skin have been frequently and intensively exposed to the sun, they may appear thicker, almost tanned like leather. Deep, coarse wrinkles often dig into the skin in these areas.

How does mature skin develop?

You may have already noticed some of these signs in the bathroom mirror. But what exactly is happening under the surface of your skin?

Typical ageing processes in mature skin

If you were to look at mature skin under a microscope, you would be able to see this: The skin layers are thinner overall and the fatty tissue of the subcutis has receded. The collagen and elastin fibers that give the skin firmness and elasticity also diminish and sag.

Many small and large changes accumulate in the skin cells themselves. The mitochondria, the power plants of your cells, no longer work as effectively. Once damage has occurred in the genetic material, it becomes increasingly difficult for the body to repair.

Overall, many metabolic processes slow down. The skin takes longer to regenerate and the activity of the sebaceous and sweat glands also decreases. As a result, mature skin often has less protective skin lipids and is less able to bind moisture.

Skin ageing has internal and external causes

But what leads to these changes? We are partly born with skin ageing processes, which is also referred to as internal or intrinsic skin ageing. There are also external influences: UV radiation, smoking and other environmental toxins cause the skin to age earlier or faster. Unfortunately, we often only receive the receipt many years later. You can find out more about this in our article on skin ageing.

Risk factors of mature skin: what to look out for in premature skin ageing?

The skin is therefore often the key witness to our lifestyle. Conversely, this means that we do have an influence on how deeply the traces of time are etched into our skin. There are several risk factors that have been proven to contribute to premature skin ageing:

  • UV radiation: UV radiation is by far the most important factor. Therefore, avoid prolonged sunbathing and consistently protect your skin outdoors with a sufficiently high sun protection factor. It’s best to start at a young age.
  • Smoking: Cigarette smoke contributes to more and deeper facial wrinkles. As twin studies have shown, just five years of smoking leaves clear traces on the face. If possible, also avoid passive smoking.
  • Diet: If you only eat burgers, pizza and the like, your skin will look old more quickly. Therefore, choose unprocessed products wherever possible. In addition to vitamins and minerals, colorful vegetables and fruit contain many valuable antioxidants that help your skin to repair cell damage. Don’t forget to drink plenty of still water. This prevents dehydrated skin.
  • Alcohol: Regular alcohol consumption damages the skin as well as many other organs. Of course, there is nothing wrong with an occasional glass of wine.
  • Lack of sleep: Chronic lack of sleep makes your skin look tired. In fact, a good night’s sleep is a kind of fountain of youth, because many regeneration processes only really get going while you slumber peacefully.

Of course, a healthy lifestyle cannot reverse skin ageing. However, the process can be delayed and slowed down.

Mature skin: the right cleanser

Mature skin has special requirements when it comes to cleansing. Because they are often
dry
 and sometimes
sensitive
 water and unsuitable cleaning agents are all the more damaging. You should therefore adhere to the following basic rules:

  • Don’t wash too often: Of course, you should regularly remove dust, sweat, flakes of skin and make-up from your skin. However, it is enough to wash your face in the morning and evening and shower (at most) once a day.
  • Choose the right products: Reach for soap-free products, often referred to as wash syndets. They are more skin-friendly due to their neutral to slightly acidic pH value. They are often enriched with nourishing and moisturizing additives such as glycerine, natural oils or lanolin. Generally prefer products without fragrances, colorants and preservatives that can irritate your skin.
  • Use lukewarm water: Hot water degreases your skin even more. Therefore, get into the habit of washing or showering with water at a maximum temperature of 35°.
  • Only take a short shower or bath: A 5-minute shower is better for your skin than an extended full bath. Occasional bathing is of course allowed if it is good for the soul.
  • Do not rub: Do not use rough sponges or brushes and pat wet skin dry with a soft towel instead of rubbing.
  • Apply cream immediately afterwards: For optimum care, you should apply cream to your skin immediately after washing or showering.

Mature skin: the right care

Skin ageing is an issue that we are all facing. Magazines and the Internet are therefore full of advice on the right care for mature skin. But what really makes sense?

The start: care according to type

First of all, it should be noted that there is no such thing as “the” optimal care for mature skin. Just like when you are younger, your skin has very individual needs. Although mature skin is often dry and sensitive, quite a few people still have oily or combination skin on their face at the age of 50 or 60. Ageing does not always protect against blemishes or acne.

You will therefore achieve the best results with skincare products that are tailored to your individual skin type.

The must: sunscreen and moisturizer

Moisturizer, facial toner, serum, tonic, peeling, mask, eye cream and more – do you often find yourself at a loss in front of the drugstore shelves?

Then let me tell you: The real heroes among anti-aging products are sunscreen and moisturizer. Experts agree that these are the two most effective products you can buy. Their daily use really pays off.

A good moisturizer plumps up the top layer of skin slightly, helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It also stabilizes your skin’s protective barrier, which is essential for healthy skin. If you have dry skin, your moisturizer should also contain moisturizing ingredients such as ceramides, squalene or natural oils.

The following criteria are important for sun protection:

  • Broad spectrum (protection against UVA and UVB radiation)
  • Sun protection factor 30 or higher
  • Free from fragrances
  • Non-comedogenic. This means that it should not cause blackheads (= comedones). This is particularly important for face creams.

Protect all areas of skin exposed to the sun when you leave the house and don’t forget your neck, throat and hands.

The freestyle: anti-ageing active ingredients

Want to do even more to keep your skin youthfully fresh? Cosmetics manufacturers have come up with quite a few ideas under the slogan “anti-ageing“. But you have to be realistic here: Even the best creams and serums cannot make the traces of time disappear completely.

From a scientific point of view, cosmetic active ingredients must fulfill strict criteria in order to qualify as anti-aging tools. Studies in which individual active ingredients are tested in comparison with an active ingredient-free cream have the greatest evidential value.

Some cosmetic active ingredients have overcome this hurdle. For example:

  • Retinol (a substance similar to vitamin A)
  • L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
  • Hyaluronic acid
  • Niacinamide (vitamin B3)

You may know care products with these ingredients from advertising or have already used them yourself.

However, deep wrinkles remain unaffected by such active ingredients. Medical-aesthetic treatments are needed to achieve visible changes.

What should I bear in mind when using anti-ageing cosmetics?

If you want to use anti-ageing cosmetics, stick to the following basic rules:

  • Start with a product. If you use several products at the same time, you risk skin irritation. This may make your skin look older.
  • Observe the reaction of your skin. Some anti-aging products can irritate dry or sensitive skin. If you notice redness or your skin starts to itch or burn, stop using the product. If you have sensitive skin, test new products on your inner arm first before using them on your face.
  • Give the product time. It may take a few weeks or even months before you see visible results.

Are you unsure which product is right for you? An individual skin analysis allows active ingredients to be selected even more specifically. We will be happy to advise you on this in our practice.

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Any questions? Our FAQ section has the answers!

Mature skin shows visible signs of ageing: it loses elasticity, may appear thinner and drier and pigmentation becomes more uneven. When the typical signs of mature skin appear depends on the individual’s predisposition and lifestyle.

The skin is often drier and more sensitive with age. It therefore requires particularly gentle cleaning and consistent care. The most important basic products are moisturizer and sunscreen. You should also take good care of mature skin “from the inside”, i.e. drink plenty of fluids and eat a healthy diet.

Care creams for mature skin should contain moisturizing as well as moisturizing and skin-caring ingredients. Good ingredients include urea, glycerine, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. In general, the composition should be tailored to your current skin condition.

More questions? Simply make a personal consultation appointment online.

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References

Last updated: 16.05.2024

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