Question

I'm finding that lately, when I scrape my arms, my skin tears very easy, sometimes taking off pieces of skin. I'm 60 years old. Is this an "age" problem?

And is there something I can do about it?
 

Answer

The skin is one of the first body parts to show aging. Mature skin is not only much more fragile, it's physically less sensitive too, and therefore more likely to receive trauma leading to bruising and tearing. On top of this, it takes far longer to heal itself. Fragile blood vessels are easily broken, and warts and other skin growths become more prevalent in and after the 50s.
 

Some medications also make the skin more fragile: people who use aspirin regularly are more likely to bruise, and those who take oral prednisone or use strong topical steroid creams are especially susceptible to bruising and tearing.We advise you to be careful of sharp objects and corners of furniture, avoiding slippery wet surfaces, and, when gardening, use gloves. Take care to cover appropriate limbs (in your instance, your arms) for added protection. You could enquire at your local pharmacy regarding the possibility of any appropriate products that might give your skin some resilience. Keep the skin moist with lotions; moist skin is more comfortable and will probably heal better.The links below may be helpful to you in learning more.
 

Related Links
Aging changes in skin
Penn State: Aging Skin