Skin Aging In Men and Women

The process of skin aging is different in male and female skin. In men there is a gradual thinning of the skin increasing in age of approximately 1% per year. The thickness of women's skin remains constant until menopause, after which a ;dramatic thinning of the skin increases with age. There is a relationship between skin thickness and collagen content in men of all ages.

The same relationship exists between women over 60, but it is less visible in younger women. In an adult skin the features of aging are closely linked to the collagen content, which decreases with age in both sexes, but at different rates. In later life women can look older than men of the same age with similar experiences of sun exposure only because their skin has a much lower collagen content. The other reason is that the collagen content is different is because there is a difference in hormone production.

The release of oestrogen and androgen from the ovaries and adrenal glands falls after menopause, which results in decreased collagen production and repair. Aging related to the failure of estrogen production at menopause can cause intrinsic aging together with photoaging in women going through menopause. The deficiency of oestogen affects the fibroblasts in the dermis and the thinning of the skin is related to a decrease in collagen