Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The Results Of Getting Older With Integumentary System

Aging causes changes in the hair, skin, glands and nails.


As we advance in years, our bodies inexorably change. The most visible changes of all occur in the integumentary system---our skin, hair, nails and glands.


Identification


As a person ages, his skin and fat tissue become thinner and less elastic. His oil glands produce less oil, and he has fewer sweat glands. He produces less melanin, so his hair color fades to gray or white. His fingernails and toenails grow more slowly and may thicken.


Effects


Older people have rougher, slacker, more transparent, wrinkled, fragile skin that bruises easily. The loss of fat tissue can make eye sockets look sunken and the person's face seem more skeletal. According to Medicine Net, about 85 percent of older adults have dry, itchy skin in cold weather.


Risk Factors


While many age-related changes are inevitable, there are some controllable risk factors. Smokers, for example, are more prone to wrinkles. People who have spent a lot of time in the sun will notice their skin sags more, is more fragile and heals more slowly when compared to those who've avoided the sun.


Tips


An older person can minimize age-related dry skin discomfort by avoiding hot baths and limiting the use of perfumes and soaps.


Warning


Sun exposure throughout the lifespan can accentuate normal skin changes that occur with old age, according to the Merck Manual Home Edition.









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