Does men's skin age faster than women's?

As the years go by, our skin starts to show the signs of aging. It’s a natural and inevitable process, but does it differ between the sexes?

In the general public's perception, women seem to be more concerned about skin aging earlier, while men are often considered to "age slowly." But is this really the case?

Today, we will talk about the differences in skin aging between men and women, aiming to unveil the mystery of skin aging.

1. Gender differences in aging between men and women

Objectively speaking, the rate of skin aging in men and women is different and is affected by many factors.

Not only that, there are also gender differences in other dimensions of aging. Here are some pictures to prove it:

Figure 1. Average aging rate for each gender (organized from references)

This image shows the average aging rate for each sex from age 23 to 74. The aging rate is calculated based on the Procrustes analysis of annual changes in facial morphology.

Combining images and original data, the authors found that men and women differ in aging characteristics, timing, and rates in early and late adulthood. Moreover, facial aging is a nonlinear process, with men aging faster between the ages of 40 and 50, while women age faster between the ages of 30 and 50.

So why is there a difference in skin aging between men and women? This may be reflected in the following:

Hormonal differences: Men and women have different levels of hormones, especially testosterone and estrogen, which affect the physiological properties of the skin and the aging process.

Differences in lifestyle and behavior: Men may engage in more outdoor activities and be more exposed to ultraviolet rays and environmental factors, which may lead to accelerated skin aging.

Physiological differences: Men and women have differences in skin structure, such as the distribution and activity of sweat glands and sebaceous glands, which may affect the aging process of the skin.

Genetic factors: Different genders may have different genetic susceptibilities, which affect the skin's response to environmental factors and the speed of aging.

The table below shows the gender differences.

Table 1. Gender differences in skin between men and women

Dimensions

Performance characteristics

Transepidermal water loss

Transepidermal water loss is higher in men

Sebum secretion

May be slightly higher in men

Sweating rate

Men sweat 30% to 40% more than women

Skin thickness

Women reach their maximum value at 30-40 years old, while men reach their maximum value at 40-50 years old, and then decrease with age.

We know that wrinkles are a particularly strong sign of aging. Next, let's take wrinkles as an example to focus on the specific relationship between them and gender.

2. The relationship between wrinkles and gender

Scientific research shows that perioral wrinkles are more common in women than in men, especially in women over 45 years old or after menopause.

There are many reasons for this phenomenon.

Anatomically, the perioral area of ​​women contains fewer sebaceous glands and a lower ratio of blood vessels to connective tissue compared to men. These anatomical differences may affect the oil secretion and structural integrity of the skin, thus affecting wrinkle formation.

In addition, considering that wrinkles are more obvious in postmenopausal women, this is because the estrogen levels in these women decrease, which may lead to a decrease in collagen in the skin and increase the formation of wrinkles.

As we age, our skin goes through a natural aging process, including dryness and a decrease in collagen and elastin fibers, changes that may be more pronounced in women.

The study also mentioned that the formation of perioral wrinkles may be affected by the activity of the orbicularis oris muscle, and gender differences in the use of the orbicularis oris muscle may also be related to wrinkle formation.

3. Hormones are involved in skin aging

As can be seen from the above, sex hormones and skin aging are closely related.

On the one hand, proper hormone levels are essential to maintain the integrity and functional capacity of the skin. On the other hand, a drop in sex hormone levels can lead to a decline in skin function. Especially after menopause, women may suddenly notice signs of skin aging such as dry skin, loss of firmness, reduced elasticity and skin sagging.

Estrogen, a sex hormone, plays a more important role in skin aging. Studies have shown that hormone receptors are found in different parts of the skin (such as keratinocytes, fibroblasts, sebaceous glands, hair follicles, endocrine glands and blood vessels).

Specifically, estrogen can reverse the decrease in collagen and increase the amount of collagen in the skin. Estrogen also enhances the synthesis of hyaluronic acid and promotes moisture retention. Here is an extended knowledge point, that is, the loss of collagen is itself a key factor in skin aging.

You should know that with the increase of age, the collagen content of adult skin decreases by 1% every year, and this process is more obvious in women than in men. Especially in the first 5 years after menopause, the skin collagen will lose about 30%, an average of 2.1% per year, for 20 years.

Some people even choose hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which has positive effects on the skin, including increasing skin thickness and collagen content. However, you should not try it rashly, because HRT also has many potential risks, such as bloating, breast swelling, headaches, mood changes, nausea and other side effects, and may increase the risk of breast cancer, endometrial cancer, dementia and other diseases.

4. Look beyond gender to understand skin aging

It is not difficult to see from the above that gender is a very important factor affecting skin aging. However, aging is a very complex process, and we cannot simply conclude that people of one gender age faster than people of the other gender. We need to look beyond gender to look at skin aging.

For example, we cannot ignore individual differences, because many of them are significant enough to completely mask a slight gender advantage. This is the power of individual diversity.

This difference is not only affected by endogenous aging, but also by factors such as sunlight exposure (photoaging), lifestyle (smoking, drinking, staying up late) and air pollution.

In daily life, we don’t need to worry too much about the impact of gender on skin aging. Instead, we should adopt a healthy lifestyle, which is enough to maintain relatively good skin condition.

Here are some useful life tips for your reference:

According to the document, to maintain relatively good skin condition, you can adopt the following healthy lifestyles in your daily life:

Pay attention to sun protection: Ultraviolet rays are an important factor in skin aging. Long-term ultraviolet exposure may cause damage to collagen in the skin and increase the formation of wrinkles. Therefore, it is best to reduce direct sunlight during outdoor activities, use sunscreen, and do physical sun protection.

Healthy diet: A balanced diet is good for skin health and can help reduce free radical damage to the skin. At the same time, reduce the intake of high-sugar and high-fat foods.

Avoid bad living habits: Quit smoking and drinking, because the habits of smoking and drinking (especially smoking) will accelerate skin aging, causing the skin to lose elasticity and luster, and become more prone to wrinkles.

Regular skin checks: Check any unusual changes on your skin promptly and consult a dermatologist.

References

[1] Wong QYA, Chew FT. Defining skin aging and its risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2021; 11(1): 22075.

[2] Chien AL, et al. Perioral wrinkles are associated with female gender, aging, and smoking: Development of a gender-specific photonumeric scale. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 2016; 74: 924-930.

[3] Smith OAM, Duncan C, Pears N, et al. Growing old: Do women and men age differently? Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2021; 304(8): 1800-1810.

[4] Dąbrowska AK, Spano F, Derler S, et al. The relationship between skin function, barrier properties, and body-dependent factors. Skin Res Technol. 2018; 24(2): 165-174.

[5] Gerasymchuk M, Robinson GI, Vardinska N, et al. Sex-dependent skin aging and rejuvenation strategies. Dermatol. 2023; 3(3): 196-223.

Author: Tang Jiaoqing, MD, attending physician of dermatology

Reviewer: Feng Jun, deputy chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital

The article is produced by Science Popularization China-Creation Cultivation Program. Please indicate the source when reprinting.