07-07-2025
How Your Skin Changes as You Age—In Your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond
It's no secret that our skin changes as we age. It starts out especially sensitive when we're babies, breaks out during puberty and (sometimes) clears up in our 20s and 30s. According to Dr. Roseanne Paul, a dermatologist at University Hospitals and assistant professor of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University, there are a variety of influencing factors that may result in skin changes as we age, often categorized into intrinsic or extrinsic factors.
'Intrinsic [factors are] part of your genetic predisposition, as well as hormonal changes experienced as we age,' she explains. 'Extrinsic or environmental factors—UV radiation being the most likely and most common—also includes smoking, air pollution, and even [poor] nutrition. More exposure to each of these may result in earlier or more prevalent signs of aging.'
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Paul notes that women won't all see the same signs of skin aging in a particular decade of their lives. But here's a general overview of the kinds of changes that tend to occur in our 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond.
By the time you're in your 40s, your skin has likely started to undergo some changes.
'In their 30s to 40s, women often begin to notice early signs of collagen loss, dullness and uneven tone due to a reduction in estrogen and sun exposure,' says Dr. Shamsa Kanwal, a consultant dermatologist. Exposure to sunlight—or tanning bed usage—will prematurely age the skin, making fine lines and wrinkles, brown spots, and broken blood vessels called telangiectasias appear at a younger age, Paul explains.
'In addition to natural aging and sun damage, this is also when signs of perimenopause and declining estrogen levels appear, which can make the skin dull, dry and prone to faster aging,' Dr. Viktoryia Kazlouskaya, a board-certified dermatologist and hair loss expert, says. In your 40s, hormonal shifts accelerate collagen breakdown and reduce skin elasticity, resulting in fine lines, dryness and more noticeable pigmentation, Kanwal explains. 'Many consider hormone replacement treatment (HRT),' Kazlouskaya says.
As far as skin care, 'this is the time to focus on hydration, peptides and sun protection,' Kanwal says.
Additionally, Kazlouskaya says that women should pay closer attention to their overall health.
'One of the most important steps in preventing premature aging is daily sun protection,' Kazlouskaya says. 'Maintaining a healthy lifestyle becomes especially important after 30, when the body starts needing more support. A diet rich in healthy proteins, good sleep and stress management can all have a noticeable impact—not just on how you feel, but even on how you look.'
This is a period when most women experience menopause with lower estrogen levels—meaning drier and duller skin, as well as more noticeable wrinkles and sagging, Kazlouskaya says. Skin also loses collagen quickly during menopause. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA), women's skin loses about 30% of its collagen during the first five years of menopause, then 2% every year for the next 20 years.
Decreased levels of estrogen during menopause can also change your skin by impairing your skin's barrier function, reducing sebum production and slowing wound healing, according to Northwestern Medicine. This can also affect the skin on your scalp, which may become drier and thinner, contributing to hair loss.
Along the same lines, postmenopausal skin can become thinner, drier and more prone to bruising or sensitivity, Kanwal says. But there are ways to take care of your skin. 'Gentle but active skin care like ceramides, hyaluronic acid and low-concentration retinoids helps rebuild the barrier,' Kanwal explains. 'Sun protection is essential.'
From your 60s onward, slower cell turnover and fat loss under the skin can lead to sagging and deep wrinkling, Kanwal says. 'In addition to sagging, volume loss and wrinkles, pigmentation issues and dryness also become more prominent,' Kazlouskaya says. Skin can also become thinner and more prone to irritation and itchiness—sometimes as the result of medications, according to the AADA.
Fortunately, there are ways to manage the dryness and irritation, including taking warm (not hot) baths, using a humidifier and applying a creamy, fragrance-free moisturizer within three minutes of bathing and throughout the day, the AADA notes. And don't give up on your skin care routine.
'Skin care should, of course, be continued with sun protection and hydration,' Kazlouskaya says.
